OPERATION GIVE!

September 27, 2010

OPERATION GIVE Service Project

This was one great service project. .This was something that I was so glad to do...We walked in the center and stacks of boxes waiting for all of us to package the stuff from home for the orphans and women.......We had a great time with the Iraq women…tying quilts as sister from other sides of the world.....Things we packed:

Hygiene kits for women

New born hygiene kits

Educational and children's activity kits

This was a very humbling experience......

The fast pace off FUTURE BEGINGS

September 26, 2010

We head to the conference center to meet with PUK Leader...He thanked the Gold Star Moms for coming and for what the FUTURE is doing for them...

I said a few words and thanked them for their invite to their country..How happy I was here to help with freedom...

Then we went to the conference center to meet with Mrs Talababi (the Iraq Presidents wife)

Then we meert with ANFAL widows...state Department officials.......Joan Betros gave a great speach about what we are doing as Gold Star Moms and FUTURE....lots of press...I was interviewed..

 (fast shopping) Then dinner If you know me you would be very proud that I even ate some of the food...we should have gone dancing but I laid my head down for a min. feel so fast a sleep...Jan stayed in the room with me while I slept....we missed the dancing and the gift giving..Jan is my Hero for staying with me...

1. 

We Are Here!

After two long days in the air and in air porta we are now in Iraq....When i got off the plane I sat doen on the groud qand kissed it and hugged Matthew Blanket,,,I couldnt believe that I was on the ground that Matthew spent his last day..

Pictures of the first hotel..in Jordon

I was pretty scared at first the hotel had holes in walls

then we went to our room and it was great

 and now doors the lobby I was scared to seat on any thing

Fund raisinging begins

Thanks to Julies Idea on makinging bracelets for the fund raiser....the race began..Karen worked her fingers to the bones....Julie...Taryna...and Karens family worked so hard on all this.....thanks to my wonderful husband...he would even seat in front of wal-mart for hours...

I love all off you!

Sisters and Friends Forever

Because of this great meeting with the women from Iraq....I am on my way to Iraq on September 23, 2010...
So now the story begins!

A day to remember

On Mother's day 2006 ...one more life changing experience....I meet some really great women from Iraq...I worked a Colonial Flag and Paul told the women from Iraq that I worked for him and they said that they wanted to meet the lady whose son shed his blood for them and a mother's sacrifice for them.  This day I will never forget and will always love Paul for bringing them into my life.....we cried..laughed and shared some special moments.  That day I found out that we are all sisters....even around the world!

Our Families life changed that day forever

Thank Heaven for Family

Thank Heaven for Family

This was a very hard day for the family.....The Brother's...It was so hard for me to look at them and know that
one of the Musketeers is now gone from this world......Spencer and Cory took very good care of me and I know that is what Matthew would have wanted........Matthew always asked Matthew to take good care of me and he was always right by my side....Gary (Matthew's Dad ) he also stayed very close to the boys....

A whole new meaning to the United States Flag

The Flag has always meant something to our family....Spencer-Matthew-Cory...gave this flag pole one year to Stan for Father's day little did we know that we would have to hang it at half staff....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew talked to his friend Dallas the night before he died he said if I die I would like my truck to have many of the United States flags and Marine flags on his truck....he loved the United States flag and the Marines flag...Matthew was so proud to be a Marine

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Matthew comes home

This is the Day that Matthew came home....It was also on his Dad's Birthday... I can't even try to tell you how I felt at that moment.......other than my Matthew was home.....Sad, confused, hopeless....is this really happening!

Once a Marine Always a Marine

 

Matthew I'm so Proud of you!

You will always be our Marine and the whole family is so proud of you!

Love Much
Mom

I love you Matthew...

 

What more can I say!

More Guns!

Matthew love his guns....It looks like even on the ocean for target practice....

Guns!

Matthew always had a love for guns....but it looks like this gun fought in a few wars before Matthew's time!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Matthew....

I think the reason I love this picture so much because he still has that great smile of his...even knowing the danger he was always in...it also looks like it is saying HI to all...I'm doing great!

What Great Smiles....

I'm not so sure that I would have a smile on my face if I was wearing all that stuff!  This is Matthew with Taylor...Taylor is my Gift from Matthew.......

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Mattew in Iraq

Matthew on Duty...Is that a BIG gun? 

One of my favorite pictures of the boys

I loved having Three Boys!  They will always be my Three Musketeers

Matthew in Dress Uniform for Cory's and Andrea's Wedding

What a Great Picture

W

They grew up to wonderful young men

The Three Musketeers stayed great friends.....everytime Matthew would come home he would want to spend time with his brother....this was the last time Matthew came home....he was home for his little brother Cory's and Andrea's wedding...it was great to have him home.

My Three Musketeers

On  December 28, 1982 my third son was born...and at the moment on I have called them the three Musketeers.  Here are a few pictures of them when they where they would hang out together all the time.

They are the love of my life! 

Then on January 26, 2005 we lost one of the Three Musketeers who was killed in Iraq.
Matthew the middle one.  But the boys will still remain my Three Musketeers.

Christmas not sure what year...They had all matching shirts with cousins and all...How cute!

This is one of my most favorite picture of the boys....it captures all their personalities......