I stand in awe of my hero sons. Brave, powerful, motivated to perform at levels far beyond belief, willing to walk directly into danger without backing down - they both consciously chose this difficult and painful life because they believe in freedom. They believe in and will always defend the ideals on which this great Republic was created, and they will continue to fight to preserve and protect it all. As a former veteran and as the mother of my two Marines, I stand with them, supporting the Constitution of these United States and the values and principles on which it was founded. Together, we will defend freedom and rail against tyranny and oppression, whether in a foreign land or on our own soil.

Family members of warriors are called on to be courageous and faithful. We are often referred to as the support team at home. We become place holders at the holiday dinner tables, as we hold our deployed heroes in our hearts. We are the UPS team, packing boxes filled with all the things our loved ones need - high protein foods for body weight and strength, vitamin supplements to help them stay healthy, hundreds of pairs of socks, baby wipes to replace missing showers, and silly trinkets to boost team moral. We are the cheerleaders, encouraging our deployed ones to hang on until they can visually see the finish line. We are the sustainers of faith, as we pray a circle of protection around the operating bases and the dangerous missions Most importantly, we are the grief counselors in the middle of the night, the ones called upon to deal with the emotional fallout from the stresses of combat and death..

As a warrior mom, with multiple deployments under my belt now, I still struggle to help my children get through the emotional trauma of losing friends. When the phone rings in the middle of the night, I close my eyes and enlist the support of my God, asking that He give me the right words of comfort, as I help my children cope with the traumatic events of their day. Often they call because they have witnessed the death of one of their brothers; they have seen or experienced the devastation of an IED explosion; or they have held a brother until his very last breath - tears streaming down their faces, knowing they have been rendered powerless to change the circumstance. Praying with them on the phone in the aftermath of their crises is the most powerful comfort a parent or spouse can offer. Thanks be to our God for His saving grace. He is our Mighty Comforter, Counselor and Protector - our source of supernatural strength in times of chaos and grief. After several close brushes with death, my sons both realize the power of praying and they know it plays a huge role in their protection and in the safekeeping of the Marines around them. May the name of God always be the first they call on as they go about the business of defending our beloved America. As moms and dads, brothers and sisters, spouses and friends . . may we rush to His arms as we go about the business of supporting our military heroes.