Finally Friday!

Isn't that what most of our parents said?

It's finally Friday! Why? Because it was the anticipated day that they received their pay on!

[Well, except for my parents, who were in the military or government employees while I was growing up, so our greatly anticipated day was the 15th and 30th of the month! LOL]

Dear old Dad was a swabbie [US Navy] for 22 years. So we greatly anticipated the end of the month in our household!

We made once a month trips to the grocery store where we would stock up for the coming month, loading refrigerator and freezer, as well as pantry, to the limit!

Bills were paid.

And if there was anything left over, we got a trip to movies, or skating rink.

But it wasn't nearly as fun or exciting as you can imagine. See, Dad was gone for 18-20 month stretches at times. [By the time I was 16 we had figured out he had spent 18 months at home with his children!]

Today I carry a soft spot in my heart for military families. We often boast about what our military personnel have sacrificed for their country. But we often neglect to remember what their families sacrifice as well.

Mothers sacrifice their husbands. All too often they cannot stand the separation and the family ends in divorce, simply because the spouse is serving his or her country!

Children are left without a parent! When the military person is gone from home, the child often doesn't understand! And when they are gone for long periods of time, the child may even "forget" their parent! They become a stranger when they come back!

The spouse left with the family is left to make ALL the decisions! In essence they become a single parent!

And the financial reward simply stinks.

These dedicated men and women are on call 24/7. And when you factor that in, their pay is nothing more than minimum wage.

Try raising a family on that! [I know, I spent 12 years as a military wife, and was raising 5 children on the pay!]

So, the next time you see someone in uniform, be sure to thank them. And if they're with their spouse, be sure and thank them as well!  Those families give their all!!!