He really has matured so much in this last year and I look forward to seeing what scouting will do for his self-confidence. I hope he makes a lot of friends and enjoys the experience as much as I enjoyed Girl Scouts, waaaaay back in the day.

You've just gotta love a man in uniform. I'm so proud of you, Liam.

I took a ton of photos on our trip to Pawley's Island but I think this may be my favorite. We all had a really fun time. Late Monday afternoon, Karyn, Laura, and I took all 10 kids to Broadway on the Beach. We had a nice seafood supper and the kids got to ride the water taxi and some fun carnival rides. Tuesday was an absolutely perfect day and we spent most of it outside in the sunshine, playing on the beach and at the pool with friends. Loys spent most of Monday and half of Tuesday in meetings, but he was able to get some quality time with Liam and Quinn on Tuesday afternoon when he took them to Jurassic Mini Golf in Myrtle Beach. A great time was had by all (including Aaron and me, who stayed behind to take naps). It was a wonderful way to end the summer.

I opened the box and pulled out a smaller box that said United States Flag on the front. I lifted the top and found that that's exactly what it contained: a U.S. flag folded into a perfect triangle, atop a manila folder that contained this letter:

Dear Mrs. Johnson,

This flag was flown over the Multi-National Corps - Iraq Headquarters (Al Faw Palace) here on Victory Base Camp. I offer it as a symbol of our appreciation.

I cannot thank you enough for the gift of the Anglican Prayer Beads. I passed the prayer beads to Chaplain (Captain) Pete Keough of the 54th Engineer Battallion at Camp Stryker to distribute amongst his soldiers.

The 54th Engineers are outside the base camp every day performing high risk missions (they had a fatality last week from enemy action), so your gift has ended up in the right hands.

I kept one for myself and carry it on me at all times. I find it a great comfort.

ALL THE WAY!

Brian K. Hathaway, LTC, USA

Also enclosed was a certificate stating that the accompanying flag "was flown over the Headquarters of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq  in your honor during Operation Iraqi Freedom." It was dated July 28, 2008.

I could barely read any of the letter or certificate through the tears that immediately started flowing upon realizing exactly what it all was about. Just before Christmas last year, I had the idea to send a bunch of Anglican prayer beads to a friend's husband who was stationed in Iraq.
I'd met Tracy online through our shared passion for digital scrapbooking and she shared with me that her husband was in the military. I don't know anyone personally serving our country in the armed forces and so I decided then and there that I wanted to do *something.* That something turned out to be getting a few friends on board with helping me make the beads and then sending them to Tracy's husband, to distribute as he saw fit. I'd hoped to get them there before Christmas but circumstances that I don't even recall now prevented me from mailing them in time. Nevertheless, Tracy had shared with me through e-mail that they'd arrived and had expressed Brian's gratitude for them. I was happy that they'd made it and glad that they would eventually make their way into the hands of the troops.

Never in a million years did I ever imagine that I would receive a blessing beyond the one I'd already received: simply knowing that Brian would make sure that soldiers would receive those prayer beads, and thus hopefully be reminded of God's love for them and presence in their lives, was enough for me. But here I was, sitting in North Carolina the following August, with a flag that had flown over Iraqi Headquarters on July 28 in my honor?

But the story gets better. Not an hour before, I'd sat at our dining room table and started personalizing my new planner/calendar for the next school year: plugging in birthdays, meetings, activities, and trips. I tore off one of the enclosed bookmarks and started a list of things that I didn't want to forget to research or do: homeschool tracker software, soccer info for Quinn and Aaron, VIC card for WINGS, classical/worship music CDs, a file folder holder, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a flag. Yes, a flag. Yesterday, Karyn and I decided that we wanted to get a flag for our schoolroom at church so we could teach Liam and Quinn the pledge and I told her I'd take care of getting one.

I get goosebumps just typing this as I recall how I wondered where I'd find a flag that would be suitable. I remember wondering if they'd have anything at Target and if not, how long it would take to find one. And then an hour later Loys checked the mail and now I own a flag. Oh yeah...and this one's priceless.

I love the fact that this flag, which came to me through circumstances that originated with my faith, will find a home at our church in the room where Karyn and I will teach our children. I will share this story with Liam and Quinn as we start our school next Tuesday: what it means to believe in something--as well as Someone--that you can't see...that seemingly insignificant actions can mean the world to another person...what freedom means...why it's so important.

Thank you, Brian, for such an amazing gift. And continued thanks to each and every soldier who has made the choice to serve his or her country for me and for the cause of freedom for everyone who calls our country home. God bless you all.