Proud To Be An American Mother of a US MARINE!

                     Happy 4th of July and let us all remember what our freedom means!

Uncle Sam is free to take our children or encourages them to enlist. They lay down their lives in order for the rest of us to live free and to protect the homelands of others and promote freedom world-wide.

We are free to celebrate our independence and fly our flags.

We have freedom to be proud, outspoken, diverse.

We are free to protest, to go to war and to seek PEACE!

We have the freedom to become a single mom without beeing stoned to death.

Me in black and my awesome daughter in PINK!

We are free to choose where we want to live and to move there! (Hello TEXAN Jenni).

My son Joey and his fiance Renee!

We have the freedom to choose who we want to marry, and to love the one we will marry!

We have the freedom to have our children and raise them as we see fit! Girls are not murdered because they are girls!

My son Lance Corporal Joey Hranek, US Marine (on the left).

We have the freedom to choose which armed force we want to enlist our services to.

We form long lasting bonds, ties, and friendships with those we go to war with and protect with our own lives, no MAN or WOMAN is left behind. HOORAH!

My sweetheart BOB, served his country 27 years as a Military Analyst with a major governemnt agency.

We have the freedom to choose our careers and to fall in love again...

We freely visit our National Monuments. WE can freely talk on the phone and call worldwide without major censorship.

We are free to pack up and drive throughout our country without visas and checkpoints, although we do pay a lot of tolls!

We are free to celebrate with fireworks in some states or with permits.

Since 1776 we have celebrated our Independence!

Tonight when you view local fireworks, this is what our National Mall will look like!

Remember to be proud of our red, white, and blue! Also remeber those who died for me and for you!

Remember our Lady of Liberty

AND...

Fly your flags with pride!

Proud to Be...

I am proud to be an American mother of a US Marine.

He is sacrificing his life so we may live free.

So many years I nursed my son, and took good care of him.

Now dear Lord, I give Joey over to you...

Love him, protect him, guide him through his days.

Bring my only son home to me in one piece.

Shower him with legions of angels...

Surround him with the warrior bands.

Lead him by his mind as well as his heart

In the decisions he shall have to make...

Noone can fathom the sounds that blast the air,

The endless nights, no sleep,

the crickets, scorpions that share

Their beds and food, their daily lives

None such do we know full well...

A soldier's mom stays at home

But her heart will always tell

The stories of the years gone by

And reminisce some more

Until one day, Lord ,my son comes home

And walks right through my door.

A smile on his face, a hug for his bride to be...

And when he has the time,dear Lord a hearty hug for me.

Poemsm My Way Valrie 07/04/2010

Joey and Renee, please keep them in your prayers, he leaves this month for Afghanistan.

May the Angels watch over you for me... I love you Joey!