A big welcome to my very first guest blogger!

I'm excited to introduce you all to my very first guest blogger today, the lovely Janie Reinart.  A lady I first met a few months ago when she invited me to appear on her own website www.loveyoumorethanyouknow.com  giving me the opportunity to talk about my experiences as a Forces Mum. 

Anyways, without further ado here she is...  Please feel free to leave a comment in support of the fabulous work she does.

Happy reading, everyone x

 

 

 

I Will Dance at Your Wedding by Janie Reinart

When my son, Joe was deployed to Iraq in 2004, he wrote us a heartfelt letter after the loss of one of his fellow soldiers and several of his own brushes with death. A part of the letter said:

I think a lot of nights, restless nights, of the days to come. I ponder and daydream of the good and the bad and the anxiety weighs on me like a ton of bricks. Will I make it back? Will I be so different from when I left? What will I do with my life? Will I be successful? Will I be happy?

 

 

I answered him back: I will dance at your wedding and sing lullabies to your children.

Joe made it back in 2005. He is happy and successful. In two weeks my son is getting married. I will dance!

Fast-forward to Joe and Katie’s wedding day. Mass took place at St. Mary’s in Berea on July 28,2012. The presider was the Rev. Dan Schlegel.

Father Dan sang the wedding mass and gave a wonderful homily. He compared a giant redwood to the love and support of family and our church community. The huge tree has a root system that is only 4 to 6 feet deep. In the redwood forest, the roots of that tall tree entangle with neighboring trees improving its stability. Our family and church community will support the newlyweds so that they will stay strong in their union surrounded by our love and prayers.

 

I am blessed to have the lovely Mrs. Katie Reinart as a new daughter and friend.
The reception was so much fun. We celebrated the joining of our two families. And I danced with my son. I am waiting for the day when the second half of my prediction comes true and practicing my lullabies.

Click here to enter free giveaways of Love You More than You Know Mothers’ Stories About Sending Their Sons and Daughters to War eBooks in honor of our Veterans and their families.

 

 

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to charities benefiting wounded veterans:

ReMIND.org, a Bob Woodruff Foundation initiative for injured service members and their families.

The Semper Fi Fund will also receive donations.

I am committed to continue bringing you true stories of our heroes in uniform, sharing with you the bravery and sacrifices that our troops and their families make everyday for all of us. You are invited to share your story about your soldier here at www.loveyoumorethanyouknow.com as a guest blogger. Send stories to storiesfrommoms@gmail.com

 

About Janie Reinart
As an author, teacher consultant, National Writing Project Fellow, storyteller, and poet, words are my tools. Janie seeks ways to give people a voice to tell their own stories through prose and poetry. She and her husband, Ed, are grateful for their five children and 10 grandchildren. Most weekends, you will find Janie praying and singing with the choir at Holy Angels Catholic Church.

Janie's chapter, “Boots to Ground “ in Love You More Than You Know, won second place in the National Federation of Press Women's 2010 Communications Contest in the category of a chapter/essay in a nonfiction book. Her chapter won first place in the Ohio Professional Writer's Communications Contest.

Janie's blog Love You More Than You Know is a finalist for the 2012 Milbloggies (6th Annual) Best U.S. Military Parent Blog Award.

Synopsis

In these stories, 45 mothers of U.S. service men and women open their hearts and share what it feels like when your son or daughter leaves home to fight a war.

Some were stunned when they learned that their “baby” had enlisted. Others had long been familiar with military life. But all of these mothers knew their world had just changed the day their child called home and said, “Mom, I’m being deployed . . .”

They discovered the strange mix of pride and fear. The anxiety of not knowing exactly where in Iraq or Afghanistan your son is, whether your daughter is facing mortar fire or enduring heat and boredom. Elation at the arrival of the briefest postcard or email message. The daily dread, when returning home from work or a trip to the grocery store, of seeing a government car in the driveway and two soldiers at the door . . .

Anyone who reads their stories will admire their faith and courage–and better understand the sacrifices made by our U.S. service men and women and their families.