You're Welcome

After a very exhausting weekend, we had the most wonderful experience on our way home.

We stopped at the rest area just outside of Meadville, PA. I love this rest area. There is a ton of grassy area and there are several picnic tables. It is such a park-like setting. It really breaks up the trip to be able to get out and run with Bubba for a few minutes. With so much grass, I don't worry about the cars because we're so far from them.

ANYwho, we had to stop for a couple of reasons (one being to pee and the other being to fix my messed up contact lens). We decided to take advantage of that grass and play. I grabbed the trusty bat and ball (it hadn't failed me yet) and we started to play.

Since we left as soon as Daddy was done with his meeting, he was still in uniform.

*I don't know how many of you know the "rules" of being in uniform but there are a couple. First of all, you have to wear you're BDU shirt outside. You can't just run around in your fancy camouflague  pants and be done with it. Secondly, you must always wear your hat. So needless to say there is no way to make yourself look like you're not in uniform if you're in uniform.*

As the three of us took turns being the pitcher and the batter, I had a thought. How all-American do we look right now? A little boy plays baseball with his uniformed Daddy.
Apparently others were thinking the same thing. A nice older woman came over and asked Daddy were he was serving. She shared that she had two sons in the military, one in Afghanistan and one serving as a active duty recruiter in the Pittsburgh area. She thanked him for his service and went off to continue her journey.
Not much later, another older woman approached us with arms outstretched. She thanked Chris for his service to his country and then turned to me and thanked *me*. She remarked how it was so nice to see a family together, etc.

In his ten years of service, NEVER did a stranger thank Daddy for his service. Certainly no one ever thanked me. I was nearly in tears when I told that sweet woman, "You're welcome."