I began to write an e-mail to my friends outlining the articles and memorabilia, about our Veterans,  that I encountered yesterday and today. I instead decided to share my thoughts with everyone else who reads this post. I am typing away with tears in my eyes, and a mixture of gratitude, pride and revenge in my heart. My e-mail began as follows:

Friends, if you think that I am going to be here with tears in my eyes but gratitude, pride and revenge in my heart and not share, you have another "think" coming!

Today I was going through some more boxes and there was an article, dated 5/1/2004. I had copied it from the Internet about Cpl. Jason Dunham. There is a picture of him hugging his mom in a family photo. He has on a Yankees cap, and has a broad smile on his face.

I am fighting back tears, and fighting for space in my heart, are feelings of gratitude, pride and revenge. The gratitude and pride are self-explanatory. The feeling of revenge comes from the thought that I would like to fillet the cowardly folks who do these dastardly deeds to our honorable troops. But, God is in control. I will follow his command: "Vengeance is mine," said The Lord.

I even found another "Support Our Troops" magnet which will join the others I already have on my car. "Nostalgia" Day continues. I found another copy of an article entitled “A Young Marine restores my faith,” by Ann Baker writing for the Orange County Register, dated June 30, 2002. Yes, again I cop guilty to being a semi-packrat. I will not part with my memorabilia of our troops, or of 9/11.

Ms. Baker describes how Cpl. Michael Mendez visited her real-estate office to thank the employees for sending letters to him and other troops, during his time in Kabul, Afghanistan. Yes, he is another of our Marines. He gave her an American Flag. Here is part of her description of the encounter:

This young Marine, this clean-faced boy, had no qualms stepping up to the plate and dodging bullets so that I might enjoy the freedom to live my peaceful life in the land of the free.

In ordinary homes, in ordinary towns, kids like him are growing up proud to be an American and willing to die for it. Wow. We’ll frame the flag and put it in the lobby. He only came to my office once, for just a few minutes. But I realize I rubbed shoulders with greatness in the flesh and in the twinkling of an eye my life is forever changed. His name is Michael Mendez, a corporal in the USMC. We are a great nation. We know because the makings of it walked into my office that day.

The tears are clouding my eyes, but I am stubbornly refusing to release them. By the way, I swear that I did not set out to find these stories or links about “my” Marines, but as it turns out, they all are.

Yesterday, I came across this Washington Post article about Cpl. Todd Nicely, and also was forwarded a link by Ltc. W. Mann:

The morning that Marine Cpl. Todd A. Nicely received his medal for valor, he and his wife, Crystal, paused in a restroom at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to pull the trousers of his uniform over his artificial legs.

It was the first time in six months that he had been back in his "cammies" - since the day in March when he had stepped on the explosive device in Afghanistan that tore off his hands and lower legs.

The headline states that he lost his legs but not his spirit. I would have wanted to curl up and pray for death, if I am to be completely honest. But, Cpl. Nicely is one of our Marines – giving up is not an option.

Wounded Vet wins – a house to accommodate his disability! Now, we are talking. We have something really tangible to benefit one of our survivors:

The Hero Home, built by Royal Oaks Building Group, LLC with land donated by developer Gaines and Company, cost under $5,000 thanks to the donations of materials and labor from additional sponsors and volunteers.

The project is a joint venture of the HBA and the Triangle Real Estate and Construction Veterans, which is a group of military veterans with representatives of all five military branches working in the real estate or construction profession in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina. Founded on Veteran's Day 2006, the TREACV is dedicated to building and donating homes for disabled combat veterans. Its members believe in three principles: They are proud to have served their country in uniform; they feel their civilian professions are honorable and contribute greatly to the Triangle's quality of life; and they are willing to continue serving their community, country and fellow veterans when a need arises.

My tears have receded, dried by the pride and gratitude overflowing in my heart. This is the greatest nation on this earth, served by men and women of courage, bravery, honor and duty! America, we the rest of the nation, (slackers in comparison), had better keep fighting on the home front, and be faithful in keeping an eye on those who would spit on the legacy that these troops are fighting to maintain! We can never relax and let their loss of lives and limbs go for naught. The current “politically correct” version of war is translating to more of our men and women on the losing side. But, I will not get into the politics – at this time. This is time for gratitude and pride in the accomplishments of our troops.

Thank God for those troops! And – may He continue to bless this nation.