Ash Wednesday

I took the girls to church this morning before taking them to school, they both wanted to go and get the "stamp" on their forhead. Faith was proud that she will receive ashes twice today, once with mama and once with her class. As we were sitting there, I saw a soldier(hair cut gave it away), with crutches and a knee brace(or what I thought was a knee brace), then I saw him going back to his seat after receiving ashes, it was not a knee brace at all, it was his dressing for his below the knee amputation, I knew then that he had been injured and his life forever altered in this war. I felt so strongly that I needed to thank him for his service and his sacrifice, him and his wife. So after church, I went up to him, thanked him, he smiled and said thank you, it is for those little ones like yours. I was starting to cry a little, trying hard not to because I did not want to make this about me, but I felt I had to explain my tears. So I told him my husband was KIA in November, he just looked at me, held our his arms and hugged me. It was a very powerful moment for me, this is the first soldier that I have thanked, besides my husband and his soldiers the day I handed out bracelets. This was the first man that I thanked individually, I felt proud, sad and humbled all at the same time. I know this moment was meant to happen, it has given me some sort of solace today and I am not sure why. I will take it for what it is and let my day be what it is supposed to be, asking for strength every moment of this day.