From Our Windows

I'm not exactly sure how much sound travels out of our bedroom windows.  Now that the weather is getting warmer, we keep our windows cracked or open during the night, and sometimes during the day.  Sometimes our room is loud with crying babies -- usually in the minutes right before they are fed -- and sometimes at 4:00am.  I'm not sure if sounds of crying come from our windows.

In addition to the occasional cries, currently, Tracey has developed a very loud laugh.  When there is something she finds hilarious... she laughs very loudly and for a long time.  I'm not sure if sounds of laughter come from our windows.

Sometimes... some beautiful times, our whole family plays on our big bed.  The babies are cooing and giggling, and Tracey is climbing and jumping and laughing, and Hubby and I are just trying to keep up with the fun.  There is singing and laughing and the same games over and over and over again.  There is a little monkey named Tracey jumping on the bed or an acrobat named Tracey climbing and falling.  There are three little babies when Tracey decides she is a baby too.  There are pillow fights and tickling and big giant hugs, and sweet kisses and Bible stories.  I'm not sure if sounds of joy come from our windows.

All of these sounds are free to come through our windows because servicemen for generations have given their lives to keep America free.  Hubby and I were free to leave our hometowns, pursue educations in the fields of our choosing, take jobs wherever we chose, fall in love with one another, marry each other when and in the place of our choosing... with a huge celebration surrounded by our family and friends.  Then we were free to settle wherever we wanted, begin a family when we desired to do so, raise as many children as the Lord blesses us with, and buy our own home.  And sounds probably travel out our bedroom windows - sounds of crying, sounds of laughter, and sounds of silly joy.

It seems so wrong that on a weekend that we remember the heroes who have given their lives protecting our freedoms, and remember the families they left behind, that my family plays and laughs and giggles together... and then I remember that those who died did so that many families, including mine, and for generations previous and future can play and laugh and giggle together in freedom.

Happy Memorial Day.