What's Beautiful About Military Life

In our military life, we've lived in Georgia (twice), Hawaii (twice), Washington, and Virginia (second time around right now). I have found that there is some good in every place, and some bad (although some moreso than others); And you must concentrate on the good to be happy and survive.
Well, about a month ago, we moved back to Virginia.  For those that don't know, we own our house here, and are currently working on it to make it ready for us to move our stuff in (pics will be in a blog post in the future).
Last night we were over at our house, visiting with the inlaws who are here to help, and to work a little more on the yard, and discuss more work to be done. And last night, the fireflies were out. My son caught one in his hand and we all watched as they would glow and go dark, and glow some more. To me it was magical.

Our neighborhood although in Virginia, reminds me a lot of the house I grew up in, in Rivervale, New Jersey.  There were fireflies there too. A mix of all sorts of houses, big and small, brick and siding, no sidewalks, and tall trees making a canopy over the neighborhood.
As my children were in awe of the fireflies, and enjoyed the summer air (and the mosquitos), it felt like we have been able to give them a piece of my own childhood.
Then in the car on the drive back to the house we are temporarily staying in, the CD played, "Somewhere over the Rainbow" by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole. The kids were talking about how it reminds them of Hawaii. My daughter talked about how her teacher would play the Ukelele for them, and we could go to the beach every day. We talked about our adventures and memories there.

I realized in that moment how beautiful this life we are giving them is. They get to carry the good parts of our past, have adventures that not everyone gets to have. When they are older and look back, maybe it won't just be the lapses of time without their Dad, or the leaving friends in different places as we move....maybe it'll be of lightning bugs, beaches, ukeleles, walks in the summer night, and love.