Happy Memorial Day Weekend

So as this weekend rolls around, I am trying to come up with some plans and I am reflecting on years passed and how we have celebrated Memorial Day in our family.

For my family, Memorial Day weekend has always revolved around my husband.  His birthday is the 27th of May which always falls on Memorial Day weekend.   So we usually do something fairly small, and do cake and/or ice cream for dad , and presents.   On very few occasions, he and I will celebrate and go to dinner alone, however more times than not, we get the kids together and grill out something..   

I don’t know if it is my age or the state of our country, but this year, I find myself wanting to really dive further into the facts about  Memorial Day.   I want to celebrate and recognize why the weekend was originally created.   Having said that, I have done a little research recently and found some interesting facts.   

• The meaning of Memorial Day:  It started as an event to honor Union soldiers who had died during the American Civil War. It was inspired by people in the  Southern states honored their dead. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women who died in any war or military action.
• Original Name:  Prior to 1971, it was called Decoration Day, which was held on May 30th. It was officially renamed Memorial Day in 1967, signed into legislation by President Johnson   In 1971 , Congress fixed the holiday as the last Monday of May..  It was also signed into legislation as a Federal Holiday that same year, through an act of Congress
• One of  the Earliest Commemorations was by Recently Freed Slaves:     Here is one of the most interesting facts I have found about the day, that I had never heard before. As the Civil War ended, thousands of soldiers that were held as prisoners of war, were herded into a series of camps in Charleston, ‘south Carolina.    On May 1, 1865 more than 1,000 recently freed slaves along with U.S Colored Troops & and handful of white troops gathered in the camp to give a new proper burial site for the Union Dead.
• How we celebrate Memorial Day in the U.S varies.    Most towns have some sort of Parade, families tend to get together and have cookouts or picnics, some attend a Religious Ceremony, most Americans fly the American Flag on that day .These are just some of the many, many ways we honor & celebrate Memorial Day in the U.S.

There is a 3.000 mile  motorcycle ride called “Ride for the Wall, that goes across 8 states, and10 days and hundreds of motorcycles.   This run was created in 1989  to bring awareness to the fact that many troops were still missing in action or being held as prisoners of war.  The ride begins in Ontario, CA and goes through  Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee before arriving in Arlington, Va., on May 26 for a two-day stay that will include a visit to the Vietnam Memorial Wall .  They are the only motorcyclist that are allowed into Arlington Cemetery.  The cool part about the run this year, is the town I live in is one of very few stops they make and our town honors them by lining one of the main streets in Cookeville TN.  We line the streets to honor the men and women that are riding for those that have lost their lives and for those that never came home from war.    

I have family members that have served in the military, so I felt it important as the weekend approaches , to honor it in my own small way by writing this post and giving some interesting facts 

• Here are some of the places I pulled these facts from:
  http://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-memorial-day
• http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history
• http://mentalfloss.com/article/27858/10-things-remember-about-memorial-day
• http://www.pe.com/2017/05/16/3000-mile-motorcycle-trip-dubbed-run-for-the-wall-pays-tribute-to-veterans/
• http://herald-citizen.com/stories/wall-riders-arrive,21386?

I hope you have enjoyed reading my post.  I would love to hear from any of my followers that have friends or family that have served in the military and/or have lost their lives while serving in the Military and how you would like to honor them by telling me a little about their service to our great Country!!  

Praying that you and your family have a wonderful and safe Holiday Weekend!!

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