The unaccounted for solider...

The last weeks have been crazy. Have you ever felt both distracted and the need to be distracted at the same time? Felt that you have so much going on in your life but know that none of it matters compared to what is going on with the rest of the word...and you should just smile. One of my favorite quotes, "never miss a rainbow or a sunset because you are looking down."

Well, I finally visited D.C.!!! Memorial day weekend was a crazy time to be in D.C. because of all the bikers...tight black leather, long hair and Harley's everywhere! I was so happy to be back in quiet NYC. My best friend from UofM Erica was an amazing host. I got do all the touristy things like get my picture taken at the white house, visit the capital and all the monuments- Vietnam, Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and World War II.
I really enjoyed the new WWII monument. My grandpa was part of 18 missions in WWII. He was in the airforce for 30 months from 1943 - 1945. In April my dad, grandpa and I all met in Florida for a long weekend and we learned a lot more about his experience and how it shaped his life afterwards. Grandma's and grandpa's are amazing...there is so much you can learn from history.

Erica and I also went hiking at Great Falls along the Platomic river between Maryland and Virgina. It was really beautiful. It brought back my love for nature and the outdoors. I got to chat with some kayakers and rock climbers. Oh how I miss my 'other' life...

The most important part of the weekend was seeing yellow ribbons everywhere and honoring Matt Maupin and the other POW. I am not sure if you all have read about the one unaccounted for solider from the Iraqi war. Sometime a few months ago I sat in the subway reading an article in Time magazine about Maupin - his capture, the videos surfacing which treatened his life, how his family and community responded. Matt comes from a small town in Ohio near Cincinnati and was captured on April 9, 2004. The article was so moving that I started crying and couldn't stop. The support that Matt's family is getting from friends and strangers alike - thousands of letters and prayers- their community and the entire nation is just amazing. I was just heartbroken reading about this all-american boy who joined the reserves to save money on college tuition for his parents. He like so many others never thought they would be going to war. Reading about him and who he was gave me a different perspective- personalizeed- the sacrafice all the soliders and their families are giving to our nation. I felt like I was able to get to know him, his community and family. My heart aches for their loss and what they are going through. I am reminded of my small town life in the U.P., the beautiful sense of community that is really missing in NYC.
Matt is still missing. His status is still 'captured' and everybody is still hoping he will one day return. There is a great site with lots of different articles compiled since Matt's disappearance at Cincinnati.com.
In D.C. yellow ribbons with buttons of Matt Maupin were everywhere. His family has started an organization called "Clermont Yellow Ribbon - Supporting our Troops" that honors the men and women serving our country. Volunteers send care packages to our troops and include a yellow ribbon and pictures of Maupin with the hope that he will one day return.