I’m a little embarrassed to admit that when I think of Memorial Day, the first things that spring
to mind are three-day weekends, backyard barbeques and great shopping deals. How modern
American of me!
To make me feel more connected to the holiday (and less connected to those hamburgers on the
grill and the deep discounts at the mall), I decided to learn a bit about the history of Memorial
Day.
YourDictionary.com describes Memorial Day as one day each year that is set aside to remember
those who died in the line of service to our county…in an effort to protect us and our freedoms.
Here’s an excerpt from YourDictionary.com that nicely describes how this holiday got its start.
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History of Memorial Day
The first occurrence of the observation of Memorial Day was in 1886 in the state of New York.
In particular, the birthplace of Memorial Day was in the town of Waterloo, NY, which celebrated
it on May 5. 1866. This was just following the Civil War and the day was meant to honor
and remember those who died in the war. In the next few years, the rest of the northern states
followed suit and recognized the holiday of Memorial Day. The southern states didn’t follow the
northern example until just after World War I.
Started as Decoration Day
The holiday didn’t originally begin as Memorial Day but as Decoration Day. The first
observance of Decoration Day occurred at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868. The
first observance service in Arlington National Cemetery was a procession through the graves
that involved placing flowers and American Flags on each grave to remember the soldiers lost.
This service also was accompanied by the singing of hymns and songs. Some communities still
observe the holiday in this way.
Modern Memorial Day Celebrations
The official recognition of Waterloo as the birthplace of Memorial Day was made by President
Lyndon Johnson on May 26, 1966. In 1967, Congress officially changed the name of the holiday
from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. When the change was made, Congress scheduled
Memorial Day for the last Monday of the month of May each year.
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People used to visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in
military service. But over the past century, Memorial Day has become an occasion for more
general expressions of memory, as people visit the graves of loved ones, whether they served in
the military or not. For many, the Memorial Day weekend has broadened even more and become
a time to celebrate the beginning of summer.
However you choose to celebrate Memorial Day this year—whether it’s remembering lives lost
or cherishing family and friends with you today—we hope you do it with love in your heart.
Warmly,
Lilo
Oh, the joys of motherhood. At least that’s what my mom used to say. It wasn't until about age 9
that I realized her tone was oozing with sarcasm. But I really had no idea what she meant by “the joys”…until becoming a mother myself.
When thinking about what to write in honor of Mother’s Day, I decided to steer clear of all the
mushy sentiments and putting mothers on pedestals. Instead, I decided to get real and write
about those moments that mothers never forget.
Not the precious milestone moments when your baby took her first steps or learned how to ride
a bike. I’m not ashamed to admit I can’t recall with total clarity when those “big moments” took
place. I can tell you, however, the precise moment when my toddler took off his very soiled
diaper and smeared it all over himself…and the carpet…and the walls. (I was baking pies to
take to a staff potluck I was late for.) And I can tell you the exact moment my son raced into the
bathroom, slipped and slammed his head HARD into the side of the tub, creating an instant black eye and the world’s largest goose egg. It was just as we were leaving town to visit my cousin and his new wife.)
Erma Bombeck said: “If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it.” She was right. Have you
ever noticed that those “motherhood moments” are the ones we remember most clearly? You
know, like when your 5-year-old came to the front door stark naked while you were attempting
to have a conversation with the vacuum cleaner salesman? Not only are these the moments we
remember long after the more subdued milestone moments fade, in an odd sort of way, these are the ones we treasure the most, too.
For any mom who has had her share of “motherhood moments,” my gift to you this Mother’s
Day is the following mantra. It’s mine, but I will share it with you:
“I'd love to be the ideal mother, but I'm too busy raising my kids.”
My second gift is this list. I found it in a blog article at http://dailysally.blogspot.com/2008/05/family-fun-facts.html, but the blogger didn’t know who wrote this list. It is one of the funniest
things I’ve ever read about raising children.
25 things I've learned from my children
1. A king-size waterbed holds just enough water to fill a 2,000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
2. If you spray hairspray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they ignite.
3. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "Uh-oh," it's already too late.
4. One 3-year-old's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
5. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
6. No matter how much Jello you put in a swimming pool, you still can't walk on water.
7. Pool filters do not like Jello.
8. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year-old.
9. “Play Dough” and “microwave” should never be used in the same sentence.
10. Super glue is forever.
11. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
12. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
13. You probably do not want to know what that odor is.
14. Always look in the oven before you turn it on. Plastic toys do not like ovens. Neither do
gerbils.
15. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
16. It does, however, make cats dizzy.
17. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
18. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42
pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape.
19. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20 by 20 foot room.
20. You should not throw baseballs up in the air when the ceiling fan is on.
21. When using the ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit.
22. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
23. The glass in windows (even safety glass) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
24. Your sister's head will, however, stop that same baseball.
25. Sisters hit in the head by baseballs cause a LOT of commotion.
HESE are the memories—and the pearls of wisdom—worth writing down and
preserving…then sharing with your kids when they become parents of their own.
iLivediLoved makes that possible.
Your children (and grandchildren) will love reading about (and seeing photos and videos of)
those infamous moments that only you can share with them.
All you have to do is sign up on our website and start sharing. What you create will be preserved in your “digital keepsakes box” for the rest of your life. Your keepsake messages can either be delivered to loved ones at the end of your life, (or very soon, our site will allow you to schedule the date you want each message to be delivered…even if it’s years in the future). Plus, you can opt to have your entire digital keepsakes box passed down, so these wonderful, memorable stories remain in your family forever.
The happiest of Mother’s Days to you,
Lilo
P.S. Of course, you need not be a mother to preserve your colorful life experiences at
iLivediLoved. But you do need to be a member!
