Dad and Remebrance Day Ceremony Part One

The morning started with gray skies and many many tears from heaven but try to explain that one to two puppies who hate getting wet and trying to get them outside for their morning run... not likely...
Today 24 years ago I brought into the world 2 little bundles of joy... and today they are no babies any more but men out in the world trying to find their pathway in life... Happy Birthday Craig and Matthew... hope it is a good one...
While having my first cup of the day I cleaned my lens, found another memory card, picked up my spare battery and packed my lap top making sure everything I needed for later was on the kitchen table ready to be taken with me as I headed to town to pick up dad to attend the ceremony at the Terry Fox School for Remembrance Day...
When I got there I was informed that in only two short years things have changed that if I wanted to take photos of the Vets that was okay as long as I didn't take any of the children as permission for all the children were now needed to do so since I was not a parent of any of the children in the school.... understandable and I did as I was told so these are the photos I collected today....
I do have to say that it was a very nice ceremony in remembrance of those who have fought for the freedom we have today...
I have to add something here... in the last 20 or so years there have been very few Remembrance Days I have not missed but the one I do remember was the year in Thunder Bay... I think not being here that day was harder then being away for Christmas that year...

Dad Looking so Handsome...

and mom helping him get ready...

it was so cute to see her going about getting him ready.

At the school dad met up with the other three Vets

that were attending this ceremony in the teachers lunch room

where there was coffee, cookies and fruit for them...

Mr Doucet who is Flo's Uncle... Mr Bob Mac Carthy and Dad

Several of the teachers came in to talk with them...

I thought that was very nice of them...

And the ceremony begins... with O Canada

and introductions of the 4 Vets

Mr MacCarthy talked for all of them and he did a wonderful job...

And as you can see it was not only dad that got emotional

heart swelled and tears in his eyes as he remembers

That is our dad and we love him for it ...

As the children saying In Flanders Fields

Group Picture

At the end of the ceremony a young girl gave this to dad...

This afternoon in the rain the students from Terry Fox Elementary School went up to the South Bathurst Grave Yard and placed flags on all the Vets .... something that dad had talked about for a very long time and it came true... I am sure this made his day but when he found out that in Holland another teacher had organized his students with the help of the parents to visit a grave yard there to place Canadian Flags, flowers and notes on all the Canadian soldiers buried that Dad was over joyed... and you know that those famous tears of dad's filled his eyes one more time...

Remember November 11Th for what it is and take the time to thank a Vet for what he or she has done for us... given us the freedom we have and often take for granted...

Lest We Forget
Joanne