Everyone told me not to make any serious decisions for a year.  I haven't.  I have cleaned Ken's office and given Scott some of his books.  (My oldest son.  He was a Marine as well.)  I have emptied Ken's desk drawers, shredded paper and given the things I don't want to the other children or grandchildren.  But those were all small decisions.  Many of his things I will keep for awhile.  There was a stack of Father's day and birthday cards that Becky had faithfully sent him for forty years.  Ken kept them all.

The other day, one of our local Marines--a Sergeant--came by the house and asked if I would consider letting the local Marines use Ken's name for their organization.  They want to name their museum for him.  Of course I said yes.  They called this week to say that they were going to have their first meeting, and would I come.  And would I come to the Marine Corps Ball.  Of course.

Our neck of the world is so small where Marines are concerned that I doubt that they will have a hundred people.  But still, it is gratifying that they want to remember Ken in this way.  I told them that they could have some of Ken's things for their museum if they wanted them.  They did.

My daughter Pat wore Ken's leather flight jacket to school last week.  She had asked me if she could have it.  I had his squadron patches stitched down the sleeves.  (It looked great)  Anyway, one of the older men asked where she got it.  "It belonged to my Dad." she told him.  "Well," he said, "I was in the Marines.  It's been a long time since I have seen a jacket like that.  You must be proud of your dad."
"That's why I wanted his jacket," she said.  "It feels like he has his arms around me."

I will go to the Marine Corp Ball.  I love the Marines.  They are the proud.  The few.  I am honored that I got to be on the sidelines for such a wonderful military group.  They are all really something.

There is grief, but in the book of Lamentations the writer who is lamenting says: Lamentations 3:21,(20) 22-23  "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.  My soul has them (him) still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.  It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion's fail not, they are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."   There is a wonderful hymn that I love to sing and play.  "Great is thy faithfulness."  So true.