Musings, reflections and diet coke

It is a little later than usual for me to blog, but hey, I'm up for a little change. As I sit here blogging about absolutely nothing in particular, my ferocious pup barks at some unseen object outside that is important enough to growl at, but not so much that would require him to go through the dog door, so the sound merely reverberate through the kitchen.
I have finished off a glass of diet coke and desperate want more but am too lazy to get up and get some. My husband sits in the next room watching King Authur, and as much as I truly wanted to watch it when it first came out (who doesn't love Kiera Knightly, I am too tired to concentrate and I got home in the middle of it.
"Why home so late?" you might ask considering my husband has only been home for 11 days. I had to go the our commander's wife's farewell tonight and I am exhausted. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed talking to Juli, chatting with Leann, catching up with Ashley, hanging out with Nikki (baby free tonight- Daddy's on parental duty!) and causing a ruckus (as usual) with Angie, but it was a long day at work.
Yesterday I had to cover a rededication ceremony of a drop zone at the local airport that was being renamed in honor of two fallen Soldiers. I talked to the families, Soldiers who served with them and the commander. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but listening to the parents' trying to hold back tears as they talk about their sons was hard and having to listen to the tape repeatedly got to me after a while.
As a military spouse, I tend to put myself in the family's place when covering something like this. I know it sounds crazy, but it's hard not to. You wonder how you would react in that situation.
We have a spouse in the battalion who lost her husband in the recent deployment and she still attends functions and activities. I don't think I could do that.
I was impressed with how neither of the families yesterday blame the military. In fact, both Soldiers have younger brothers who currently serve. That takes devotion. I mean to loss a son and watch another join, fearing the same fate. That has to be hard.
One Soldier's mother said she didn't understand until she spent time with the Soldiers and their families how much of a sacrifice the spouses and children make each time they say goodbye. All I could think was, "My sacrifice is not nearly as hard as yours."
I felt bad. My Soldier came home, and there's never will. But then I think of something I heard on a JAG episode (I'm addicted!), "Harm" said, "We have to live each day to the fullest so that those who lost their lives have not done so in vain." (Maybe not exact quote.)
It's true. We have to live each day as if it is our last, dance as if no one is watching and love as if we've never been hurt.
With that said, I'm going to get up and get that glass of diet coke!