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In the midst of my crazy day…bill paying, phone calls to return, clients to see, kids schedules to juggle and just getting that feeling of is there ever enough time in the day….I received this in my email.  I hope it will give you the same inspiration, appreciation for life and the proper perspective on what is truly important in life that it gave me.  Thank you to Joanne for sending it and for allowing me to share it with all of you!

And to Carlos and his family….you are in all of our prayers and thank you for all you have sacrificed for all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I am going to the wake of a hero. Carlos Gonzalez died on March 16, 2006 in Iraq. I have known Carlos for many years, he was a good friend of my kids Tim & Kathy.  Carlos had an amazing smile, he had a great sense of humor, he grew to be a wonderful, honorable man.  He truly was a hero.  While Carlos was stationed in Iraq he was a communications specialist. He never went off base. He should have been safe.  He wasn’t, Carlos and another soldier, Sgt. Amanda Pinson 21 were hit by a rocket as they left for lunch. Carlos died on his way to the hospital.

Carlos left behind a wonderful caring family, his parents Carlos & Anna and his little brother Alex. He also left behind his wife Kristina and their little girl Bella 20 months old.  Carlos was only 22, too young to go to war, too young to die for his country. But that doesn’t change things. Yes he was too young, but he believed in what he was doing. He knew in his heart that he was helping the Iraqi people.  I am not writing this to incite those protests against the war, nor am I trying to get support for the war. I am merely asking you to keep Carlos and all the other soldiers that are in harms way in your thoughts and prayers. And I would like you to understand why the soldiers feel they are there.

My son once told me, when I asked why he felt the need to join the Army, “Mom, when I was growing up, I never had to worry that my parents or family would be killed while going to work.  All I had to worry about was passing a test…” he then looked at our little girl,  Katie and said ” …I don’t want Katie and other kids like her to have to worry that some one is going to fly a plane into their parents building”.

While he was in Iraq he watched the people of Iraq vote for the first time in many years. They were risking their lives to vote. They were so proud. That’s what kids like Tim, Carlos, Steve and Josh are there for.  They know in their hearts that the Iraqi people need and want them to be there. Tim told me that what ever the government or the news media tell us, we will never know unless we were there. I know this is a very controversial war and a lot of people feel we need to pull out and come home. That would mean Carlos’s died in vain. Please support our troops! Pray for Carlos, and his family! And pray that this war ends soon and that we will give the Iraqi people what they need, and get our HEROES home where they belong. And Please, Honor those young men and woman who give up so much to protect us!