Rememberance Day 2009

This year, I only had two boys in the Remembrance Day service. Someone commented how Cassidy looked like he would make a good Cadet leader because she noticed how seriously he took his job of escorting the dignitaries and the wreathes to the front of the hall, and because of how shiny polished his boots were.

Well, if you know cadets and military men, you know how much focus is put on the boots!! Seriously, they have all kinds of special methods involving shoe polish, matches, water, toothbrushes. You name it! And sure enough, she was right. I looked down and his boots were by far the shiniest!



Makes me rethink my thoughts on pulling him out of Cadets. I don't like that both my older boys are heading for the army due to the Cadet influence, but I do love what Cadets has given them. It is a worthy organization. So it makes it a hard decision.

At the same time, though, if we get involved in 4H it is something all the younger ones can do with Cassidy. And Cassidy has great plans for this year. He is saving up for a steer. We can't be everywhere and do everything, and that boy does so much as it is! Fencing, chess, gymnastics, plus Sunday School and youth group. So we are going to have to reevaluate this next fall.

My good little munchkins sitting so wonderfully through the long service even though they had to sit on the floor.

Enjoying the hot dogs and hot chocolate that come after the parade.

Speaking of cadets. Cassidy had a sad thing happen to him this year. His corps was the best in our province and earned themselves a trip to Nova Scotia. It was to be a five day exchange trip. Cassidy was very excited. I have to say that I am proud of my older son, Colt, because he was the cadet in charge of the corps for the last two years, and in that time the cadets were judged for their quality. So I am giving Colt a lot of credit for the corps earning the award. Unfortunately for Colt, he had moved on, and so was unable to attend the trip.

We received a phone call from the corps one night verifying that Cassidy was not going on the trip. I explained that of course he was going on the trip. A horrible mistake had been made and the person booking the flight had understood that Cassidy was not going. He did not have a seat. He was not able to go. No matter what we did. No matter that we tried to pay for the flight ourselves, he was not able to be on the trip. It was devastating to Cassidy. When he found out his face just fell. Both Ray and I felt sick and there were a few tears that night all around.

With a brave attittude he moved on and got on with things putting the trip behind him. He told me that he was praying that something would happen. The night before the flight was to go an officer from the corp came by and told us that Cassidy was on the standby list. We figured this would have happened right from the beginning but it didn't for some reason. Because of this I thought that maybe there was something the corp new that we didn't know. For instance, maybe a cadet was sick and they were waiting to find out if he would be well enough to go the following morning. Why else would they tell us the night before the trip that he might be able to go?

Cassidy was told by the officer to pack his bags and wait by the phone. With growing excitement Cassidy got a bag from the basement and began gathering the clothes he would need for this trip.

Packed and Ready to Go

The following day Cassidy waited and waited, hoping beyond hope that the phone would ring and he would be told he was indeed going on this long anticipated trip. Finally, by 9:00 pm Cassidy decided the call was not coming. And then, at 9:30, the phone did ring. Sadly, not to tell him to get down to the corps, but to tell him that there was no seat available for him.

With a very deflated attitude Cassidy hung up the phone. I could not believe that this had happened! I do not think that he should have ever been given false hope. They should have informed us from the beginning that he was on standby and should have a bag packed. They should not have left it as a strong, emphatic NO and then 24 hours before drop by and tell him he had to have his bag packed 'in case'. Talk about a hard let down!

I do admire Cassidy though. He moved on. When the corps needed help on his gymnastics day selling poppies for Remembrance Day, he put his own fun aside and went down to the corps, knowing full well the kids would all be discussing the trip they had just returned from. Like Cassidy said to me, "This helps other people." What an amazing young man!
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