Memorial Day is a day that we set aside to honor those men and women who died while serving in our United States Armed Forces. Many of us probably know someone personally who has served or still does serve in the military, but most of us will be fortunate enough never to lose a loved one in this way. This day is about remembering those who gave their lives for our freedoms. "And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me" (Lee Greenwood- God Bless the USA).
This year, I came up with some projects to make the day a bit more meaningful to my girls. We don't know anyone personally who has died serving, but a young man from my hometown who was several years behind me in school lost his life last summer in Afghanistan. We will send our projects and a spiritual bouquet of prayers to his family to honor his memory and thank him for his sacrifice.
Cookie Cutter Stars
What you need: cookie cutter stars (we've also cut sponges in the shape of stars in the past), blue and red paint, white paper.
Red Poppies
Red poppies are often used to commemorate military members who have died in war. The inspiration for this comes from a World War I poem by John McCrae, titled "Flanders Field". This tradition has waned in the United States, but I think we need to keep it alive and strong.
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
An American woman, Moina Michael wrote this little poem as somewhat of a response which is also both beautiful and meaningful.
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies
So the next project I designed to incorporate the red poppies. This ended up being my favorite project of the three.
What you need: heart cookie cutters, red, green, black paint, paintbrushes.
1. Stamp 4 red hearts with the points all facing into the middle (the same way you would if you were making a four leaf clover)
2. Then use the paintbrush to fill in the hearts with red paint
3. Add green leaves with the paintbrush.
4. Add black (we didn't have black so we mixed blue, green and red together) paint to make a circle in the center of each flower.
(this project was too difficult for 2 year old, Elise. She had to have help though she did add her own touches with the paintbrush (see the middle picture). (Almost) 4 year old Kayla was able to do it all minus stamping the hearts in the correct "flower shape". I helped her with the stamping, but the rest was her masterpiece. I love them.
American Flag Sponge Art
(I did this one today, but the girls will be doing it tomorrow)
What you need: star cookie cutter, sponge cut into a strip, red and blue paint
1. Stamp a few blue stars in the upper left hand corner of the paper
2. Use the sponge to make red stripes (leave white space between for the white stripes)
3. Wash the sponge and put a little blue paint on the end. Dab it around the stars.
And then you are done!
Spiritual Bouquet
Have your child (you can do it too, of course!) commit to saying some special prayers or singing some songs for a special intention. Our Memorial Day Spiritual Bouquet will be said for a fallen soldier from my hometown and for his family.
Have a blessed Memorial Day this year!
