Disclaimer: Reflective post warning...
Facebook is weird and it's even more addictive. Every day, I have to have some coffee and a little facebook time to see what everyone is doing. It feeds my nosey Gemini personality. I usually laugh at my friends who've told a funny story about something embarrassing, comment on some posts that I can relate to (weight loss, lame horses, crazy work days, etc.) and get back to work. But, this morning, when I opened Facebook expecting to see some updated pictures from the horse trials last weekend and some ranting posts about traffic, I saw post, after post, after post about something so shocking and sad that I still sit here in disbelief. A U.S. Soldier has been "heavenly deployed." And, that soldier was my friend, Kim Agar.
When I think of Kimmie, I remember one of my very first Miss Texas Preliminaries. I really didn't know anyone, but that didn't last long (those who knew Kim are probably giggling now). When I arrived and headed out into the theatre for talent rehearsal, a precious young girl with a huge smile and mouth full of braces greeted me. Kim was a teen contestant and I was old - actually, I was in my last year of eligibility and a second year law student. I thought Kim was "cute," until I saw her step confidently up onto that stage and release her big, beautiful voice, and then I realized she was amazing! I honestly can't remember the results of that pageant, but I'll never forget meeting Kim...and her mom, Margy. Being an "older" contestant, I was usually by myself. At every pageant, Margy would root for me to make sure I heard someone cheering. As my pageant family grew, so did the cheers, usually led by Margy (and my other pageant mom, Kim Lyons Scroggins). I had a wonderful year ending in my "retirement" from pageants. But, over the following years, I watched Kimmie grow from that sweet little girl into a beautiful accomplished woman. And, I remember when I first learned that she had joined the Army and was going to Iraq. We all prayed...we prayed through the deployment, prayed with every one of Margy's message board and Facebook posts, and were relieved when Kimmie was leaving Iraq and headed to Germany. Kim was a US Army Transportation Specialist and earned a Combat Action Badge after her unit was hit by an IED in Iraq.
In "pageantland," it's a silly joke to answer a question "and world peace." But, for Kim, it wasn't a joke at all...it was her life. She was a United States Army soldier fighting for world peace.
Today also took me back to mid-September 2004 when I learned that my friend Tyler Brown was killed in Iraq. I was overwhelmed with shock, sadness, and pride. I couldn't contain how proud I was to know a real hero. And, I was so blessed to be able to spend some time visiting Tyler on September 11, 2008 at Arlington National Cemetary in Washington, D.C. Standing there on that warm fall morning, looking around that beautiful place, I knew that Tyler was where God wanted him to be....surrounded by heros.
I am SO incredibly proud of my friends who serve in the military and I'm humbled by the sacrifices they've made to serve our country. My step-brother Lance was in the Air Force, friend Lee in the National Guard, and friend, Alyson in the Air Force. I seriously looked into JAG when I was in my third year of law school, applied and interviewed with Air Force JAG, went through the physical, got into the last stages of the process and decided that I just wasn't cut out for military life (code for "chickened out" at deployment). I'm simply in awe of my lifelong friend, Alyson. We met when we were either 4 or 5 years old and graduated together. Now, our babies are just a month or so apart and I love seeing the pictures of her precious Chloe. It's easy for me to forget that while we struggle through new motherhood together, and I think my days are tough, she's also serving our country a US Air Force pilot, worrying about her deployed husband (who has thankfully returned home recently) and going through nursing school. I remember sleepovers at Alyson's house when we were little, going through school together, traveling Europe together. She's always been a wonderful person. But, now she's also a mother and a hero. I smile when I think of what an amazing role model she is for her daughter and how I hope I can have half that impact on Charlie. And, I hope this makes her smile to see what an impact she's having on her friends!
Today has made me take a huge step back and a good look at things...what's important...my everyday heros. It's easy to be dragged down into whining about bills, calendars, slow computers, and rude drivers. What's important is that I have a husband that loves me even when I'm certainly not at my best, that I have a healthy, happy, beautiful baby boy, that I have good friends, and that I have a job that I love and a wonderful boss.
So, I've decided to try to be positive, have a better attitude, and be more of a "hero" to those around me. It's not much in comparison, but in honor and memory of my friends mentioned above, it's the best I can do.
God bless you all and God bless America! Signing off with a video of Kimmie singing God Bless America at Miss Texas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVygQLXHhqc. RIP Kim. You will be greatly missed.
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