Looking at my most recent entry, I realize that I'm going to have to practice with my new camera a little more! The plaque really is quite lovely, and I really like the relief of the hands holding a folded flag--it is copied from a memorial to Maryland victims of terrorism which stands in the cemetery where the ceremony was held: Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium, Maryland. This is a picture of the memorial that day. And you can see that, indeed, the sun was shining.

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In May, we also went to Sergeant Bordelon's interment at Arlington National Cemetery. We met his widow, who talked with us a few minutes about Michael and about the letter he had written us, met again two of the soldiers who had been with us for Thomas's funeral, and met Michael's parents. Though the ceremony was relatively short (the funeral had been held in Louisiana as I recall), I am glad we were able to go. Matthew elected to not go--these things have continued to be very hard for him and, as he was just shy of his 13th birthday, it seemed appropriate to allow him to make his own decision about this. But his sisters and dad and I went, our first visit to Arlington since Thomas's death.