"(CBS News) For women with sons or daughters serving overseas, Mother's Day can be hard to celebrate. Still, a group of proud mothers is doing their best to get by.
"It's not an easy holiday, it's one that the whole nation celebrates. But we can celebrate it together in a special way," said Cindy McLean. McLean is part of a unique group of mothers that call themselves "Blue Star Mothers."
Each of the mothers in the group has a son or daughter serving overseas. They gather at the Lake Elmo Inn to show support for one another. Each mother knows exactly what the other is going through.
"We'll cry a lot. I mean that's a given with the moms, is cry. And there'll be lots of hugs and thery'll be lots of laughter," said McLean. "
The Blue Stars celebrate Mother's Day a day ahead of time. They do this because on Mother's Day, they will be waiting by their phones hoping to get a call from their son or daughter. "God forbid you should miss the phone call. That's happened before for me. Get home and get a voicemail. It just rips your heart that he got a chance to call and I wasn't there," said McLean. Until Sunday arrives, they will lean on each other. These ladies know their soldiers are here in spirit, and in cardboard cut-outs. The moms designed "heroes on a stick" which show a picture of their soldier. "We started doing that for parades a few years ago to support our group and let other mothers know we are here," said McLean. Josette Bradley does not have a cardboard cut-out. Instead, she has what other Blue Star moms are hoping for. Her son Clint recently returned home from Iraq. "I'm thrilled and I am so happy that he is here," said Bradley. For other moms the wait continues. Of course, waiting is a lot easier when you can do it together. "When these kids enlist, we don't realize it, but we're enlisting too. We go along for the ride," said McLean. This is the second year the St. Paul Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers has met in Lake Elmo. The mothers say that next to Christmas, Mother's Day is the hardest holiday to be away from their kids.
More...wcco.com - Military Moms Cope With Sons, Daughters Overseas:
"It's not an easy holiday, it's one that the whole nation celebrates. But we can celebrate it together in a special way," said Cindy McLean. McLean is part of a unique group of mothers that call themselves "Blue Star Mothers."
Each of the mothers in the group has a son or daughter serving overseas. They gather at the Lake Elmo Inn to show support for one another. Each mother knows exactly what the other is going through.
"We'll cry a lot. I mean that's a given with the moms, is cry. And there'll be lots of hugs and thery'll be lots of laughter," said McLean. "
The Blue Stars celebrate Mother's Day a day ahead of time. They do this because on Mother's Day, they will be waiting by their phones hoping to get a call from their son or daughter. "God forbid you should miss the phone call. That's happened before for me. Get home and get a voicemail. It just rips your heart that he got a chance to call and I wasn't there," said McLean. Until Sunday arrives, they will lean on each other. These ladies know their soldiers are here in spirit, and in cardboard cut-outs. The moms designed "heroes on a stick" which show a picture of their soldier. "We started doing that for parades a few years ago to support our group and let other mothers know we are here," said McLean. Josette Bradley does not have a cardboard cut-out. Instead, she has what other Blue Star moms are hoping for. Her son Clint recently returned home from Iraq. "I'm thrilled and I am so happy that he is here," said Bradley. For other moms the wait continues. Of course, waiting is a lot easier when you can do it together. "When these kids enlist, we don't realize it, but we're enlisting too. We go along for the ride," said McLean. This is the second year the St. Paul Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers has met in Lake Elmo. The mothers say that next to Christmas, Mother's Day is the hardest holiday to be away from their kids.
More...wcco.com - Military Moms Cope With Sons, Daughters Overseas:
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