Friends are connected heart to heart. Distance and time can’t break them apart.

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Hello you beautiful souls.

I was asked by my amazing friend, Lisa Pratt to write an article for an event called, “God, Girlfriends & Country” – This event was originally created by Rev. Debbie Pratt (Lisa’s Mother-in-Love) in 2003. It fosters relationship with other women and promotes involvement in the community.

Matt Pratt spoke about his good friend, Joshua (my late husband), who was killed in action in 2011 and the intricate connections between myself, Lisa, and CAMMO.

Lisa then sang my song, “Flowers On a Stone.”

Lisa & Matt did such an amazing job!  I am honored to not only call them my friends, but, my family as well.

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My story of our friendship begins here:

 It is so true that God puts certain people in our lives for a reason. He has a specific plan and purpose on how we cross paths and how they become an intricate part of the plan he has for us. It is even truer when you become an Army wife, supporting your soldiers together, moving from one another to holding one another up through deployments, homecomings and sometimes… death. I have friendships all over the world many of which were developed and strengthened after I lost Joshua.  But, I have one in particular that I want to share… a woman who is so near and dear to my heart who saw my entire world crumble around me.

I met Lisa in August of 2011, as a brand spanking new Army wife.  I had no idea what to expect, except to stay strong for my soldier as he deploys to defend our country … trying to understand the Army system, what I needed to do as an Army spouse along with just trying to figure out my new life out in general… Lisa was an amazing mentor and as it turned out our husbands had (as we giggle about it now) a “bromance” – roommates in Afghanistan and praying that their wives could get along so they could hang out in the states together when they came home. Well, their prayers were answered, we became close over the months and quickly became best friends.

Then came 08 October 2011 the dark day when my doorbell rang and the two brothers in arms wouldn’t be coming home on the same plane. I called Lisa, screaming, “What was I supposed to do?” “How can I continue living?” and most important “was Matt (her husband) alive and ok…at that moment, Lisa dropped everything she was doing and flew (and did I mention she has a complete fear of flying) to Tennessee to meet me and be by my side every step of the way as a new widow as I lay my husband to rest.

Lisa was there for me from day one as a new Army spouse all the way to receiving my husband’s body on a cold and rainy day on a plane in Tennessee. Words can never describe the amount of gratitude I have felt that she has been by my side through the best days and the darkest days of my life. See, when you marry a solider… you don’t just marry the soldier, you marry into the Army’s network of spouses that become more than friends. They become a bond of sisters (and brothers) ready at the drop of a hat to help one another.  I have list that could go for miles of brothers and sisters that mean the world to me, who have helped me through everything… sometimes friendships can be stronger and thicker than blood… especially military friendships, they turn into family that are Army Strong.

As time past, Lisa still never left me (even through her trials and tributes).

In April of 2014 I wrote a song with CAMMO (Center for American Military Music Opportunities)/ Operation Song, “Flowers on a Stone.” My love story of Joshua and me and what the Gold Star means to me.

Somehow Lisa was chosen to sing my song with the Military Spouse Choir (which is a part of CAMMO). Lisa knew I had written the song and sang with a pride that any friend could give. I did not see her perform the song, only heard the song digitally, but I could hear her singing to Joshua in the heavens for me.

Fall of 2014 Lisa and I were asked by CAMMO to attend an event in Tennessee that promoted the efforts of CAMMO and the power of music to help heal and restore. I had no idea Lisa was going to perform the song and the organizers of CAMMO’s event had no idea about the connection between Lisa and I . . . I spoke about my song and our friendship and as so soon as they were about to sing… Lisa stepped out on the stage to perform my love song, I lost it. No one could understand the magnitude of our friendship that was right there on stage.

But, it’s not the song that is important it is what is happening to the song and the story it brings with it … two women who never met except for one day on a hot summer day in Texas in August thinking that we would live a normal Army life until my life changed … she didn’t know me that well and with God’s will dropped everything to pick me up off the floor to get me through my darkest days to having our friendship/sisterhood grow. To have her sing this song brings so much honor, hope and complete gratitude to my heart that I honestly do not have the words to actually describe what this means to me.

As I sit here and think about the things we have been through together and the strength she kept up to keep me going I think to myself, “what if I never met you?” – my life wouldn’t be the same without you… I am not sure I could be where I am at this moment if wasn’t for your love, support and most of all friendship. God is pretty incredible, and I am so blessed to not only call Lisa my sister, but the long list of other sisters that I have that got me through other hard days.

I am so excited about the future and what the song is going to do for other Gold Star Family members. But, right now, I am just thankful for the Army bringing me a whole new family that is just as thick if not thicker than my own blood.

Speech by Matt Pratt & Song sang by Lisa Pratt: