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When I visited Miramar Marine Base during Family Week, many military families shared with me what Family Day means to them:
Dawn and Skyler: "Family day means spending time with loved ones. Enjoying every aspect of each person. Taking time out of busy days just to get together and play together.”
Tanyetta and DJ: "A day to celebrate love, joy, happiness and a journey of all good things in life.”
Naomi: "Family day means EVERYTHING to the Morel family! Our family live all over the world."
Mello Family: "Family time is a time to spend with Dorothy and Mommy, playing, eating and just hanging out with each other."
Chris: "I like to go fishing and go shopping for toys. I also like to eat at the dinner table with mom, dad and my sister Isabella."
Isabella: "I like to take a walk with my family."
Maria Elena: "Family means everything to me. That's why I do all I can to make my family members feel happy and healthy."
Annie: "Family Day means the opportunity to really connect with my family members and enjoy our time together. Whether it's for dinner, watching a movie, or just sitting and talking, being together is the most important thing."
Mariela: "Family Day is the opportunity to learn about resources, organizations and choices that will benefit military families. It's a great chance to gain knowledge related to healthy living and a positive future for our military families."
Kele: "It means tuning out the rest of the world and focusing and listening to each other."
Kristy: "Making sure I am with my kids and at the end of the day, to make sure their days went well and we can catch up on everything!"
Bruce and Sharon: "Family Day means waking up to great breakfast. Spending the whole day doing family activities and encouraging each other. It means letting each other know that we love each other. It means laughing and smiling and just all around fund! We love our family!"
Lindsey, Dominic and Sara: "It means coming together and sharing our lives, experiences and opinions, getting to know one another and growing."
Yosina: "A time to reflect on the time spent together laughing, crying and enjoying each others company. A time to give thanks for the blessing of life and remembering not to take advantage of it."
Mary and Brian: "Family Day is a great opportunity to celebrate my children, my husband, my sisters, mother and father. These people mean so much to me!!"
Campbell Family: "A time in your life where you realized how blessed you are to have family members that care and love you unconditionally."
Glenn: "A day at the beach, park or any place where you share the day with the entire family."
Naomi: "Family Day means spending time with my kids and husband, doing kid friendly activities and enjoying events together."
Tina: "Just spending quality time with my Marine and my children, to enjoy each other and our individual special talents."
Julie: "Family Day means getting out of the house with my kids and exploring the city. The important thing is just being together."
Lakeysha: "Family Day means a day to celebrate 'Family.' Family is important because it's vital to your growth in life. I love my family."
Jessica: "Family Day means bringing various resources together to provide opportunities for all: from mom to dad to sons and daughters, there's something for everyone!"
Chaplain: "It's a way to connect with the people who really have the hardest job in the Navy & Marine Corps -- the families who stay behind and support."
David: "It gives me a chance to appreciate my family back at home and gives me information on if I decide to have a family of my own."
Matt: "Family Day means spending time with my mommy."
Adam: "Family Day is a fun and informative event for Marines and Sailors and a day for appreciation and preparation for deployed Marine families."
Tin and Tyllie: "Family Day means a recognition of families."
Annabelle: "A good chance to get good information."
Crystal: "Unity, caring support and love! I love my family. Without family life would be boring. Smile, laugh, share, hugs."
Matthew: "Family Day is a time to sit back, have fun, realize exactly what is important to you. It's a day to remind yourself the reasons you joined the military and what this country is fighting for."
Sam: "Family Day is a day military families get information and resources for a better quality of life. I am happy to be a part of this day."
Cameron: "Family Day is a way to connect with other families and learn about great resources."
Sherri, Caeley and Brayden: "Family Day means spending time together and having fun!"
Jenny and Ian: "Getting the whole family together and having lots of fun playing with friends."
Candice: "Learning how to make better choices for our family."
Crystal: "Cherished time with my family."
Linh: "Spending time together and enjoying each others company regardless of cost or distractions."
Nereida: "All of family together at the dinner table."
Munoz Family: "Having our family together and enjoying the time whatever we are doing."
Dean and Sonya: "Good times. Hard times. spending all of it with kids, wife/husband, and parents. And watching them grow and learn new things everyday."
Colleen and Kayla: "I get to spend more time with my children and learn what is available to military families."
Isabel: "Family Day means coming together as one to share information and fun times, a time to talk about our lives."
Giossi Family: "Being together and spending time as a family."
Ralph: "When we show our true love to each other."
Jonathan and Josiah: "Everything! It's the most important aspect of my life!"
Erika and Fiona: "Spending time with the people we love."
Patricia: "Family Day means spending time with my son and family."
Kayron: "Fun, food and meeting new friends."
Ingrid: "Getting to enjoy the day with the kids and having lots of fun. Communication is a big thing in getting to know family."
Next week, we will be featuring Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you are currently battling breast cancer, know someone who is or if you are a courageous survivor, I want to hear your story. Stay tuned to read more!!!