Mothers Day Prayers

Ceremony honors Tinley Park Marine

At 22, U.S. Marine Cpl. Kristin Carrero already is a decorated veteran.

After returning last week from a deployment in Afghanistan, she became a surprised veteran Sunday when she was honored with a ceremony at the VFW Bremen Post 2791 in Tinley Park.

Carrero, a lifelong Tinley Park resident and graduate of Tinley Park High School, could be seen wiping tears from her face in the back seat as her mother and stepfather drove her through a crowd of cheering well-wishers, including family, friends and strangers.

Dozens of members from the American Veterans Motorcycle Riders Association flanked the front of the VFW with their bikes and flags.

“This party was not expected,” said Carrero, dressed in her formal Marine uniform.

Carrero served four years as a Marine and spent the past seven months in Afghanistan, returning home only once for Mother’s Day, according to her mother, Darlene Weinert.

The small-framed girl with the delicate face might not fit the standard image of a Marine, but her honors speak for themselves. Weinert said her daughter received such accolades as the Marine Corps Good Conduct medal, Expert Rifle badge and National Defense Service medal among nearly a dozen awards.

With tears in her eyes, Weinert told of hearing bombs in the background as she would talk to her daughter on the phone in Afghanistan.

“I would say, ‘What’s that noise?’ and Kristin would just say, ‘Oh, that’s just a drill,’ ” Weinert said, letting out a laugh. “I believed her then, but now I know she was lying.

“We’re just so thankful for all the support and prayers,” Weinert said.

A ceremony attendee, Tom Schutzius, said his daughter grew up with Carrero.

“When I heard (Kristin) was going in the Marines, I said, ‘Wow,’” Schutzius said. “Sometimes you never know what people have inside them.”

Carrero said her main responsibility was moving aircraft, trucks, troops and cargo where needed. Asked whether the work was hard, Carrero said, “No, it was all just routine. It’s what I was trained to do, it became kind of normal.”

As for what she had missed about civilian life, Carrero said, “I’m not sure; I did everything in the Marines that I enjoy. I’m going to miss my time in the Marines. You get used to having a full-time job, and the friends you make become family. The hard part is coming home and keeping in touch with them.

Patient Loving Care: Reverent and Irreverent Mother's Day Prayers ...

Some time ago, when a friend was expecting her first child, I came across a beautiful prayer online. I formatted it with a picture, framed it, and proceeded to make everyone at her baby shower cry. I’ve given it to every pregnant friend ever since. ( What I don’t know is who wrote it. If you’ve got any information, please let me know.) When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.