Military families think of loved ones on Thanksgiving

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Being away from home on the Thanksgiving holiday is hard on America's soldiers, but it is also difficult for the families left stateside.

At her home in St. Paul Judi Hamilton wears pride and patriotism on her front window. The American flag, a photo of her son and his family and her quilted blue star adorn the outside of her home.

"I want people to know that I stand behind my country," says Judi.

And on this Thanksgiving she is both thankful, and proud.

"Every time the phone rings, you think there's Tom, there's Tom," says Judi.

Judi knows her son Tom will call this Thanksgiving, but the blue star means he won't be home this holiday.

Tom is a Blackhawk med-evac pilot stationed in Germany with his family, making Judi a blue star military mom.

"All of our moms have a blue star in their window, some have more than one...and we all pray for it never to turn gold because once it's a goLd star your hero has fallen and none of us want that to happen," says Judi.

While not in a war zone now, Tom has served in some of the world's most dangerous places, including Gaza, Haiti, and Iraq, transporting the war wounded to safety while putting himself in harm's way.

"Afghanistan may be his next call. I don't know that, nobody knows that," says Judi.

On this Thanksgiving, Judi surrounds herself with images of her son and his family knowing that while thousands of miles separate them from her this Thanksgiving, they are always close by and only a phone call away.

"So how are you doing?" asks Judi when she picks up the phone. Tom is on the other line.

"We're having dinner with some friends over," Tom tells his mother.

It's just what Judi needed to hear on this holiday. Her family is safe and she remains thankful.

The blue star moms are a group of women who have children serving in the military. They are both a support group and service group.

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