Lizzie's mom is serving in the military overseas, and Lizzie really misses her. While they are apart, Lizzie and her mom write letters to each other to help make the separation easier. Lizzie asks her mom to hurry up and defend freedom so she can come home soon. It's hard when her mom misses Lizzie's soccer championship and her birthday. Throughout the story, Lizzie draws maps to show her mother the important things in her life--like the new ice cream store, her new friend's house, the family's Thanksgiving airplane trip to Florida, and the stars in the sky. While Lizzie doesn't know exactly where her mom is, they both can wish on the same star.