11 November 2011

Foto Friday: Veterans Day Edition

Happy Veterans Day, everyone. Today is Veteran's Day so it seems appropriate to focus my Foto Friday entry on some of the veterans in my life. I wish I could include pictures of all of them, but I might run out of bandwidth. I am so blessed to know so many wonderful people who have been willing to serve their country, and the family and friends who stand beside and behind them. I wasn't in the Army very long and I never deployed or anything but I can say this, I never would have made it through that year of being in the Initial Entry Training environment without the love and support of many wonderful people.


Two people who I think embody those we honor on Veteran's Day are my Grandpa and Wink. Grandpa was in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was shot down and was a POW under conditions that no human being should ever have to deal with.

Eventually, he met Wink. They got married and I was blessed with a third grandmother. Wink takes care of him and of our whole family. She's been such a blessing to all of us.

Today, I dedicate this post to all of the veterans of the past and all of those serving now, who have been willing to risk their lives, who have made untold sacrifices so that  others don't have to, who have gone off to war and left friends behind but brought the nightmares home with them, who live with the dark memories every day. I dedicate it to the spouses who have watched their other half go off to wars, spent numerous nights sleeping with a pillow instead of a warm body, been responsible for being both Mommy and Daddy. To the kids who have played sports knowing that their parent can't be there to watch, gone on a first date without DDaddy there to meet the boy at the door with a shotgun, had to explain why they can't have Mommy bring cupcakes to their school party.

This weekend, remember that it's about more than the barbecues, parties, and sales. Remember that it's about honoring people, past and present. Don't just thank the young men and women you see shoping in their uniforms on the way home from duty, thank the older gentlemen in their Purple Heart caps and WW2 jackets.  Remember what it has taken over the years to make and keep America free and remember those who made it happen.



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