I'm feeling grateful these days for the good things in my life, especially after just returning from a visit with my son and his family. There's nothing like spending time with family to rejuvenate the soul, is there?
This visit was extra special. #1 is going to be deploying again the end of the month and won't be able to spend time with his family or with us during the holidays. I can't begin to count how many holidays he's missed or describe the feeling a serviceman/woman must experience being so far from home on these special occasions. I do know that by not having our oldest son and his family around for Christmas or New Year's and further into the new year, I'm reminded of all the holidays LTC couldn't be home. While those days are behind us, the memory of chaotic days raising four children alone and the never-ending lonely nights never fades.
As America recently celebrated Veteran's Day, I want to shout out how proud I am of the sacrifices given by the men and women of the United States. Men like my Great Uncles (WWII Coast Guard, Army, & Navy), my Grandpa (WWII Navy), FIL (3 years Army), father (Career Army & Vietnam Veteran), brother (3 years Army), nephew (Texas National Guard 7 years, 2 term Iraq Veteran & 2 term Border Patrol Veteran), LTC (West Point Grad & Career Army), #1 (8 years Air Force, Persian Gulf Veteran & Libya Veteran), #3 (1 year Army), and future-SIL (2 years Marines & Afghanistan War Veteran).
Secondly, there can be no sacrifice without families. Families are the backbone of the military. Without the love, trust, support and compassion of the ones that love our heroes, our Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marines, Air Force and National Guard would be hard-tasked to do their jobs.
I've heard it said that a soldier/airman/marine/sailor does not fight for what's to come, but what they've left behind. As my son deploys again, I'm thankful that he's ensuring someone else's child can come home.
It is not what we stand to lose, but what we stand to gain by teaching children how to fly.
Are you a family member of someone in military service? Did you celebrate the military service of anyone in particular over Veteran's Day?
What a beautiful post, Katherine! My oldest daughter was in the Army and my son-in-law served 2 tours in Irak. God bless all our servicemen and servicewomen for all they do.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Kathy!
ReplyDeleteI think we should all be thankful to those who serve to protect our freedoms and our lives and to the families who sacrifice time with them.
I think the poster that says "Freedom isn't Free" sums it up for me.
It's good that we have a day when we are reminded to stop and be grateful. We shouldn't need it.
ReplyDeleteI am also grateful for women like you who kept the home fires burning and the children healthy so the rest of us can complain if our husbands are an hour late getting home. I admire you particularly because you were always so willing to do it without a whisper of complaint.
Hats off. If I had a hat.
Hi Jo! Thanks for stopping by. A special thanks to you for the sacrifices you've made for your daughter as she served and for the support you gave her when her husband was in Iraq.
ReplyDeleteI echo your sentiments to all those serving our country. Like those answering God's call, these special people answer our country's call. There is no greater sacrifice than to lay one's life down for someone else.
You're right, Stephanie. Freedom isn't free. I think of this especially every Veteran's Day as images of the men and women at Pearl Harbor, rising, dressing, running to their planes in order to get in the air before being destroyed and to help save as many as they can, flash before my eyes.
ReplyDeleteNormandy Beach, filled with men rushing across the sand, knowing that the odds were against them, that they wouldn't make it to the dunes. What drives men to push beyond their fears? A definitive cause... freedom for those they love.
Aw, Jean! You're sweet to comment on my past. I often wonder how I got through those times. But as I tell my DIL and my kids, you do it one hour, one day at a time. That's all anyone can do in hard times. It's the hardest lesson of all, but it works wonders on the psyche.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the hat signal. What kind of hat is it? Let me guess...
My great-grandfathers fought in the Civil War. My father was in WWII, D-Day and the works. My son went to the Middle East twice. Now, he has founded a non-profit organization, Tech For Vets, that will supply refurbished computers to veterans. www.techforvets.org
ReplyDelete