Veteran's Day

This is a thanks to the many veteran's in our family: My father, grandfather, father-in-law, brother, 2 brothers-in-law, and my husband.

Growing up in a military family gives you a different perspective on the world. We were privileged to travel to distant lands, experience a lifestyle that people only dream of (with the opportunity to immerse ourselves in foreign cultures), etc. Were we rich? No, the government doesn't pay their soldiers nearly enough! But that didn't stop our families from doing things.

Even as a military brat, I forgot the sacrifices our fathers and mothers made in their duty to our country. I never thought much that my dad was a Vietnam vet, because it was part of his job. It didn't sink in to how much he must have seen on his 3 tours while he was over there, and all the sites he had seen while he had traveled to multiple places across this globe. Over the years I know how much he missed with us kids because he was away on TDY's, and I would be angry that he missed this or that. But I was being a kid, and didn't appreciate how he must have felt.

I didn't appreciate the sacrifice he made every day for almost 30 years of rising every morning to get up and do his job.

So, thank you, soldiers near and far for rising every morning to do your job. Thank you to the soldiers of the past, present, and future who chose to serve their country, and those that have sacrificed ultimately for us. We appreciate all that you do.