Veterans’ Day

 

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 Each November 11th we honor veterans and their service to America. Those men and women who serve or have served in the armed forces.

Your husband, son, brother, father, uncle, nephew, best friend. Your wife, daughter, sister, mother, aunt, niece, all willing to lay their life on the line for me, for you and for your loved ones. These are the American Heroes!

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Heroes

~ Home Again ~

At your day’s end you head toward home knowing whomever you call family will be there to greet you, share dinner, talk about the day’s activities and kiss the kids good-night.

Those of our loved ones who serve in the armed forces live an entirely different life. As Veterans’ Day approaches I humbly ask that you take some time to think of these families who are giving their all, sacrificing the “normal family life”, to serve our country and each one of us individually. They are the Blue Star Families.

blue-star-families“If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a nation to support its military.”

Their day ends knowing their spouse and/or other parent of their children will not be sitting at the dinner table. As a military family they know this, prepare for this but we should never assume it makes it any easier for them. Deployment comes, they leave. Deployment ends, they come home. And they do it all over again….they do it for us!

chris-homecoming♥  Welcome Home Darlin ♥

chris-kids-homecoming~ Our Hero,Our Dad ~

chris-family~ Honor, Courage, Commitment ~

My sincere gratitude to my extended family, of whom I am so proud: Chris and Vicky Perkins and children. I thank each of for your daily, unselfish service to our country and for allowing me to share your joyous moment of the return home of your hero. 

 

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~ And So It Continues ~

marcus-this-one~ Marcus Shaw ~

 In recognition of the next generation of our troops, my first grandson to volunteer will be a proud member of the United States Army within eight days of my writing this. I am very proud of you Marcus.

I am from a large family of veterans. Three of my siblings:  Air Force,  Navy,  Army, my brothers-in-law, and five of my uncles served in the military, one an F-80 pilot killed in the Korean War.

My sons’ father is a Navy veteran of Vietnam and my daughter’s father an Army veteran of Vietnam.

My son,  joined the Marine Corps directly out of high school, my nephew served in the Air Force and his daughter and her husband currently serve. My sister’s grandson paid the ultimate price in Iraq in 2007.

I sincerely DO know what a veteran is and am deeply proud of each one who served and those who are serving and for those who gave their life for our freedom.

~ These Are Our Veterans ~

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Remember on Memorial Day, 4th of July or Veterans’ Day when you took your son to a  parade and turned to him and said “We really need to support our troops. We should find a way to do something.”

The day went on with other activities and  some how that nice thought slipped away as your life’s daily responsibilities seemed enough to handle. Today you can do something to thank those who came home from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, or Iraq with physical wounds apparent or PTSD well-hidden. Just take that one moment to say thank you. Two simple words with a handshake.

 

thank-you-veteransTo all Veterans at Home or Abroad, Active Duty, Reserve, or Retired, We Say THANK YOU ALL!!