Remembering Veteran's..Especially My Grandpa and My Brother..Day 83

Hadley wrote this letter of thanks to her favorite Veteran; her Uncle Zechariah.  Her class wrote these today as well as marched in the Veterans Day parade today.  She wore a flower with my brothers name on it as she marched in the parade and all day today.  The neat thing is that she didn't ask me who she should pick, she just knew; she gets what this day is all about!

Veteran's Day has become a more meaningful day in the past four years since my brother served in the Army.  I think this for the obvious reason that my brother was in the Army and served in Iraq.  It has also become more meaningful since I am older and have really began to understand why we have this day and that it is not only to have a day off of work for certain people.  When I really sat and thought about this day there are a lot of emotions that came about.  There is the feeling of being incredibly proud of my brother for serving, knowing the sacrifice he has made with his family, and serving in a dangerous place so that we can be free.  I felt an incredible sadness when I saw pictures of those that died serving our country, the hurt for the family that is left behind, and that they did die for people they didn't even know.  I felt blessed truly blessed to be alive and do the things I love to do, and it is all because of our past, present, and future soldiers who are serving our country.
Tonight I am incredibly thankful for my brother and for his time of servng our country.  It takes a special person to have the strength to leave his family, knowing he would more then likely have to deploy, serve in a dangerous place not knowing if he would make it home alive and well.  I am thankful that my brother served his time and made it back safe and sound from Iraq.  I am thankful he took on the "unknown" and did what he felt he had to do. I am so proud of you, Zechariah! I am thankful you are now home in Ohio and thankful you returned home.

My brother visiting in 2009.

I also want to shout out to my grandfather who served as well! My grandfather Don is a very strong man and hard worker. He will be 83 in a month and you would never know it.  He still gets out on the farm and helps out, helps out a lot at church, so I an only imagine how big of an an assett he was to the military while he served.  Thank you grandpa for your service to this country!

I am so thankful to be alive, the freeedom to do as we please in this country, all because of people like my brother and grandpa who has served to keep us safe!

Thank you to all the Veterans out there!!