Veteran's Day Thoughts

This Veteran's Day I am thankful, as always, for our Veterans. For the men and women who serve or have served our great nation. Whether they have served in a war, overseas, or are one of the many who continue to protect our native soil right here in the United States. They all signed that dotted line. They all made a promise to protect our liberties and our lives.

But today got me thinking. Veteran's Day is more than just a day to be thankful for our Veterans. It is a day to remember what it means to even have Veterans. To have a country founded on freedom, to have men sacrifice their lives for what they believe in for even those who would argue with the cause. And what comes with that sacrifice, especially in times of war is a great cost. Yes, I am thankful for our Veterans, but I am also thankful for the ones they must let go of. The ones who are not celebrated as heroes until after they are gone.


Part of being a veteran, especially for my husband, is living with what has been lost. The pain of loosing someone does not lessen with time, perhaps time does heal, in a way, but the ache we feel when we think of these people still remains. This blog is dedicated to those veterans who have not only served, but have served amongst the bravest there are, and have had to let them go. My father in law lost his cousin, his best friend, in Vietnam. And although I am thankful for his service, I am infinitely grateful for his example, his integrity and his determination to live his life knowing those he lost, especially his cousin, would have wanted him to live it to the fullest, and remember them fondly. There are so many veterans who have not had to experience this kind of loss, the loss of their brothers, of their second family, and for that I am grateful. But for those who have, you have my respect, my support and my gratitude. You are the reason my children sleep safely in their beds at night. You have a purpose beyond what you even realize. A place in history and a huge place in my heart. Thank you.

Halloween 2009

Part of what I love about having kids that I'm in charge...shocking I know. :) So when the idea of coordinating the kids Halloween costumes came to me (and I knew this may be one of the only years I would be able to convince Kaitlyn) I went with it! At first she wanted to be Ariel, but finding a costume for Lance to go with that proved to be exhausting.

Finally I suggested she be Alice in Wonderland. She loves the movie and it was the first ride she ever rode at Disneyland, and the one she asked for first when we went back.





Finding her costume was easy. It was cheap and came quickly. Lance's costume, again, was difficult. It didn't come in time to wear to my mother in laws Halloween party but he ended up being an adorable lion! Kaitlyn was excited at the idea of him being the white rabbit, so we stuck with that for Halloween, and I knew his costume would need a few alterations. Most rabbit costumes have a pink belly that doesn't do too much for that whole boy thing. So I bought a red sweatshirt and my mom fashioned something to go over it to resemble the scene where they are playing croquet with the Queen of Hearts.




Halloween was quite exciting for Kaitlyn who knew what it was all about! She told everyone who gave her candy, "thank you, see you next Wednesday!" Alright, she doesn't know quite what it's all about but she's getting there. And she has really nice manners anyway.