Friday, November 11, 2011

My Favorite Veteran

It is Veteran's Day. My oldest daughter leapt out of bed declaring "It's eleven-eleven-eleven! Today is Vet-rins Day! We get to celebrate soldiers! Papa Papa Papa!"

It is Veteran's Day. My favorite veteran is taking his two oldest children on a typical weekend "adventure:" they are going to the recycling center with a van full of boxes; they are going to the Girl Scout store to get a special pin; they are going to Savannah to get an oil change for the van.

It is Veteran's Day. My favorite veteran is taking me out on a date tonight. We will see The Help (and we expect to be the only ones in the theatre because we are the only people on the planet who have not yet seen the film) and then we'll head out to dinner. Just the two of us.

It is Veteran's Day, and my father, who also served, is coming to spend the night (along with my mother and their dog), to babysit the three girls so that we can have date night. Talk about being grateful for someone's service. Thank you, mom and dad!

It is Veteran's Day, and while I am doing some house chores I am listening to my favorite podcast. Not only did they read my comment aloud (I feel semi-famous!), they are talking about scrapbooking and the military. I have so much to say on this topic, it will have to wait for another day. Most of my readers (all two of you) know the various ways in which scrapbooking is essential to my success as a mil-spouse.

It is Veteran's Day. Thank you to all who have served in our foreign wars. Thank you to those who love them and support them from afar. Thank you to those who strive to find ways to help veterans, especially our country's older and more neglected veterans.

And, as the years go on, may we, as a country and as a global community, have fewer and fewer veterans whom we need to honor.

Imagine a world without veterans. Yes, please.

In the meantime, it's Veteran's Day, and I am grateful beyond words to have my very favorite veteran right here beside me.