Wait...What?

I did it last year . And even though I didn't blog about it the previous 3 years, I know I thought it. Thank you to all the veteran's out there. Past, present and future. Words could never truly encompass what your service, dedication and sacrifice means to me and my family. Thank you. To the man who gave 27 years of his life, half of it on a boat*, to the Navy and whom I am so proud and honored to call Dad, thank you! You are an inspiration to me and to so many others. Thank you for all that you have done. To the man that I love to pick on, love to hug and love to love, my father in law: Thank you Manly. You are awesome. To the soldiers at Fort Hood, the families and co workers: During this horrific time of loss and heartbreak, please know that the country is standing proud with you. We feel your pain, we feel your loss, we feel your sorrow. Please do not let one person make you doubt what you are doing. To all of our veterans, their spouses, children and family, thank you. Th...

To my father, my father in law, other family members, dear friends and those near and dear to us who gave the ultimate sacrifice. To the families of fallen soldiers. To the sons, daughters, wives and husbands. Thank you. Thank you for your service to this great country of ours. Thank you for defending our land, our safety and our people. Thank you for defending the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted. Even though we may not agree on this war, the Vietnam war or any war, we all should agree that these men, women and yes, even children deserve our thanks and gratitude. Thank you Squids, Jarheads, Grunts, Flyboys and Puddle Pirates*. Be proud and know that this military brat supports you in all that you do. *Puddle Pirates was the only clean nickname I have for the Coast Guard. Sorry guys.

We all know it's Memorial Day . We all know that thousands of men and women have made sacrifices for our freedoms and the freedoms of others. We all know what we should do: put aside political differences, no matter how great they are, and come together to thank those that have made the ultimate sacrifice and their families for they are the ones who must live everyday with the grief and pain. I say thank you to my father for his 25 plus years in the Navy . For the sacrifices he made to our family so that he could serve our country. It sucked when I was little and he was gone for months at a time. I was and still am a huge Daddy's girl so to not be able to talk to him everyday? Brutal. However, in hindsight (damn that 20/20 vision) I know that it was worth it. I'm a lucky one, I can talk to him everyday now. He has always defended the military and even in retirement he is an endless source of support to our troops and their families. Thanks Dad. Our cousin Olivia, how I loo...

Our cousin Olivia ships out to Iraq tomorrow. It's still sinking in to me that she's actually going. I mean, yes, I knew that she signed up for the Marine Corps and believe me, I am bursting with pride about it. It's just when someone you know and love is going off to a not so stable place, it makes you put your life in perspective. Perhaps rethink your priorities. What's important to you, how you live your life, what you're thankful for. These are things I think of when I see her leaving. I also think of her saying that she was going to miss US Weekly, Star and People magazines. My sister in law and I are going to make sure she keeps up on all the gossip. We're going to DVR Grey's Anatomy and Heroes for her. I'm thinking of tossing in The Office and some other feel good ones for her. Her mission over there is to convert one of the guys into a full on Grey's fan. I think she can do it. A really good friend of mine, Mandy , well her boyfriend is in bo...