Veteran’s Day » Stop, Drop and Blog

A Veteran’s Day Experience to Remember

Nov 112011

The boys and I left our favorite Veteran at home this morning and made our way east on I-70. It was a beautiful but cold November morning and we were making good time.

As we neared Washington, PA, I saw a flag flying just above an overpass. I wondered how it was suspended and who thought to put it there for Veteran’s Day. Suddenly I realized that the flag was not suspended above the overpass; an older man was standing on the overpass, holding and waving the flag.

I choked up immediately. I looked at the temperature gauge in our car; it was only 39 degrees. It was before ten o’clock in the morning on a day that many citizens have off in our country. I wondered what this man’s story was; was he a Veteran? Did he have a son or daughter overseas? Was he just a patriotic son of a gun?

Just before we passed under the overpass, I waved.

And he waved back.

I don’t know who that man was or what his story was or why he felt so compelled to give travelers on I-70 a Veteran’s Day experience to remember, but I felt honored to be given such an experience.

As always, thank you to our Veterans. Some of my favorites include my husband, his paternal and maternal grandfathers, my uncle, my cousin and his wife, a new friend’s husband who is currently deployed and many, many others.

Thank you — each and every one of you.

Simply: Thank You.

FireFamily Gets Serious, Holidays 4 Responses »

Nov 112008

Those readers who came over from our former blog know but newcomers might not reaize simply based on his high and tight haircut. FireDad is a Veteran. He served in the National Guard for eight years. While he never saw combat, he was deployed in 2003. It was, however, canceled when someone declared that the war was over. All the same, I asked him a few weeks ago if he missed the Army. He said yes and no. To be honest, I think the no was simply to appease me. The picture to the left was taken at his awards ceremony in 2004. Oh, we were so young.

FireDad is the grandson of two other Army soldiers. Paternal and maternal grandfathers also served our country. We have their photos on either side of a candid shot of FireDad graduating from Basic in frames on our wall in the living room. FireDad’s flag hangs above them all. My Grandfather who passed in September was a Veteran and my own father is named after his uncle who was killed in World War II. Uncles and cousins have served as well and I wouldn’t be surprised if this new generation of family (still to come for my younger relatives) had a few who joined the military as well.

Our family is touched on so many sides and in so many ways by the military. We are thankful on everyday, of course, for their service. But we pause today to actually verbalize our Thank Yous. We know how lucky we are to be able to say those thank yous. A very dear friend of ours lost her brother in 2006 and today we salute him and their whole family for the ultimate sacrifice. We continue to pray for and honor our soldiers whether deployed or at home or already retired from service.

Due to the very cold weather today, we won’t be joining FireDad for the Veteran’s Day parade today. And so, knowing that he will log on at some point in time today at work, we send our love and thank yous for his service not only to our family but to our country. We love you!