#11

Today is a perfect time to say how thankful I am for the service men and women who are both living and dead that fight for our freedoms. My family has always been very patriotic people. We loved hearing the stories our grandpa’s would tell us about fighting in WWII. I loved reading books about history. I think my little brother Scott may just be one of the smartest history buffs there are. My sister Kelli did a report once on my grandparents and their service. My grandpa DeYoung didn’t want his life to be remembered by just that time, but instead of the other wonderful things in his life, like his family. I also loved watching a documentary on Trent’s grandpa who served on the USS Murphy. When I worked at a nursing home there was a man who told me to come listen to his story. (I loved asking to see all the cool pictures the old people had when they were younger. The era just looked so cool to me with the fancy hairdo’s and service outfits!) This guy was in a TIME magazine picture back in the day for one of his courage stories. It was really neat to see the original photo he had, and then the TIME magazine with the same picture. My heart goes out to all the brave men and women who fight for our freedoms, they give up theirs so that we can be safe. I won a scholarship for college one year because talking about my patriotism, I had the guy crying and lucky enough he gave me the scholarship. I think the reason we are so appreciative for those who fought is because when I was eight years old my dad left for Desert Storm. I didn’t understand what “war” meant. I thought there was a “Bad Dad” who was Saddam that my Dad had to go fight. Little did I know he was going to “Baghdad”. I remember the fun activities that the national guard would put on for the families. I remember the day my dad left, the letters he would send, and the night phone calls when he would get a chance to call. I remember playing tic tack toe through letters and sending tapes to him. I waited to be baptized because I wanted my dad to do the honor. Luckily they came home early ! I remember seeing the buses leave as we frantically tried to find which one my dad was on. Then I remember being in the airport as my dad came home. It was very crowded ! We finally ran up to my dad and I remember everyone crying in tears of joy. I remember all the yellow ribbons we put on our trees for his homecoming. Every night *Even when I was in high school sometimes jk LOL* I loved him to sing me this song before I went to bed “Around her hair she wore a yellow ribbon, she wore a yellow ribbon in the very month of may, and if you ask her why she wore that ribbon she wore it for her soldier who was far far away! Far Away, Far Away. She wore it for her solider who was far far away.” I even sing that to my kids now. My family loves history and I do think we get that from my dad. When 9/11 happened it pierced my heart so bad that I am even a little obsessed with it that I get chills everytime I hear about it. The first song on my blog reminds me of that day. It takes a lot to make me angry, but I can't stand it when people don't stand and put their hand over their hearts for the flag out of pure ignorance. I am so thankful for all the veterans out there!