Some gave all...

This is the week we celebrate our heroes.  

The men and women who are brave enough to wear the uniform and protect our freedom.  It is a big job.  It demands our respect.  Remember, there are many who gave all they had to protect us.

I hope all of you will stop this week and thank those you know who have served. In fact, if you see someone in uniform, why don't you go ahead and thank them for their service.  It doesn't matter if you know them or not!  You can brighten someone's day with a simple thank you.  Better yet, pay for their coffee.  Pay for their meal.  They deserve at least that much.

For you don't know what that service member could be dealing with.  He/She could have wounds and scars you are unaware of, memories of things most of us cannot imagine.  The fact that you are thanking them could really make a difference in their day!

Last week, we had the opportunity to honor some of those heroes!  The Center, in Council Bluffs, hosts an annual Veteran's Luncheon.  We were so happy to attend and show our support to all the Veterans in attendance.  There were veterans there from every branch of the armed forces. 

We enjoyed a nice lunch as well as entertainment from a dance group at The Center! Several Veterans were honored with the gift of a hand-made quilt.  It was certainly an emotional moment for everyone in attendance.

    

You can see in the picture above, the dancers were great!  They even had a tap routine!

Now, last but certainly not least, let's make this personal for a minute.  We all know a veteran, right?
Well, I know so many it is hard to keep track.  My family is full of them. Seriously, I don't think I could give you an adequate number because I just cannot count them all.  And, if I were to go back through the years that number is too much to compile.
So, I am going to show you the 2 most important veterans in my life!  I love and appreciate them more each and every day.
The first is my husband, Chip.  He served about 4 years, mostly at Ft. Campbell (in the 101st Airborne), including a year in Korea.  

The second is my sweet daddy.  He served about 40 years, retiring as a full Colonel and the Aviation Director for the state of Tennessee.

(Forgive me, these photos do not show them in uniform.  Those are stored somewhere...)

Feel free to tell us about your veteran!  Give them a shout out and let them know how much you appreciate them!