Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Veterans Day, everyone! Every year, Beth posts this fantastic picture on FB (of us with our dad when we lived in Hawaii…I was 11 and Beth was 8), and I thought that this would be a great year to put it on our blog. After all, I’m not only proud of my favorite vet (my dad), but I’m grateful for all the things his military career afforded us growing up. Beth and I got to travel the world as kids...I lived in five states, two countries and nine houses…all before college! In fact, my four years in Charlottesville were the longest I’d lived anywhere…no wonder I moved to Japan as soon as I graduated. (And Beth studied abroad in France twice!) Army life definitely can give you the travel bug! 

Many military “brats” will tell you that moving frequently and starting over at new schools with new friends can be difficult and tiring…it is. But for me and Beth, our childhoods were filled with adventures, new languages, exotic tastes and amazing family vacations. Our classmates and teachers came from all over the world and had colorful, diverse backgrounds; Beth and I were very lucky to attend excellent Department of Defense public schools that were challenging and had high standards. We learned that, while we had many houses (we loved them all!) around the world, our two homes were in Richmond and Virginia Beach since that's where our grandparents and cousins showered us with love during summer visits. Most of the military experience was fun (and all of it was normal) for us…and we know full well now how fortunate we were.

Veterans and their families make other sacrifices, too. My dad would sometimes be “in the field” for weeks on end. He was working hard and missing us…and we missed him! My mom was like a single parent…working full time and making sure we were fed, doing our homework, not missing soccer practice, etc. with little to no help. Dad never had to serve overseas like many of my friends’ parents did, but we all made different sacrifices. It was not uncommon for us to open our home for dinner to classmates, neighborhood kids and (my mom's chemistry) students whose moms or dads were away...and we all leaned on each other for support because everybody "got" what it was like to be in a military family.  What valuable lessons on friendship, family and community to maintain throughout life!

As civilian parents, it’s on me and Tony to show Sammy and Brie all the beauties of the earth; to introduce them to new foods; and to demonstrate how worthwhile it can be to welcome new friends into their lives. Our lives are as rich as we make them! And it’s important to teach them how lucky we are that people serve and protect our country every day, and that they sometimes return from an assignment changed—both mentally and physically. Above all, our kids should know that all veterans deserve the same respect that we give Granddaddy Rob for his hard work.

So here’s to the veterans of the world! We appreciate and admire you today and every day!