Honoring Those Who Serve

Today we take time to thank those who sacrifice so much to defend our freedoms. Without the less than 1 percent who defend our nation, we wouldn't be the strong, safe, and privileged country we are.

To those who have sacrificed holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and so, so much more - we owe you everything.

As we raise a little gentleman of our own, we have made it a priority to celebrate this day in a very real way. For our family, Veteran's Day isn't just another day off - it's a day to remember that our freedoms aren't free. It's a single day in which we reflect on those who have made the ultimate sacrifice , those who have made it easy for us to take our safety for granted. For at least one day, we won't take it for granted.

Today, we made a stop at a B52 Bomber on display outside of the old Griffis Air Force Base, where Jackson declared "arpa!" (airplane) over and over. He is obsessed.

We made a stop at McDonalds (gasp!) for Jackson's first happy meal. While it's not the most appealing choice, I'm not sure it gets much more American than a McDonalds happy meal (good, bad, or indifferent). It's an American child's right of passage, so, we did it.

Finally, we grabbed Kahla and headed out for an evening walk. We soaked up the lingering 60-something temperatures and enjoyed a beautiful, quiet sunset.

This might be the first year - ever - that I got Veterans Day off with Tyler. We tried to make the most of a beautiful, and important day.

To both of my grandfathers, to my dad and my uncle, to my father-in-law, and to my husband - you are my heroes. You are loved. To our countless friends and extended family who serve and have served, you are so appreciated. And to all of those who we don't know, and may never know, you too are needed, appreciated, and thought of.