Thanks to the veteran's, especially ours!

Our family on one of the happiest days of our life, July 26, 2007 - Mark made it home safe and sound from Iraq!

Until 6 or 7 years ago, Veteran's Day meant nothing to me.  It was just another day where there wasn't mail, certain stores were closed, and you have to wonder if the garbage man is going to show up, but my life experiences have changed my view on this holiday (along with a million other things!).

For those of you who don't know, my husband enlisted in the Army in September of 1999 - the beginning of his senior year of high school.  He graduated a semester early and was shipped off to basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky in February of 2000 (if I remember the dates right, it may have been January).  From there he was sent to Fort Sam Houston, Texas to spend 3 months training to be an Army Medic.  Because of hearing loss, he was unable to go full-time army as he had hoped, but was slotted with the Army National Guard.  A few years went by (we were married in August 2002) and his unit was deployed in May of 2003 to the Siani Peninsula on a base near Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt and close to Saudi Arabia.  He spent almost a year away from home.  In early 2005 (I can't remember exactly when) we were notified that his unit was going to Iraq and in October 2005 his unit left to train to go to war.  In March 2006 their training was complete and they arrived in Al Asad, Iraq to perform security for convoys transporting goods all across Iraq.   He was scheduled to come home in April 2007, but with the need for troops in Iraq his unit was notified in January 2007 that their deployment time had been extended.  He FINALLY made it home the very end of July 2007.  He made it through 22 months away from home.  His unit was deployed for the longest period of time out of any other unit in all branches of the military since World War II. After he came home they had to go through some regular physicals and medical screenings and the results showed that his hearing loss was much worse.  He went before a medical review board in the summer of 2009 where they decided to medically discharge him as he was no longer able to safely be a medic in the Army because of his great hearing loss (I think it's like 90% loss in his left ear). So on September 30, 2009, exactly 10 years to the day, he was out of the military.  He served our country proudly, giving up years of his life, missing the birth of his son, basically losing complete hearing in one ear, and so much more.  And he doesn't expect anything in return.  He is such a selfless soldier.

I am amazed by him and so many others, and the sacrifices that our soldiers go through in order to keep our country safe.  They give up so many things both big and little that the average civilian takes for granted.  The sacrfices come not only during deployments, but with every day life.  (I can't even count the number of times that Mark and I have had something planned and we had to cancel or rearrange it because something came up for the army).  So, I would like to say thank you to all those who have and are serving our country (and to the families at home, who serve our country too).  Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed.

Happy Veteran's Day.