soldier, Danielle Kama Photography

Honoring Our Veterans

November 11, 2019 / 28 Comments

In an effort to honor the end of World War I, Veteran’s Day was declared a federal holiday in the United States on November 11, 1918. It continues on as a day to honor and celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of American service members. Being a military wife, it is a holiday that is important and emotional to me and one that is worthy of a variety of fundraising events that can assist veterans in need.

Witnessing the bravery and sacrifices made daily by American service members and their families is something that will bring tears to my eyes time and again. I am going to tell you right here, right now, the struggle is real. And complain as we might sometimes, we would never do a thing differently. I am guessing that most military families would agree with me on that.

We are a proud bunch. This I know. And we are strong. And independent. And caring and loving. Sometimes we are lonely and frustrated. A lot of times we are downright broke. We get frustrated and angry at silly rules that make no sense. We learn how to laugh in the face of emotional wreckage. We make friends quickly but stand alone frequently. We watch friends come and go and we see our own extended families only once in a while. But we prevail through every up and down, through every separation, through every fear. And we grow stronger and stronger with every obstacle that this life throws at us.

We are no strangers to extended separations from our spouses. Those of us with children learn very quickly the struggle of single parenting. We sometimes find ourselves crying silently in our pillows late at night or screaming loudly to the wind just to relieve the tensions. And we continue to prevail. Our marriages become stronger or else they break. And the ones that break cannot be faulted for it is a very difficult life. The ups and downs, the emotional things that must be processed, the never really knowing what lies ahead next year, next month, and very often next week. Making plans for the future is nearly impossible. And when plans have been made, they can change in an instant.

And that is all just my feelings on the matter. I am not even the soldier in this family. And while I hold down the home front, my husband offers continued emotional, financial, and spiritual support. He listens when I break down and then he goes off to work and has to maintain his focus on a job that can very often be quite dangerous. The weight of the world rests upon the shoulders of our service members and they really deserve more than just a single day of celebration.

Until you have lived a day in the life of a soldier and his or her family, I don’t think I can adequately explain the challenge that it is. But we do it with pride. And we will continue to do it until the Army says, “We don’t need you anymore.” That day is coming is soon…and it will bring a mix of emotions that are impossible to describe.

But in the meantime, on this Veteran’s Day of 2019, I want to say thank you to my husband and every man and woman who has served in the United States Armed Forces. You are my heroes and always will be.

If you are ever compelled to assist a military veteran, there are a multitude of ways to do that. You can visit https://www.gofundme.com/c/blog/financial-help-for-veterans for a list of different organizations that offer assistance to military veterans and their families. If you would like to assist a specific military family, you can simply begin your own dedicated fundraiser as well.

To round out this Veteran’s Day, here are just a few pictures that illustrate Army living….

soldier, Danielle Kama Photography
Danielle Kama is also a military spouse.
solider and family, Danielle Kama Photography
formal gowns
My first military ball and my first military friends. They will always remain the closest to my heart.
military formal
My very first military formal.
soliders
Jeff and his recruiting station circa 2008-2009.
formal
The recruiting wives/girlfriends.
military semi-formal
The semi-formal event that made me want to scream!
military ball
The last military ball we attended a few years ago.
wedding
I married a man in uniform.
wedding
I really had no idea what I was signing up for!
polar bear, Fort Drum
Archie’s first visit to Fort Drum, NY.
soldier and family
Our first family photo shoot with the uniform.
Fort Drum
Proud Daddy and Son.
Deployment Days…Waitin’ on Daddy.
We make the best of deployments.
Holidays in Afghanistan.

“On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free.”

Dan Lipinski

Feeling grateful on the edge,

Shelbee

For more insight into military life, check out Loving Life Moore, a lifestyle blog by military wife Missy Moore. I have never had the pleasure of meeting Missy in real life while they were stationed here at Fort Drum, but her blog so eloquently illustrates the way this life goes…the sacrifices, the frustrations, the beauty, and the joys.

Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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