Thank you.

I wanted to make this post 2 days ago, on Veterans Day. But I'm a mom. Things just don't get done.

When I was in high school I was part of the Plainsmen Singers. It was kind of like Glee with out the pop numbers. And my teacher wasn't a Mr. Schuster, she was more of a Sue Sylvester. (if you watch Glee you'll understand) We did a lot of different types of performances from Native American to Jazz to Broadway to classical. It was a lot of work but well worth it. My all time favorite performance was one we did with several groups in the community, for the community. It was a Veterans Day celebration USO show with a variety of numbers highlighting songs and dances that were popular during the second world war. We did some really fun stuff including a swing number where I got thrown and flipped all over. The audience was really fun, probably because it was made up of more than our parents and peers. There were many Veterans in the audience that lived, and at one time loved, the stuff we were performing.

For one of the last numbers of the night we sang "Salute to the Armed Forces." We sang the song for each branch of the military: Army, Marine Corp, Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force. As we sang each song veterans who served in that military branch came up to the front and stood by their flag. Many of the veterans proudly wore their pressed uniforms and shiny black shoes. Some men were very old and had to have help walking up to the front but they'd hobble up there, with tears in their eyes, proudly representing our country's finest.

That one song changed me. I don't know if I've ever felt truly patriotic before that moment but to see these brave men and women, some so old and crumpled that they could hardly walk, proudly wear their uniforms and salute the flag of the United States of America, with tears in their eyes, made me realize what it meant to pledge alligence to America. I know I don't appricate the freedoms I've always known. I know I don't understand the immense sacrifice that has been made on my behalf so that I could live in this incredibly unique and blessed country. But I know it is significant.

I thank you, all who've served our country, for the freedoms and opportunities I've always known.