Veterans' Day, A Special Veteran

Friday was Veterans' Day and it was a beautiful day in Eastern Montana.  Cowboy wanted to fly the flag if the wind wasn't going to blow hard enough to tear it off of the pole.  So with the sun rising in the east, I just had to take a picture.

What it is about the American flag that puts a lump in my throat?  I am so thankful for all the men and women who gave their lives and who simply served their country so that we could have the freedoms that we know today.  There our young people still going to the armed forces to serve this country.  What a blessing they are to give so selflessly.  In my family alone we have a grandfather, a father, a husband uncles, great uncles, and a son-in-law.  The county we live in, Garfield County, has a high number of veterans and enlisted people per capita. 

Our Veterans' Day Dinner was last night in Jordan and the veterans were asked to stand and it was impressive.  Saying the pledge brings a lump in my throat...

This also a tribute to my Father who was a Veteran.  He passed away a month ago and his burial was touching for me.  The VFW Honor Guard from Miles City did the 21-gun salute and played taps.  The two service men that did the flag-folding ceremony were especially honoring to Dad.  I cried when they did that and handed the flag to Bonnie, my step-mom.  It makes me tear up now as Cowboy and I have always liked a veteran to be honored. 

When Dad was in the hospital during his last days we looked at pictures and talked about work that Dad had done over the years.  One could tell he was listening.  Bonnie had found two letters that were in Dad's "stuff."  One was from an Army buddy that wrote while he was serving in the service and Dad was home in Montana.  They other letter Dad had written to his granddad when Dad was in the service.  What Bill pointed out to me is that Dad typed his letter and there were no mistakes and his spelling was accurate.  Cowboy is not the best speller, but that isn't why I married him!  BJ read those letters out loud two different times and you could tell Dad enjoyed that.  What was almost Bill's undoing was when Granddad said, "Bill, read me War Bags out of the Western Ag Reporter.  Bill got through it, but I could tell he was trying to not get tears in his eyes. 

When Dad died there was a true character that will be no more.  We miss his phone calls in the mornings and his telling us about different people in general, "Oh, they don't know a thing!"  Bill is missing Dad's stories and I am kicking myself that I didn't sit down and just write some of them down rather than cook!