{Jon, I am proud of you and I love you! Lily and Eli, you too have shown courage and sacrifice - I am proud of you. Pops, Din-Din, Grandpa Schrader, Grandpa Howe, Uncle Ben, Uncle Tim, and Aunt Bonny (and all of the spouses and children who belong to all of you!) - we are ever grateful. And to our sweet friends who have served with us and now after us, thank you!}
I was brought to tears this morning (and can't quite shake them, actually) by a conversation I had with Lily. Can I just ask you to please pray for our service members and their families. The situations, thoughts, and possibilities we face or have faced never really leave. There are scars. Wounds we are proud to bear and wouldn't take back, but there is pain too. I feel like I am not making sense - but if you've been there, you know.
I encourage you to show your appreciation to the veterans you know...or don't know! Whether you agree with the missions of OIF and OEF or not, you cannot deny the efforts of these men and women and the many who have come before us to provide us with freedoms and safety most people only dream of.
