Happy Veteran's Day

So this may seem like a "weak" holiday to get all patriotic...  Why not 4th of July?  There is always Memorial Day!  Why Veteran's Day you ask??  Well, we were asked to put together a project for the hallway of the kids school.  I thought it was a cute idea.  A star to honor each veteran in your family.  So I started to just write the names of our family on one puny little star and I was overwhelmed with emotion.  These people in our family, served our country and I am half-assing (sorry about the language Aunt Robyn) a star to "honor" them.  NO WAY!!!  So I got on the school's website and downloaded 4 more stars so we would have one to honor each person in our immediate family who has served in the military.  Of course we had to add a little glitter (sorry Uncle J.B.), in red white and blue of course.  And maybe our starts looked a little "over the top" (I know this because of the placement on the board... front and center), but we were proud of them.  We are exponentially more proud of the sweet men who have left,  and are leaving a legacy of national service, duty and courage in our family.  Thank you for all that you have done, we know we live with the freedoms we have (including the freedom to add to our family from Ethiopia through adoption) because of you.  We love you!

This is the main hallway at school

There were a few of these flags in the hallway, they were hanging from the skylights.

This is one of the bulletin boards, the one we have our stars on

Here they are on the board.

 And here are our individual starts honoring those we love who have served our county: 

Andrew and Annabelle's Great-Grandfather
Bill's paternal grandfather served in the army
He passed away in December of 2009

Andrew and Annabelle's Great-Grandpa
Bill's maternal grandfather served in the Air Force

Andrew and Annabelle's Great-Grandpa
My maternal grandfather served in the Marines
He died when I was in the 5th grade 

Andrew and Annabelle's Great Grandpa
My paternal grandpa served in the Merchant Marines
He passed away in December of 2007

Andrew and Annabelle's Great Uncle
My paternal uncle served in the Air Force


Thank you for all you have done to give us the freedoms we enjoy and often take for granted.  Including this:

Court hearing May 2007, making Andrew and Annabelle citizens