Thankful Thursday - Honoring our Veterans & their military families

Several weeks ago, I was asked by my dear friend Kari, who I used to teach with, if I would help her with an upcoming letter writing campaign her high school English students would be doing as both Veteran's Day and the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approached. The campaign involved her students writing personal thank you letters to military members who are currently serving overseas, away from their families, and sacrificing so much for our country.

Kari thought it would be more meaningful for her students if she shared someone's personal story - which is why she asked me for help. Having been one of those precious friends who has stood by my side through long separations while Brian was on deployments & TDYs, she knows my family's story very well. I'm thankful to her for asking me to share our story with her students as we prepare to honor our country's past & present military veteran's this coming weekend.

After making a short video for Kari's students, I thought about so many other military families that I know so well who have a story to tell also. I asked a few of my closest friends, who I am inspired by each day as they embrace the military lifestyle, take on the challenges & struggles of being a military wife & mom, and handle the long separations alone that so often come when loved ones must leave their families behind, if they would share either their military family's story or some thoughts about being in a military family. Thank you to my incredible friends Nicky, Angie and Marsha.

For this week's Thankful Thursday, I'm focusing on our nation's heroes, including my husband, and all military families who endure an enormous hardship when loved ones must leave to serve our country.

Michelle, Air Force wife, mother of 3, family currently living in Alaska...

Nicky, Air Force wife, mother of 1, currently PCSing to new assignment in Nevada; husband already there...

"One of the best and worst things for a military wife is deployment. We have our moments of weakness with frustration, doubt, sadness or even loneliness. But the best of all, is that we remind ourselves that the frustration is what makes us cherish the moments we have, doubt reminds us that we are living proof it's possible, sadness reminds us of the happiness we'll have when we're reunited and loneliness reminds us of the strength we have in surviving yet another separation."

Angie, Army wife, mother of 1, family lives in Colorado, husband currently deployed...

"I think it is hard to describe what it is like to be a military family to individuals who are not, because if you are you just get it. It is a lifestyle change but a great one! I was not raised in a military family but quickly adjusted when I married my High School sweetheart who joined and is now currently deployed. Many people think that having their significant other leave on a business trip for a few weeks is similar. While i do sympathize with what they are going through, it is not the same. While my husband is deployed we don't get to talk to him everyday or even every week. If his unit is busy or on missions we don't hear from him. Which I think is one of the hardest parts... going weeks without hearing something as simple as your loved ones voice just saying "hello, i miss you." We also wake up worried everyday hoping he is safe as does he wake up everyday hoping we are safe and getting threw each day. While it is difficult to be separated for nine months it makes you truly appreciate your spouse and cherish the time you are together. Being a military family i think makes you appreciate the little things in life so much more because the soldiers are often gone whether it be a deployment, a humanitarian mission or just training in the field. We also have a child, Hugo, who is 4, and it is hard to have your daddy miss out on birthdays and holidays. The hardest part in our situation is having him be a special needs child who we have a hard time explaining to him that daddy loves you but has a very important job and he has to help protect not only his family but other families also. And even harder for my husband SGT Petit because he knows Hugo loves him, but with him being gone and Hugo being non-verbal, not being able to hear or see his son show love is difficult. Even though the time apart is hard it is all worth it in the end. We love being a military family. The lifelong friends we have made who are always there and understand, the experience, and knowing that at least one person out there is thankful, makes it is all worth it."

Marsha, Air Force wife, mother of 2, family currently living in England ...