Veterans' Day

This is an important day to me, though it can be hard to express why sometimes.  I wish we were not a nation at war.  I think about moms in other countries, just trying to live their lives with no agenda, and to raise their kids just like we are here, and I think about those moms living with the knowledge that their kids could be hurt or worse at any moment.  I don't know how that is-we live in a pretty safe environment (well, except for sudden rolling and cut-rate toys I buy).  I know that even if Ben and I went broke, our kid would have a roof over his head and enough food to eat, and that's not something that all moms know.  And, while this strays from the whole humor thing, the fact that children starve in this day and age is inexcusable.

Veteran's Day also has a special meaning to me because my little brother is one.  Cody was a soldier as soon as he knew how to be anything.  He couldn't have been older than four or five when he started asking for MREs from the army surplus store for birthday presents, and camping out in the backyard.  Coming from a pretty liberal family, he had to feel out of place a lot.  He went to VMI, and enlisted.  And in 2007 ( I think, man, these years went by fast) he got sent to Iraq.

Having a family member overseas is...well, not to be crude, but it just fucking sucks.  You spend every day wondering if they're safe, and if there's a news report about soldiers getting killed, your heart doesn't beat until you get an email from them telling you that they're ok.  Because you don't know, that could be them.  Even when you find out it's not, you think about that family that's getting a knock on their door.

This has been a tumultuous few years for our country, and it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and the headlines, which lately, have been all about politics.  It's easy to forget that we have troops giving their lives every single day.  Think about sending a package to a soldier overseas-I did it for family members and a few friends, and it is about the best feeling ever.  Also, support services for our troops once they come home.  I don't give a damn about costs or higher taxes for this-we owe these men and women a debt.

I try to do some advocacy for legislation the Wounded Warrior program works on, so please, contact your congressperson and ask them to support

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h6123/show

This is a bill generated to increase services offered to veterans with traumatic brain injuries.

Send a letter, send an email, send a package full of discount halloween candy to someone through anysoldier.com.

Don't let these men and women be an afterthought.

I know, not so much hilarity.  If you want, I'll try to post a picture of Cody being tased at his last Army training.  Trust me, we're all on the edge of our seats waiting for that.  As my dad commented, (I'm paraphrasing, but this is cloe) "I love him, but I wouldn't mind pulling the trigger."

For you moms and dads who stay home and take care of your families while your partners are overseas-you are heroes, too, and I am amazed by what you do.