Military Appreciation Week

It was brought to my attention on FaceBook that this week is Military Appreciation Week. As the wife of a solider, I want to take the time to say thank you, not only to the military personnel, but also to the families of those that serve or have served in the military.

Too often, a lot of the hoopla goes toward the personnel that are serving our great nation. But what about the family that is standing behind them? The whole family makes sacrifices on a daily basis. When they are here "at home", it's not a 9 to 5 job. Often it's late or early hours, six or seven days a week. They can be called off at a moments notice. Schedules are often moved around. Planning family time is a tentative thing.

Now, I am not saying that there are not families in the civilian world that are not just like this, but what I am wanting to point out is when you thank that serviceman in his uniform, look over his shoulder and thank the family that you see behind him. When you see a yellow ribbon on someone's clothes, thank them for their support too.

I have lived in a military town all my life. It's just in the last five years that I have truly lived a military family life. My grandparents were in the military, my parents chose not to. I had friends come and go through the years because either their parents were military or they married into the military. It is a sacrifice for the WHOLE family. Wives and mothers have to be able to take care of everything one day and allow their husbands (or the other way around) to take care of stuff the next. Vacations can be ruined, recitals missed, births and birthdays too. It doesn't matter if the nation is at war or not, those sacrifices are made.

I just want to say thank you to ALL FAMILIES of the United States Military.