Reader Friday-And Did You Know?

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Today is a special day. What? you ask.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day, that’s what.

May is traditionally the month that our esteemed military is celebrated. Here is a link you can follow, or just read the excerpt I included below.

https://www.military.com/spouse/military-spouse-appreciation-day

From the website:

“You don’t need a dedicated Military Spouse Appreciation Day to make sure you acknowledge the military spouse in your life. Service members know that their spouses are the ones who keep the home fires burning. And military spouses know that those around them also walking through military life are more than just friends and neighbors: They are family.

What is Military Spouse Appreciation Day?

Military Spouse Appreciation Day is a day set aside for us to pause to recognize the military spouses around us who have the greatest impact on our lives and our military communities.

When is Military Spouse Appreciation Day?

The Friday in May before Mother’s Day, this special day was first recognized by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. The sitting president typically issues a proclamation in recognition of the holiday, while celebrations are held on and near U.S. military bases around the world.

May is also host to a series of other military holidays, including Military Appreciation Month, established in 1999; Victory in Europe (VE) Day, commemorating the end of WWII in Europe on May 8, 1945; and Armed Forces Day, designated in 1949. Memorial Day, the only official federal holiday in May, is celebrated the last Monday of the month.”

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There you have it. We probably all have military folks in our lives, so let’s make sure they know we appreciate their service, either in the field or on the home front.

Comments welcome!

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I’ll be MIA (do you see what I did there?) for a few weeks, rehabbing from surgery. A huge “thank you” to those from the Best Team Ever who are filling in for me. I’ll be lurking and reading, though, never fear!

🙂

 

 

 

17 thoughts on “Reader Friday-And Did You Know?”

  1. While visiting relatives out of state with my sister and her husband this past week, I was pleased to see people stop and thank my brother-in-law for his service (he wears military T-shirts or hats that show he’s a vet.

    And my awesome Dad served in the Air Force for 20 years and he and mom and the family had to move I don’t know how many times, being transferred all over the place. I was next to youngest in the family so I don’t really remember any of the moves but one, which was near the end of his service. But that’s a lot of work pulling up stakes and moving time after time. And as you mention, Mom keeping things going while Dad is serving.

    In any case, my hat is off to all our great men and women in uniform & their families.

    • Hi Brenda…

      I thank your bro-in-law for his service, too.

      My Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, and Brother served.

      And cute story: my Dad was overseas in Korea when I was born mid-April, and he always said I was his homecoming gift from Mom. 🙂 (Not sure he felt the same when I became a teenager, though!)

      Thanks for stopping by, and have a good one.

  2. Love this post reminding us not only of our veterans, but of their families as well!
    Deb, you’ll be in my thoughts and prayers as you recover!

    • Hi Patricia!

      Thanks for commenting this morning, and for your thoughts and prayers. I need all I can get. I’m looking forward to putting this behind me and getting back to my “normal” life. Whatever normal is… 🙂

      Have a good one.

  3. Appreciation and gratitude to service members and their families. It’s a life of sacrifice and putting others before oneself. We’re the land of the free b/c of the brave.

    Thinking of you, Deb, and sending hugs through cyberspace!

  4. This is close to my heart, because my daughter is a military spouse. They’ve moved ten times. From Washington State to Washington DC, Alabama, Texas (twice), Colorado (twice), Marshall Islands, North Dakota, and Fort Knox. One of the moves, to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, was when their children were ten months and three, and he deployed four days after they got there, leaving her to settle in and hold down the home front for the next year while he was in Afghanistan. (I went to help with the children so she could get official stuff done without dragging them along.) She has learned to handle car problems, replace a kitchen faucet, fix broken doors, deal with medical issues, and everything else that comes up in life. They were forced to stay in a hotel for six weeks after one move, with two kids and a dog. Through all of this, she has never complained, seeing everything that happens as an adventure. And her wonderful husband shows his appreciation with things like sending her flowers every month when he’s gone. He says that he’s dealt with many of his men coming to him with marital problems, wives leaving, cheating, spending all their money and going deeply in debt, and he feels blessed to have a wife who allows him to concentrate on doing his job without any of that. He encourages her to follow her own pursuits, and she is now a certified SCUBA instructor.

    • Wow, Becky, I have no words.

      Except “Thank you” to your daughter and SIL! Nothing but gratitude and admiration for both of them.

      And you…when one family member serves, they all serve. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. It made my day.

  5. What a lovely holiday, to remember the spouse of military personnel.

    Sending virtual hugs and good wishes for your upcoming surgery, Deb. xo

    • Good morning, Sue!

      Yes, I was quite pleased to discover this holiday. I didn’t know it existed. So grateful for all of our military and their families.

      Thanks for your hugs and good wishes…it helps me not be nervous about it. 🙂

  7. An excellent reminder that military families serve in their own ways as well, Deb. Thank you.

    In my Thursday night game night, we have four veterans among us, one US Army, one Marine and two Air Force. My father and his three brothers all served, each in a different branch.

    • Good morning, Dale!

      Sounds like your game night would be replete with some stories, too. Thank you and your family for your service.

      We have a vet group here in our town, led by a couple of guys from our church. I went to a couple of their meetings while drafting “The Master’s Inn”. Listening to them interact with each other and share helped me with character development of two Marine vets in the story.

      Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

  8. Hi Deb,
    I hope you’re recovering well. Recovery — in one form or another — seems to be part of maturing.
    I served in the US Army twice while married, and I know it takes a special woman to put up with, support, survive, and still flourish in that environment.
    “Thanks for your service” should be a wish shared by every military couple.

  9. Hi Marshall!

    Thank you for your service. 👍

    I’ll be recovering next week, surgery on Monday. Hopefully uneventful…

    Thanks for dropping by–have a great weekend, my friend.

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