On a serious note...

As Autumn grows into an adult there are some fundamental things that I hope I have instilled in her along the way. One thing in particular is to be thankful. Thankful for the things that others do for her, whether she directly asks for it or not. Thankful for the sacrifices people will make for her throughout her life. Thankful for the things that she has been given and for the things she will earn. Thankful for the little things and the big things.

One of those big things is the sacrifice of service. I want Autumn to grow up understanding what an unbelievable sacrifice the men and women in our military make. This is not something we ask of them, it is something they feel they are called to do. Without these current soldiers and those that came before them, we would not be awarded the rights and privileges we have today. These rights are so common place within our society that it is easy to forget what was required to gain them and what is required to keep them. I often times find myself forgetting. Forgetting the things that were done and the things that are being done, for me. I want Autumn to always know and always remember.

This is something I hope I can help Autumn understand. This is something  I hope Autumn will always be thankful for.