11/11/11

It's Veterans' Day. A very special Veterans' Day, in fact: 11/11/11. Dates like these don't come around very often.

Veteran and Purple Heart recipient holding his newest grandchild

I was named for my favorite veteran in the world: my Uncle Richard, my mother's younger brother. (My mother's brother was Richard; her mother was Luella. If you take the first half of Richard and the last half of Luella, you get Richella.) My uncle was nearly killed in Viet Nam when I was a girl. I have vivid memories of the months after he came home. Thank God, he healed enough to work. He met the lady who would become my beautiful aunt at work; their wedding in 1972 is one of my best memories from childhood. Uncle Richard is now retired, the proud father of two wonderful kids and three beautiful grandchildren.

My Uncle Richard is my favorite veteran, but I'm thankful for ALL veterans. It's impossible for me to imagine what our world would be like if not for the faithful, generous service of men and women in uniform.

Who's your favorite vet?