Happy Veterans day! Those two handsome men are both Marines and both Veterans. The younger man is my son Lance Corporal Penders, and the older man is our very dear friend Retired First Sgt Lew Dusett. Lew served in Iraq in '03 at the beginning of the War; Brennan was in Iraq most of this year and as you know returned only a few weeks ago.

If you know a veteran or a veteran's family - go up to them, call them, email them, whatever you need to do but thank them for serving our country. Don't forget too its the families behind these veterans who deserve our thanks as well.

To all Veterans our there; thank you for your sacrifice for us. To your families, thank you for supporting these brave men and women so they can keep all of us free.

Not much to say except Thank God this year is almost behind us. While it hasn't been the worst year of our lives - it certainly has been the most challenging. We are so very very grateful to have our son back home with us. As my husband said, "its like a huge hole has finally been filled". Brennan's return from Iraq almost two weeks ago already has been truly the highlight of this year. We are enjoying having him back in our home and back in our day to day life.

To all military families out there, thank you for the sacrifice you make every single day by sharing your loved one with the rest of the country. No one can possibly understand the heartache and the pain and the sheer terror a family goes through when their loved one is deployed overseas. I have two dear friends about to go through what I've been through and only someone who has been there can possibly understand how hard this is.

Next week we will celebrate Veteran's Day. This year is has even more meaning to us as we now have a true Veteran in the family.

Hug a military family member today - make their day by asking if they are doing ok. Yep at some point I will get back to writing now. lol.