This Veteran's Day...I feel American...anyone else?

Youtube ^

[Winstons Julia]

My niece is at a military base, about to deploy. I'm watching the country music awards on TV...I lived in Europe for seven years...but I'm feeling something...and it's not shame. It's a rising sense of pride. I live in flyover country and in all my travels, I've never encountered better/smarter people...oh, I've encountered people who THOUGHT they were smart...but MAN...I love middle America.

[Winstons Julia]

Oh, and the video is Trace Adkins and the West Point (I think) choir...singing, “Till the last shot’s fired.”

[Dr. Thorne]

Last night Mrs. Thorne and I attended the annual Marine Corps League Ball (although I am not a Marine). I felt the way you are feeling now being in a room filled with men and women who know such a great love of country that they had in fact risked their lives to protect it. The entire event made me proud to be a citizen of a nation that produces such people.

[cripplecreek]

I’m not a big country fan but who can’t love the patriotism so much of it contains.

I’m flyover country rooted.

[Winstons Julia]

Thank you. There is SO much here worth protecting. I recently finished reading “American on Purpose” by Craig Ferguson...and while he captures some of America, he doesn’t capture all of it.

I have done a lot of thinking recently. I LOVED living in Europe, but there is something so profound about coming home after that...

America is something BEYOND...it is a dream. It’s worth protecting.

[Winstons Julia]

I like some country...I am finding myself more and more enamored with it as I hear songs like this.

At least no one’s screaming their rage at some innocent microphone and at least you don’t get the lyrics that disdain the idea of being proud of our country.

I guess I’m just kind of sad tonight...along with the appreciation of the nation. I’m sure the recent shooting played in...the idea that we’d even have someone like that in the armed forces....TOO welcoming....TOO understanding.

[JoeProBono]

[Winstons Julia]

Good idea Joe....expression in photos...here's my 10 yr old grandma at the April 15 (my birthday) tea party.

[Winstons Julia]

Typo...corrected by sign...oops.

[Winstons Julia]

Corn boil held by sneaky Masons.

[Winstons Julia]

Niece...about to deploy...reaching out saying, "I can touch the soybeans"...

[Winstons Julia]

When you're a member of the Fire department...cousin gets a sweet ride on wedding day...

[Winstons Julia]

Bridal shower asked for best recipes...I felt I had to protect the intention of my best recipes...

[Winstons Julia]

Computer got stuck on this photo...guess it’s just too good.

BTW - groom’s Dad was a Free Republic member who died in 1999..

[cherry]

we went to Applebees and there was a long line and a long wait......everybody was chipper...like being with fellow Americans ....saw some old timers...two I talked to were in the Navy in the South Pacific during WW2....my dad was in the Navy mostly in the South Pacific.....

.saw a guy who just today got his purple heart....he earned it two years ago....

Pride?...yes...Hope?...yes.....there are still a few good people out there....

thanks to all our vets...

[Winstons Julia]

This reminds me to go to Applebee’s more often. :)

[Winstons Julia]

American kids learn early.

[Winstons Julia]

Better to tuna fish...than to tuna....

[Winstons Julia]

Niece returning after last tour on floor of big military plane...with military blanket. I said, "You look like a booger with a face..." To this day, the blanket is called the booger blanket.

[Winstons Julia]

oops... This is booger blanket...sorry...troubles with pics.