To My Sort Of Veteran...

To my sort of Veteran:

 

You're not a Veteran, per say, because you aren't active military, nor have you yet to be discharged in some form other than dishonorably, and your National Guard status doesn't consider you a Veteran. Trust me, I googled this shit. But I did want to honor you on Veteran's Day because you're nothing short of my hero.

 

I've watched you go from a smiling, brown haired, brown eyed, curious child to an intelligent, genuine, kind-hearted, beautiful young lady.

 

 

I have beamed with "big sister pride" watching you be a stand out softball player, a cheerleader, a Homecoming Queen, a beauty queen, a wonderful aunt, a friend any girl would be jealous of and a heartbreaker. 

Miss Congeniality. Miss LHS pageant 2013.

Luverne High School Homecoming Queen 2013

 

 

Just making memories in Seaside.

Girls beach trip to Seaside 2014.
 

 

You have inspired me in ways you will never know. From your no nonsense attitude to your uncanny ability to always see the bright side of things, you have been a sense of comfort and peace in my life. You have made me a better person and you have made me believe in family again. You've made me believe that no matter how shitty your family can be sometimes, we make it through, in one piece, together, with love in our hearts for each other and endless forgiveness.

It's really difficult to get everyone to participate at the same time.

 

I wish I could tell you how much I boo-hoo'd when you decided to forego the college experience, only because I wanted to live vicariously through you, and sign up for the military. I cried because I thought I wanted so much more for you. I cried because I thought "how could this beautiful, smart, young woman want to trade cheerleading uniforms and crowns for camo and kevlar." But I was wrong. So very wrong.

 

I have seen a significant change in you since you joined the Army. I've seen a sense of pride and responsibility that you did not before possess. I don't know if the Army taught you that, or you've just grown up so much in the past year. Either way, I am an incredibly proud big sister.

 

But I worry about you. I worry about you getting called to deploy. It literally scares me to tears, but that's the path you took. You took that path knowing the possibilities and stared them in the face with no fear and I admire you for your strength. I am jealous of your strength.

 

Not only am I jealous of your strength as a military woman, but as a woman in general. I'm sure childhood at times wasn't easy but you've endured with a sense of pride and humility that few people carry with them into adulthood. You are giving and loving, a quality few adults these days have and I am humbled by your loving nature.

 

Your personality has become as big as your ass (forgive me, I couldn't help myself) and your loud, outspoken, often innappropriate shenanigans are a constant source of laughter in my day. Not a day goes by that I don't receive some absolutely stupid snapchat or text from you. You've grown up so much that I'm not sure my big sister advice is needed much longer and that makes me sad. But to see the woman you've become makes me oh so proud.

I could never go 3 months without you ever again. Don't make me.

 

I will love you my whole life and look forward to spending the next 70 years or so being best friends. So to my sort of Veteran, my baby sister and my heartbeat: I love you. Happy Veteran's Day... sort of.