Happy Veterans Day and Military Girl Power!

Yours Truly in 2005, Camp Pendleton, CA.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to the many, many men and women who have served, are serving or will serve in the United States Military. You Rock!

And since I write this blog I get to babble about whatever I want which is pretty awesome.

Respect my auth-ori-tah!!

Words cannot even express how incredibly proud/happy/thrilled I am that my niece joined the military! I am so blessed that I get to watch her push herself, learn and grow as a member of the US armed forces.

She and I are the first women in our family to serve and it is an honor to be sharing that experience with her now. I'm not joking when I say almost every man in our family has joined one branch or the other and it's kind of fun to be the first women to say, "Hey! Look we can do it, too, and we can do it better!"

Ha! Power to the ladies!!

AND it goes to show that women in the military aren't all super tough, macho types. I think she and I would be the last people you'd think would be military members if you saw us walking down the street with our awesome shoes and cute handbags.

Well, badass people can be girly, too.

We like all things glittery, especially jewelry (in case you wanted to get us presents). Not to mention we are both really, really short and, therefore, unassuming. Well, I have news for all y'all. Dynamite comes in small packages!!

Bam! Changing stereotypes!! :)

So I just wanted to say that I love you, girl! I'm so incredibly proud of you!! You are such a strong woman-- you can do anything!

Here's a pic of her with some of her Army friends. Can you pick out which one she is?

Hint: She kind of looks like me. 

Her sister is graduating high school in a couple years and wants to join in the new family tradition that the we have started. What a wonderful thing! I love it when girls break through barriers!!

I had to brag. It's what Aunts do!!

But, seriously, a big THANK YOU to all who have served, are serving and will serve. And another big outpouring of gratitude to their families for loving and supporting their service member though the crazy journey that is called Military Service.

And I love you, girl! :)

And to be fair to the men... here is my Papa, the greatest grandfather any girl could ever ask for!

Retired Air Force airplane mechanic. He loved working with his hands. According to my Granny, he was also pretty fine.

Oh, how I miss you!