A Veteran's Day Present

At 7:43pm on the 11th of November, 2009, something wonderful happened. A little girl cried for the first time as her eyes were able to see artificial light of the hospital room where she was born as my wife had our third child. But unlike the other two children that my wife has given birth to, her husband was with her as that little child was placed on her chest. For the first time of all my children, 2 with my wife and 1 with a prior relationship, I was able to see my child brought into the world, able to hold her hand, to see her so small it is almost as if you could accidentally break her by the slightest movement. I was able to witness the first cry, the first smile, change the first diaper (before they stink) and even her have fall to sleep in my hands.
When people ask why we have Veteran's Day, I tell them because this is what veteran's are giving up not only risking our lives for our country, but we are putting our lives and families second to each and every one of you so that we may serve you, so we may serve this country of ours.
My eldest daughter was born while I was deployed for Afghanistan as I was part of the initial assault and my youngest son was born while I was defending the Iraqi army command center in south Kirkuk during the first Iraqi election. My deployment from Iraq ended when he was almost a year old and I left when my wife was 3 months pregnant. As for my daughter, I arrived home to see her when she was 3 months old just to be deployed again a couple months later. Meanwhile my wife carried on without me holding down the household away from family while I left her time and time again.  The price paid for freedom was paid not only by veterans but by our families as well.
Veteran's Day, I realized all this with one little girl.

Samantha Larsen

7lbs 14 oz.

21 inches

For the first time I have come accepted that being wounded isn't that bad, because I do get small perks such as the little one mentioned above.

Sgt. Joseph R. Larsen
US Army (Retired)