Picture one: who you see.
Picture two: part of his story.

Stephen and I were dating for about seven months when he took me out to lunch one day and told me he enlisted in the Navy. I was surprised yet it wasn’t a deal breaker.

He served for six years in the Navy, two years of schooling and four years on a submarine. He went on two six month deployments and many other cruises from a few days away to weeks at a time. We waited until he got out of the service to get married, and well, the rest is history.

I am forever grateful for Stephen’s service to our country and what that time did for us individually, and as a couple. That time also helped me gain such an appreciation for every person who chooses to serve to protect our country; our sea, our land and our air.

Everyday there are people like Stephen who we pass by during our day who we’d never know served our country. And there are others who wear their hats who we get to thank.

May we take time today to…

pause. breathe. pray.

Let’s give thanks for our veterans, and for those serving. Our freedom is a gift. May we never take it, or those who protect it, for granted.❤️🙏💙

With gratitude and appreciation,
Shawn

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. - Galatians 5:13