Veterans and Ravioli

Today is Veterans Day....and how many of us really know what this day means, other than it is a federal holiday and no mail is delivered?


** A national holiday in America honoring military veterans taking place on November 11th.


** Also known as Armistice Day, the day the Armistice was signed to end World War I.


** The war formally ended with the Germans signing the Armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.


** The official spelling of Veterans (for this holiday) contains no apostrophe, as declared by the American government.


** Officially became a U.S. holiday in 1938 as "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day".


** In 1953 the owner of a shoe repair shop in Kansas lobbied to include all veterans honored in the holiday (not just WWI) and on May 26, 1954, by an act of Congress, President Dwight Eisenhower signed and declared the day a federal holiday honoring all veterans of all military conflict.


** June 1, 1954, Congress changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day (without the apostrophe!).


** Lastly, it is a tradition to celebrate the day with a meal of ravioli (okay??) - dating back to President Woodrow Wilson feeling that when the weary soldiers returned home from WWI, they would want a home-cooked meal.  He invited 2,000 soldiers to the White House and helped his staff cook them ravioli, which had then become a mainstay in American households due to the rise of commercial canning.  (thank you Wikipedia :)


TODAY, on this 11th day of the 11th month I am THANKFUL for the many men and women whom over the years have defended our nation and laid their lives down to preserve freedom and democracy.  Thank you for your sacrifice which so many of us cannot begin to comprehend.  Thank you for the months and years you have served away from your loved ones.  Thank you for believing in us. Posthumously "thank you" and "thank you" to those who are still with us, though some continue to be miles away. And to embrace this more personally, thank you Rich, Melissa, Matthew, Micah, Ryan, George - so many more friends and family with real names  - God bless you with safety and His presence.