Much like the changing of the seasons, I seem to be around every three months or so anymore. Sorry ... I've gotten away from blogging. Anyone who's still actually checking in from time to time knows that. And thanks for still checking.
I always mean to get back to blogging. I miss it and I enjoyed it a lot when I was actively posting. So far I haven't been doing too well with it, but I still keep vowing.
Meanwhile, I recently adopted a soldier. I learned of a project going on that is matching willing senders with some deployed men and women in Afghanistan. These soldiers, for whatever reason, get very little to no deliveries at mail call time. Can you imagine being 18/20 years old, on the other side of the planet, fighting for your country, and while your buddies get letters and packages from home, no one - not a single soul - writes to you or seems to care?
Well I'm a rather patriotic gal, and soldiers always get me right there (knocking on chest). They're making the ultimate sacrifice of spending years out of their lives, and maybe their lives altogether, in order to protect our way of life and keep the world a safer place. So I signed up to "adopt" one. The wonderful lady organizing the project has made sure we all understand that these guys (and girls, but I'll just say guys in the slang way) work their arses off and at the end of the day are exhausted and may only have enough oomph in them to take a shower and fall into their cots. So as a sponsor, we may not hear back from them much and possibly never will at all. (Let's face it - your average guy is horrible about correspondence anyway, right?) But rest assured from the feedback she gets from those on the inside, the letters and care packages they receive after months of nothing are a huge morale booster at every mail call. The only thing requested of your commitment is that you send at least a note or card once a week, and every so often maybe a treat or two tucked in. Magazines, a deck of cards, a bag of microwave popcorn, whatever.
I figure it's the least I can do for one homesick freedom fighter.
I got my soldier's name and sent my first care package yesterday. Just a brief note thanking them for their service, and with a puzzle magazine, auto trader, and multi-pak of gum enclosed. Already I can't wait till it arrives and brightens their day - though I probably will never know exactly when that will be. I don't mind. I just want them to not feel so far away from our wonderful America, and to know there are those back home praying for them. I signed my note, "Your newly adoptive mom -- well, let's just say, older sister". ;)
I'm thinking of sending a bag of Halloween candy next week. That should make them very popular. :)
If anyone's interested in adopting a soldier, let me know and I'll shoot you the info for the gal running this particular project. Many thanks to my pal Coffeypot for putting me in touch with her.
I really will try to post more. Until next time ~~
Addition: For further snoopiness on this topic, please visit my new sideblog, My Soldier.
26 minutes ago
1 comment:
June to September, not a bad rest.
Thank you for post about Hope at Hope Radio's (my blog roll) project. I, too, sent off 3 packages to my guys yesterday. I support two others in both theaters of operation.
I send them old books that I have read, beef jerky, M&M’s, nuts of all kind, sour candies, socks, handy wipes, magazines, and any thing I think they will like that reminds them of home. In my letter I always tell them about things I have done over the past week or month and send pictures, too. But I explain to them that I do not tell of what me and my family do to make them more homesick or sad, but to let them know that I and others over here, can do these things because they have sacrifice their time with family to protect us and make it worth while for us to live free.
This is important to me because I rarely receivd mail from home when I was in the Navy.
You are a hero in my book, too, Clew, for giving back to the dudes.
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