So it has been too long since I got a chance to blog, but I wanted to make sure I got this one in --
The ADVON party of this deployment left this morning. As a farewell (since these guys will miss the farewell ceremony), the FRGs decided to give them goody bags. One of the things that we included was a personal letter from a loved one. The loved one emailed a letter to me and we printed and put it in their bags. Then when they got hungry or thirsty and went into their bags, they'd have a great surprise. Well, some of our soldiers don't have a loved one that they have given us to contact. Some are truly trying to break the cycle of their childhood and have broken all ties with their families. Others just think their families don't need us calling and giving them updates -- these are usually the first deployment people who don't have a clue. Well, anyway... I wasn't going to let somebody NOT have a note. So, I bought some "Thank You" cards to put in those bags. I asked Rob about each person -- what is his/her job, is s/he good at it, etc -- and wrote a personalized letter to each of them. After about three, I felt like I was repeating myself, so I asked Rob for some suggestions of things to write.
Grace chimed in. She said "Just write 'Sorry you have to go to Afghanistan. Wish you could stay here.'"
Oh how true that is! If only I could be that honest in these notes. I was quite impressed with Grace for having that as her sentiment.
The dread has set in...
3 comments:
i hope one day she understands WHY - truly why - they are going to afghanistan.
and i hope when that time comes, she will be truly proud of her daddy and all his friends and coworkers because he/they helped win the war on terrorism. and then she will also be proud of you, and herself and her brothers and sister, because as a family, you also helped support those who were winning the war on terrorism. which in a way may be a harder job than the actual fight. (maybe - don't know whether it is harder to do the leaving or to be the one left!)
{on soapbox}
though as i write that, i'm still not sure how we, as a country - as a world - as humankind, can "win" a war on terrorism. terrorism has been around since humans, eh - since life was created (though "survival" isn't exactly "war", but when male lions kill the cubs of either their own or another male, not for food, that is in a way an act of terrorism... also called survival of the species).
but, whatever the outcome, i hope this war will be remembered and recorded as a "win" in some way. like, freedom and human rights are shared to deserving peoples. i think iraq has been a clear win in that way. well, at least as the media has portrayed it. and that, in america, is all we really know.
{off soapbox}
you know, if those people, the ones with no family, really won't be getting any mail or anything, i'd be happy to send them packages.
you'll have to give me names/addresses.
and i know that churches are always looking for specific people to send things to. (i'm sure you know you can't just send something to "any soldier" via mail...)
let meknow about that. i'm sure i could get a few others to send things too.. kinda an adopt a soldier thing. but, you'd have to ask rob about making sure it was someone who'd actually want it.
Really feeling for all of you, Melissa, and we wish Rob all the best as he embarks and you and your children as you begin the wait.
Hopefully, we'll get to spend some time with you when you are in NC this summer.
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