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snapped olive branch~

Started by penelope, February 01, 2011, 12:29:19 PM

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Pooh

Courtney that is a very good idea.  I bet the school can get you in touch with someone.  I love the tea-bags and can just picture one of the Soldiers having a relaxing cup of tea.  I do remember when we were collecting for our troops that were deployed (from a small town), some group took up a bunch of things and the bank shipped them for free.  Some of the things the Soldiers were asking for was: disposable cameras, chapstick, paper, envelopes, stamps, cards and batteries.  I had never thought about the disposable cameras, but they use them, then mail them back home to someone to be developed.  There is so much sand, that real cameras get ruined quickly.

Penelope, have a very safe trip and thank your Son for me for everything he does!
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

penelope

awww Thank You pooh I will,we are leaving Mon evening. If you buy supplies for troops,if they are deployed don't send stamps,they get to ship mail home for free,check with post office tho,I've always dealt with iraq and Afghan,I'm not sure how it works in other places like Okinawa and such. One year Blue Star Moms sent out over 200 beannie babies,they hand them out to kids in exchange for info leading to where IED's are hidden,the taliban are using the children as human sheilds,it's crazy when you think a beannie babie could save lives, my ds always requested candy and protein bars,as the food in Afghan is gross..oh and gum,they always want gum,depending on the season,certain chapsticks hold up better,summer heat melts alot of stuff in the carepackages,I found chapstick brand to hold up really well, if sending chocolate in warmer weather,remove wrapper and put in zip lock baggies,when they get it,it's a big glob of goo,they snip the corner and squeeze,for some reaso tho M&M's do not melt,I was told they were invented for troops in WW2,how cool is that. Our group learned not to send hyeigene and food together,even tho it was in zip lock baggies,the guys were saying the food had taken on the oder,I still did for my son,I just didn't send soap or laundry soap with food,I think the best thing I sent was fresh cut grass clipping,pine tree branches and leaves,I told the post office cuz our ladies here are awsome,they said well,we didn't see a thing,my son said they passed it all around taking turns smelling it,he thought that was fun~Thank You so much for helping them out,I have read so many Thank You letters from them,they appreciate it so much:)

penelope

oh,and packages can take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks to get to them,if warm weather they sit in extreme heat during shipping,some foods could spoil:) and if sending to Iraq and Afghan,if sending something of value be careful how you word the shipping forms,theft is an issue:)

Pooh

Great, great, great ideas Penelope!  I love the grass clippings one.  I never thought about something like that, but I bet it was wonderful for them!  You are so creative.

My YS's favorite thing I ever sent him?  My YS loves his Church, so I found him an Army Bible in a metal case engraved with the Army insignia, at a major bookstore chain.  It has not only a regular bible, but is interlaced with Army codes, chants and prayers as well.  It's small and the metal casing allows him to toss it into his bag and not worry about damaging it.  And it is one thing that the Military allows them to take, no matter where they are going or what they are doing.  I wrote in the front of it, how proud I was of him and how much I loved him.  He says it is his favorite item.  They had them for all 4 branches of the Military with their own codes and prayers.  I know that it is not for everyone, but if you know a Soldier that is religious, they are wonderful.  And they had a big selection of various bible versions.
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

penelope

Pooh,I teared up at your post:) that is the most beautiful thing a parent can give~ we bought our son a celtic cross,but when he flies he cannot wear jewelry,so he had the cross tatooed on his arm,and a St.Micheals medal,dh explained why that one,I forgot tho,I tune him out alot!! haha I was told where my son is,they are not allowed to recieve religeous articles,he use to go to church in bootcamp,now only when home on leave,we try to go to at least 1 mass as a family:) last time we went all the boys and gf's were sitten there so I get up and pull out my camera!! lol they were like OMG!!! mom what are you doing? I wanted a pic,so they keep telling me its a sin to take pics in church,we were there early and noneone was there,so I get ready and...ckick..nothing,my battery was dead,the boys bursted out laughing,they said God did that:) I told them,well God knows I'm a sinner and not perfect,next time I'll buy disposable..lol

Pooh

Ha ha ha...don't you love those moments.  Me and DH gave my Son a St. Michael medal when he graduated on a beatiful chain.  At that time, he had thought he was going into law enforcement and they consider it the guardian angel of law enforcement.  He wore it solid for almost two years, until he enlisted and couldn't.  We found it ironic, because he is also considered the patron saint of the Army of God.  He gave it to me before he left for boot camp and asked me to put it up for him.  I have it safe in my jewelry box. 
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

holliberri

Pooh,

That was the only type of jewelry we were allowed to wear in boot camp, I believe. As long as it was a religious symbol, that was okay. I'm sorry to hear that they changed that.

Pooh

I think Holli, they can still have them, but they just can't wear them on a chain due to safety of getting choked during exercises.  And I don't know how it was when you were there, but they had to guard themselves against theft in the barracks (sad).  I think, they can still carry them in their pockets.  But this was a large charm and I had to buy a pretty thick chain to hold the weight, and had a jewelry shop rework the ring so the charm would fit.  It's permanently on there, so he couldn't remove it to carry. 
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

holliberri

Theft in the military...an ever present problem apparently. A girl lost her engagement ring out of her locker when we were in. Oops.

Pooh

Yep.  Someone took my YS's outside weather jacket that had been issued to him, right before graduation.  Disappeared out of his locker.  Before he could graduate, he had to buy a new one to replace it at a cost of $120.  I thought it was very unfair, but the rules.
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

penelope

Holliberry I'm sorry,I overlooked where you were in,Thank You for serving~I thought it was dh only in~I was told by my ds friend the other day,almost all of her skivvies are being stolen,she said I arrived in Afghan with more than enough,now I have almost none!! sad isn't it,they are trained to be brother/sister in arms and have eachothers backs and they steal from eachother. My son carries a tiny little siver cross in his wallet,given to me by a stranger to give to him...and a little card with a four leaf clover and an Irish blessing. i bought ds and dil a St.Micheal mizpah coin necklace,it has a prayer for a married couple on the back,so when apart they would still have a little peice of something:) isn't it crazy how they have to buy ALL their gear,and it's not cheap