Packages for Our Troops ...

Many of you might know our friend, Nick Stavros, who is currently serving as an Army Ranger in Iraq right now. On Memorial Day, I emailed him to say "THANK-YOU!" for his service and asked him if there was anything we could send him.

His graciously responded that he had everything he needed, but if I wanted to send a package of supplies or gifts for kids then he would be more than happy to hand them out to the Iraqi children.

What a sweetheart. Seriously.

I did a little investigating into shipping to overseas troops and it turns out the Post Office has a special flat rate box to send to overseas APO/FPO addresses for $11.95. You can order a package of 10 to be sent to your house for no charge.

A service project was born! ;-)

Several of our friends and neighbors (the Utterbacks, the Riccios, the Tanners, and Sinclairs) happily jumped on board to help with this little service project to try to fill all ten boxes. My parents, Edi & Jerry, even gave us stuffed animals and a generous donation towards supplies and toys for the Iraqi children.

Yesterday, the boys and I did our big Target run to gather school supplies to make several "kits" with a notebook, 24 pencils, a ruler, and pencil sharpener. Other goodies include stuffed animals, colored pencils, girly sunglasses, hats, and of course, CANDY! (don't worry, we included some tooth brushes, too). We also threw in a few treats for Nick - does he ever deserve them!

Here are some pics ...

Making cards ...





















the red, white, and blue glitter pens were a total hit ...









































The cards turned out really cute ... hope they survive the heat and the shipping and arrive intact ...





















the boys checking out "the goods" ...








































Jared focused on his "mission" of stuffing school supply kits ...








































I am taking the final two boxes to my Aunt Cathy's today so she can send goodies to her good friend's son, who is currently serving his second (or third?) tour in Afghanistan - stop loss.

I am so unbelievably grateful that these guys do what they do. Such a selfless act of service by them and all of our other veterans. When you say your prayers tonight, please include one for Nick Stavros and Brian Kelley.

Two genuine heroes.

PS: I just ordered 10 more APO boxes so I would have some on hand. If you have something you'd like to send a soldier (or Nick or Brian), let me know and I will happily get you a box. They should be here in a week or two.

May we not forget the purpose for why these guys fight. To quote Abraham Lincoln from the Gettysburg address in his tribute to the fallen soldiers of his day:

... It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

May God BLESS our Troops and may God BLESS America.




click here to link to a moving story about Nick's platoon and some of the humanitarian work they are doing in Iraq.