My soldier finally has an address and is anxiously wanting care packages. I decided to hit the grocery store last night and buy stuff to mail.
I had no idea where to start.
Its funny because when he and I talked about it back in October, I had a list of ideas a mile long. He kept telling me to be patient because he wouldn't have an address until January. So, here it is and my mind is blank.
I started choosing some healthy snacks. He had commented that family members he didn't even know sent so many sweets last year when he was there. He said, "Of course I can't resist and I gained so much weight!" I promised him no chocolate chip cookies and no sweets, only healthy stuff.
I chose some of my favorite Odwalla bars (of which he took two of the last time he was here) and some fruit snacks. I also found some pistachios and Cajun trail mix.
Then I stood in the grocery store will these things in my hand and cried.
How could these things possibly help him? What difference does a bag of nuts make to a soldier who is facing life and death at every turn? My shoulders get tense just thinking about living like that every day for over a year! And how could life possibly ever be normal after that?
The check out girl inquired why I seemed so distant and upset. I told her that it was my first care package and I felt so helpless as to how to make things better for my soldier. She gave me some suggestions (very sweet) and then said, "I salute you."
Why salute me? I am certainly not the one putting my life in jeopardy. My life seems pretty light compared to his.
Hopefully a healthy snack will help him to remember that I want to nurture him. Maybe that thought will bring a temporary smile to his face and a little stirring of love in his locked-away heart...
I know that even those snacks that seem so trivial here, will make a huge difference to him the moment he sees them. Trust me! My classes sent all of that stuff over for my birthday and my friend, Laura, sent pics of the guys opening the stuff. What huge smiles they had! XOXO!
ReplyDeleteYou are serving in your own way, you may not see that at this point, but with given time....you will. We all do eventually recognize that in some capacity as we wait at home for the safe return of our soldier, we serve....care packages can be fun...do a themed one for valentines day....I just went out and bought a bunch of junk I know he doesn't need but would brighten his day to send him....things I have to send out before my surgery because I will be unable to later on.....my children love to make them with me, we do one about every other week...it became a way to mark time as well......
ReplyDeleteMake some of them unhealthy too...by the way :D
I think it will bring many smiles to his face and a permanent one in his heart.
ReplyDeleteI will give my sister a link to your site. Her husband is in the Army at home now, but spent a year in Iraq. I know she would agree that letting him know you care is the best thing you can do right now.
The care package no matter what shows you care. By sending him those small things he can appreciate things he does't have access too as well as your kind thoughts and generosity.
ReplyDeleteIt will mean a lot to him when he sees that you took the time to send him something that you know he likes as well.
As a soliders wife said you are serving in your own way.