So Much to be Thankful for!

Leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday season, I know that many of us spent time thinking about all the wonderful things we should be thankful for this past year.

In my home, one area that is often taken for granted is saluting our troops for keeping us safe.  This isn't done intentionally...it's just that there aren't any current family members in the service, so there isn't a constant reminder for the security I take for granted.

However, there are many people on this blog and in my life who help remind people like me.  Alex Graywolfe was kind enough to share details with us about a Cards for Troops effort.  Check this out!!!

She writes...

I had a wonderful time picking up the cards for the troops from my mailbox by proxy of my husband, as I am in a cast right now.  It took the cards quite some time to arrive, and I started to worry as the end date was coming close.  After reaching out to Elena, the packages started to arrive.  I hadn't told my husband about what I had volunteered to coordinated, so his first words were: "How much did these cost?!"

Once the initial shock was over and I had explained the situation, he thought this was a very cool idea especially since he used to be in the military himself.  So then he started checking the mail daily!   

Boxes and boxes of cards kept arriving!!!!

I didn't pull them out of the boxes until I knew they were all here in my house, so that I could count and box up these beautiful creations of love at one time.

I took one night off from scrapbooking and chatting online and grabbed all the boxes and put them out on my coffee table. I then started counting and sorting by size. I counted over 400 cards. My husband was amazed. It was also incredible that we couldn't take one picture of all the cards at once because there were simply too many!

 

The variety of styles was touching and inspiring.  I know that when these reach all of the families, they are going to be touched by the spirit of the holidays and know that they are not alone in the love they have for the men and women who are spending these and many other holidays away from home. 

I know that this is just one small day in the life of a soldier and their family...not to mention all of the days that they will miss such as christmases and anniversarys, babies being born to first steps and birthdays. 

  

But these small 4.5 x 5.5 inch pieces of paper we call christmas cards are going to make one big memory for these famlies this year.

Also, don't forget that Christine posted information on MISSION VALENTINE in a previous blog post to help make another holiday extra special for our troops.  Cards must be sent by December 1st.