Hope everyone had a safe and Happy 4th of July!
Like all holidays, amidst the business of fireworks, parades, cookouts, and other Independence Day festivities, it's easy to overlook and take for granted why we're celebrating the holiday in the first place. But I hope many of you took some time to remember and give thanks to all of the brave men (and women) who fought and continue to fight for our country as they make many sacrifices along the way.
As an Army wife I have a new found respect and deeper understanding of what our nation's soldiers and their families do - something I couldn't have found without being married to the military so-to-speak. As a Midwest girl soldiers and military life and all that goes along with it always remained at a comfortable distance with only a surface level appreciation. It's not that I didn't care, but I had no way of understanding and knowing what soldiers and their families go through every day. But now that I am a part of that community, I understand.
Soldiers, like my husband, choose to serve and be a part of something greater than themselves. Their decision, and even my husband's, to become part of the military, to give so much of themselves, to put themselves in harm's way, to be separated from their families and loved ones for a year, sometimes longer, at a time, to risk their lives for the soldier next to them, is something I don't always understand. It's a decision I would be too cowardly to make. But some people, some brave, courageous, selfless people, make the decision to follow a calling and are willing to sacrifice much more than the average person. The real soldier doesn't join the military to kill or have loans paid off as many in this country might lead you to believe. From my understanding, the real soldier does it for his family, his loved ones, his children, his children's children, and of course for his brother fighting next to him; he does it out of love, the desire to protect and preserve, and to ensure that others who come after him will be safe and free.
Some soldiers will face death and give the ultimate sacrifice, some soldiers may face it and walk away with a clean bill of health, while still others may be wounded in the process. Today's post is mainly for those wounded soldiers.
If you remember back in May when I was seeking donations for Hailey's Hope, a blogger, Kristen, of the blog We Are THAT Family, who also had the experience of having a child in the NICU, so kindly took on Hailey's Hope as her blog's 'Do It For Others' Project for the month of May. Her and the readers of her blog donated stuffed animals and over 50 preemie outfits to Hailey's Hope! Well, for the month of July, her Do It For Others Project involves celebrating our freedoms and independence and showing our thanks and appreciation by helping wounded soldiers. Below you will find the information for her initiative - one that is close to my heart. Please read and consider giving.
Help Wounded American Soldiers
Red, White and Do (July DIFO Project) <- click for more information!
Snippet from the We Are THAT Family blog: Here’s what WE can DO (send the following items):
- Burger King Gift Certificates
- International Calling Cards
- Sweatsuits (small to x-large)
- Athletic Shoes (men’s 9-12, women’s 6-9)
- Men’s and Women’s fall and winter jackets (med to x-large)
- Backpacks, Gym Bags, and Small Suitcases (something to store their clothes in)
- DVDs to put in the hospital wards for them to watch
If you don’t know what to send but want to do more, checks are also accepted made out to: IMA-E CTOF-WW
Mail ANY of this to:
Landstuhl Regional Medical center
Wounded Warrior Ministry Center
CMR 402
APO AE 09180
Please note that shipping to an APO AE address is IDENTICAL to shipping rates for New York. You can use flat rate packages to ship large amounts of cards.
God Bless the USA!
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