Comments on: An Emotional Day, A Good Day http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/ Homemaking Helps for Busy Moms Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:30:50 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Amy Long http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2037 Amy Long Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:53:33 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-2037 To sit here a read something so very dear to me, and to not know what it is like to have the one i love leave to go over seas YET, but i hope i dont ever have to... is something like you say can only be felt when you experience it, but i would like to say when i was reading the article, i began to get teary eyed, thinking about when my husband does go, i began to fell sad, mad, and a lot of other things when i heard about all the other patriots that came home to have no family there to greet them. But you are right people go on about there own life forgetting that have sacrificed there lives to protect them. I'm an Army wife of two years. My husband was in the reserves before he went active duty, but now being an Army wife and seeing all that i do it is amazing how much they put up with for people they don't know, i could have only imaged what it was like before i was an Army wife, but now i truly appreciate what they do, and it is sad that things have to happen for people to appreciate things like that, please tell those around you i say thank you for all that they do and GOD BLESS THEM ALWAY, Amy & Steven Long To sit here a read something so very dear to me, and to not know what it is like to have the one i love leave to go over seas YET, but i hope i dont ever have to… is something like you say can only be felt when you experience it, but i would like to say when i was reading the article, i began to get teary eyed, thinking about when my husband does go, i began to fell sad, mad, and a lot of other things when i heard about all the other patriots that came home to have no family there to greet them. But you are right people go on about there own life forgetting that have sacrificed there lives to protect them. I’m an Army wife of two years. My husband was in the reserves before he went active duty, but now being an Army wife and seeing all that i do it is amazing how much they put up with for people they don’t know, i could have only imaged what it was like before i was an Army wife, but now i truly appreciate what they do, and it is sad that things have to happen for people to appreciate things like that, please tell those around you i say thank you for all that they do and GOD BLESS THEM ALWAY, Amy & Steven Long

]]> By: Jayne Hazlip http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1747 Jayne Hazlip Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:43:02 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1747 Please let Brandon know our family is very thankful for his service to our great nation and sacrifice of time with family to help protect us all. What a blessing he and all the men and women are - they are truly great Patriots! Also, thanks to Stephen who is beginning this journey. Every night as we pray, we remember all our service men/women who sacrifice so much for us, and their families, especially those who have given the greatest sacrifice. THANK YOU! Jayne Please let Brandon know our family is very thankful for his service to our great nation and sacrifice of time with family to help protect us all. What a blessing he and all the men and women are – they are truly great Patriots!

Also, thanks to Stephen who is beginning this journey.

Every night as we pray, we remember all our service men/women who sacrifice so much for us, and their families, especially those who have given the greatest sacrifice. THANK YOU!

Jayne

]]> By: Melonie (Momma & More) http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1605 Melonie (Momma & More) Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:48:55 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1605 Dear Marilyn, Welcome to "the family"! It's not always easy, but the benefits far outweigh the trials. I grew up an Army brat and married back into it; all of the men in my family have served in either the Army or the Navy. It is AWESOME that you were able to be at the welcoming ceremonies, and I'm sure your future son-in-law appreciated that you reached out to other soldiers, rather than feeling that you should stick with only the person you know. Believe me, it warmed those folks' hearts and I hope that someone will be at my brother's duty station when he returns from his tours if I'm not in town. (He is stationed in the state I call home, but I have left there due to my husband's new duty station - we were able to meet up this past weekend while I was in the States but I most likely won't be Stateside when he returns.) Anywho - others have mentioned helping with groceries. You can do that by purchasing gift checks online at http://www.commissaries.com - if a reader doesn't have a family member or friend to help out, there are options for helping other folks via DeCA (Defense Commissary Agency). Any person, military or civilian, can now purchase gift cards and gift certificates to the AAFES website as well. http://www.aafes.com This is a great option for family members who are serving overseas as we don't have a Target or a Sears right down the road, but most of us have a Shoppette (like a 7/11) or a PX/BX (kinda like Target, but smaller LOL). We have let our families know that these two options are best now that we are overseas as opposed to Stateside where we could hit the local mall or our favorite stores. Please let your readers know that if a service member is stationed at an APO/FPO address, there are quite a few stores that will ship here - but there are just as many who will NOT ship here. Mail must come via the US Postal Service, so anyone who does FedEx and UPS deliveries won't ship here as they consider us to be PO Boxes (unless you can get them to ship directly to a unit address with no box numbers). FYI, Amazon.com will normally ship to APOs, but some of their 3rd party vendors will NOT, so most folks welcome Amazon gift cards as well. Just remember that all gifts and care packages must go through customs, especially in Japan and other places that have restrictions on medication, herbal products, and weapons (or anything they consider to be weapons). Just a few tips to help you get started. :-) Additionally(I guess I should have turned this into a blog post on my own blog - oops!) PLEASE let your readers know that the military has just made a change to mail systems for Walter Reed hospital. They just announced that mail addressed to "any recovering military member", etc WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. So you need to have a specific service member to write to. It can be a bummer when you want to help, but let folks know that this is a safety issue for the soldiers and families there, just as much as it is an administrative streamline. Last thing (I promise!) is that coupons are always helpful to those of us stationed overseas. They are handy for any military family trying to cut costs, of course, but since we don't get the Sunday paper with the coupon inserts, it's very helpful to have coupons sent over. Military families who are OCONUS (outside the continental United States) are authorized to use coupons in commissaries for up to SIX MONTHS past the expiration date on the coupons, due to the time it takes to get them here. So save your expired coupons up and send them to an organization that will pass them on to families who will gladly put them to use. :-) When we moved here ACS (Army Community Services) gave an orientation seminar and handed each new arrival an envelope PACKED with coupons. I went through them and then handed them over to a neighbor, then a friend from the unit, and ultimately took the leftovers back to ACS to be handed to another family to sort through. Coupons can go far and benefit many families. Check with your local post office for the small customs form that is necessary for mailing envelopes of coupons. Best wishes and again, welcome to the "family". ;-) Melonie @ Momma & More PS When sending care packages overseas, be sure to ask your USPS branch for the freebie one rate priority boxes that are especially for shipping to military members via the America Supports You program. They have bigger boxes that ship at the same rate as the smaller civilian boxes. My folks have made good use of them. LOL Dear Marilyn,

Welcome to “the family”! It’s not always easy, but the benefits far outweigh the trials. I grew up an Army brat and married back into it; all of the men in my family have served in either the Army or the Navy.

It is AWESOME that you were able to be at the welcoming ceremonies, and I’m sure your future son-in-law appreciated that you reached out to other soldiers, rather than feeling that you should stick with only the person you know. Believe me, it warmed those folks’ hearts and I hope that someone will be at my brother’s duty station when he returns from his tours if I’m not in town. (He is stationed in the state I call home, but I have left there due to my husband’s new duty station – we were able to meet up this past weekend while I was in the States but I most likely won’t be Stateside when he returns.)

Anywho – others have mentioned helping with groceries. You can do that by purchasing gift checks online at http://www.commissaries.com – if a reader doesn’t have a family member or friend to help out, there are options for helping other folks via DeCA (Defense Commissary Agency).

Any person, military or civilian, can now purchase gift cards and gift certificates to the AAFES website as well. http://www.aafes.com This is a great option for family members who are serving overseas as we don’t have a Target or a Sears right down the road, but most of us have a Shoppette (like a 7/11) or a PX/BX (kinda like Target, but smaller LOL). We have let our families know that these two options are best now that we are overseas as opposed to Stateside where we could hit the local mall or our favorite stores.

Please let your readers know that if a service member is stationed at an APO/FPO address, there are quite a few stores that will ship here – but there are just as many who will NOT ship here. Mail must come via the US Postal Service, so anyone who does FedEx and UPS deliveries won’t ship here as they consider us to be PO Boxes (unless you can get them to ship directly to a unit address with no box numbers). FYI, Amazon.com will normally ship to APOs, but some of their 3rd party vendors will NOT, so most folks welcome Amazon gift cards as well. Just remember that all gifts and care packages must go through customs, especially in Japan and other places that have restrictions on medication, herbal products, and weapons (or anything they consider to be weapons).

Just a few tips to help you get started. :-)

Additionally(I guess I should have turned this into a blog post on my own blog – oops!) PLEASE let your readers know that the military has just made a change to mail systems for Walter Reed hospital. They just announced that mail addressed to “any recovering military member”, etc WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. So you need to have a specific service member to write to. It can be a bummer when you want to help, but let folks know that this is a safety issue for the soldiers and families there, just as much as it is an administrative streamline.

Last thing (I promise!) is that coupons are always helpful to those of us stationed overseas. They are handy for any military family trying to cut costs, of course, but since we don’t get the Sunday paper with the coupon inserts, it’s very helpful to have coupons sent over. Military families who are OCONUS (outside the continental United States) are authorized to use coupons in commissaries for up to SIX MONTHS past the expiration date on the coupons, due to the time it takes to get them here. So save your expired coupons up and send them to an organization that will pass them on to families who will gladly put them to use. :-) When we moved here ACS (Army Community Services) gave an orientation seminar and handed each new arrival an envelope PACKED with coupons. I went through them and then handed them over to a neighbor, then a friend from the unit, and ultimately took the leftovers back to ACS to be handed to another family to sort through. Coupons can go far and benefit many families. Check with your local post office for the small customs form that is necessary for mailing envelopes of coupons.

Best wishes and again, welcome to the “family”. ;-)

Melonie @ Momma & More

PS When sending care packages overseas, be sure to ask your USPS branch for the freebie one rate priority boxes that are especially for shipping to military members via the America Supports You program. They have bigger boxes that ship at the same rate as the smaller civilian boxes. My folks have made good use of them. LOL

]]> By: Barbara http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1599 Barbara Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:14:00 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1599 Honestly Marilyn...which one is you?? I haven't seen a picture of you before but aren't those pictures of 3 YOUNG ladies, no mom in the picture? I'm being serious...I can't tell which is the mom. You look great!! whichever one you are! Honestly Marilyn…which one is you?? I haven’t seen a picture of you before but aren’t those pictures of 3 YOUNG ladies, no mom in the picture?
I’m being serious…I can’t tell which is the mom. You look great!! whichever one you are!

]]> By: admin http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1576 admin Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:47:31 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1576 Here is the list of eight of the most appreciated/popular items you can send soldiers in Iraq: Letters, nutrition bars, ground coffee, flavor packetsfor water, DVDs and CDs, AT & T global calling cards, personal-hygiene supplies, and blank cards to send to their loved ones. They suggested the website www.soldiersangels.org to give. Thanks, melanie Here is the list of eight of the most appreciated/popular items you can send soldiers in Iraq:

Letters, nutrition bars, ground coffee, flavor packetsfor water, DVDs and CDs, AT & T global calling cards, personal-hygiene supplies, and blank cards to send to their loved ones. They suggested the website http://www.soldiersangels.org to give.

Thanks,
melanie

]]> By: Lyn http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1573 Lyn Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:48:31 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1573 When my first husband was in the Navy, we would often invite some of the single men over for a meal, or we would invite them to be a part of the holidays with us. Even the smallest gestures can mean so much to those who have no family nearby. I think having some type of fellowship can make a real difference and can lessen the loneliness. When my first husband was in the Navy, we would often invite some of the single men over for a meal, or we would invite them to be a part of the holidays with us. Even the smallest gestures can mean so much to those who have no family nearby. I think having some type of fellowship can make a real difference and can lessen the loneliness.

]]> By: Cameron H http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1572 Cameron H Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:27:32 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1572 I think this is a wonderful way to offer a small thanks to our troops. When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to the following address. Often times, we civilians want to offer our thanks but don't know ways to go about doing it. This is one way we can thank at least one soldier and his/her family who have sacrificed so much! When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following: A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington , D.C. 20307-5001 I think this is a wonderful way to offer a small thanks to our troops. When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to the following address. Often times, we civilians want to offer our thanks but don’t know ways to go about doing it. This is one way we can thank at least one soldier and his/her family who have sacrificed so much!

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001

]]> By: Melody http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1571 Melody Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:43:46 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1571 Marilyn, I have to thank you as an Army wife for shaking hands and welcoming those who are alone. That means more to them than you know. After surviving 3 deployments (and gearing up for the 4th this spring) I can tell you that it means A LOT to the troops to know they are appreciated and welcomed home. They really look forward to coming home when they get down to the last few weeks/days over there. They all have their lists of things they want to do/eat when they get home. Many of us wives/spouses try to remember to welcome everyone home, but truthfully we have eyes only for OUR loved one. Its been sooo long and we missed them sooo much! Thank you for taking the time to greet those who had nobody waiting for them. Being connected with the military is definitely a whole different ball game than civilian life. You will learn much and meet some really great people as time goes on with your son and soon to be son-in-law. I will keep your family in my prayers during this holiday season. Blessings Melody Marilyn,

I have to thank you as an Army wife for shaking hands and welcoming those who are alone. That means more to them than you know. After surviving 3 deployments (and gearing up for the 4th this spring) I can tell you that it means A LOT to the troops to know they are appreciated and welcomed home. They really look forward to coming home when they get down to the last few weeks/days over there. They all have their lists of things they want to do/eat when they get home. Many of us wives/spouses try to remember to welcome everyone home, but truthfully we have eyes only for OUR loved one. Its been sooo long and we missed them sooo much! Thank you for taking the time to greet those who had nobody waiting for them.

Being connected with the military is definitely a whole different ball game than civilian life. You will learn much and meet some really great people as time goes on with your son and soon to be son-in-law. I will keep your family in my prayers during this holiday season.

Blessings
Melody

]]> By: Becky Tubbs http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1569 Becky Tubbs Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:17:47 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1569 Marilyn, I am so glad that he made it back safe and sound! We will be welcoming home my husband at that same Hanger in about 4 weeks! He is apart of the 101st. We're so excited! This will be our 2nd time to welcome him home at that Hanger. Will be riding those same buses and be just as cold as you were, but it's all worth it! Just thinking about it is bringing tears of joy to my eyes. You see, we have 5 kids, ages 10, 7, 5, 4 and 10 months and we homeschool too. We sure miss Daddy when he's gone! The Baby was 3 weeks old when he left and now she's about to walk! We've gone through a lot. It's made us stronger, not weaker. We would change a thing. My plead to your reader is this, for those of you who have your husbands with you every day, please do not take them for grant! You are so blessed to have a husband to welcome home every single day. It's not something that we will ever again take for grant. Give them big hugs and get the kids excited about Daddy coming home from work! He came home. There have been many soldiers this past year that have not. One last thing, if you know of a family that has a deployed father, please get to know them and see what you can do for them to help the family. One HUGE help is mowing there grass in the summer! In the fall it is raking the leaves. Check on their car. Maybe the wife is not getting the oil changed like she should or the tires might need checked out. Think about what her husband might do if he were here to help. For example, his deployment my tub has needed re-claulking and my washer has gone out, my van broke down, just to name a few. In the end you will be blessing the whole family. Don't you think the soldier on the other side of the world would be more blessed knowing that someone came over and helped take care of his family while he has gone fighting for his country? Those care packages are neat, but it means so much more to them knowing that someone is helping his wife and kids when he can't. It's way better than sending him another care package of candy bars and baby wipes. Marilyn,
I am so glad that he made it back safe and sound! We will be welcoming home my husband at that same Hanger in about 4 weeks! He is apart of the 101st. We’re so excited! This will be our 2nd time to welcome him home at that Hanger. Will be riding those same buses and be just as cold as you were, but it’s all worth it! Just thinking about it is bringing tears of joy to my eyes. You see, we have 5 kids, ages 10, 7, 5, 4 and 10 months and we homeschool too. We sure miss Daddy when he’s gone! The Baby was 3 weeks old when he left and now she’s about to walk! We’ve gone through a lot. It’s made us stronger, not weaker. We would change a thing.
My plead to your reader is this, for those of you who have your husbands with you every day, please do not take them for grant! You are so blessed to have a husband to welcome home every single day. It’s not something that we will ever again take for grant. Give them big hugs and get the kids excited about Daddy coming home from work! He came home. There have been many soldiers this past year that have not.
One last thing, if you know of a family that has a deployed father, please get to know them and see what you can do for them to help the family. One HUGE help is mowing there grass in the summer! In the fall it is raking the leaves. Check on their car. Maybe the wife is not getting the oil changed like she should or the tires might need checked out. Think about what her husband might do if he were here to help. For example, his deployment my tub has needed re-claulking and my washer has gone out, my van broke down, just to name a few. In the end you will be blessing the whole family. Don’t you think the soldier on the other side of the world would be more blessed knowing that someone came over and helped take care of his family while he has gone fighting for his country? Those care packages are neat, but it means so much more to them knowing that someone is helping his wife and kids when he can’t. It’s way better than sending him another care package of candy bars and baby wipes.

]]> By: Melanie Sunukjian http://www.marilynmoll.com/2008/11/an-emotional-day-a-good-day/comment-page-1/#comment-1566 Melanie Sunukjian Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:22:53 +0000 http://www.marilynmoll.com/?p=99#comment-1566 Marilyn, That brought tears to my eyes - thank you. I actually have no personal ties to the men and women who defend our country, but they have been on my heart more than ever recently. Real Simple magazine had a list of the 8 things that they request most overseas and I thought about how easy it would be to find a personal connection through a friend and send a care package. We're really trying to deepen our Advent and Christmas season celebration and one of the days that isn't often celebrated is December 26th: Boxing Day or St. Stephen's Day. On boxing day, the tradition is to box up things for those in need and St. Stephen's celebrates the first martyr of the faith. Both seem appropriate for those giving their lives for us overseas and I'm sure it would be a welcome surprise to receive a package after the typical Christmas fanfare is over. Thanks again, melanie sunukjian Marilyn,

That brought tears to my eyes – thank you. I actually have no personal ties to the men and women who defend our country, but they have been on my heart more than ever recently. Real Simple magazine had a list of the 8 things that they request most overseas and I thought about how easy it would be to find a personal connection through a friend and send a care package. We’re really trying to deepen our Advent and Christmas season celebration and one of the days that isn’t often celebrated is December 26th: Boxing Day or St. Stephen’s Day. On boxing day, the tradition is to box up things for those in need and St. Stephen’s celebrates the first martyr of the faith. Both seem appropriate for those giving their lives for us overseas and I’m sure it would be a welcome surprise to receive a package after the typical Christmas fanfare is over.

Thanks again,
melanie sunukjian

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