moonwork42029

Better tonight...thanks for all the thoughts...

Scrap Happy

God bless your son and family. My prayers are with you. (((((HUGS)))))

AUQuilter

A big thank you goes to your son and all of his family (mom included) for the service to our country. This is an idea: you could make your son a special themed pillowcase with the kids pics or handprints on the end. Go to All People Quilt for tutorial. Special postage Flat Rate Priority Mail Boxes are available from the Post Office- it is $12.95 to send to APO or FPO but there is no weight limit- it holds a lot.

Sewfine

If you go to USPS.com and sign up, they will send you a kit with boxes, labels and tape.

moonwork42029

I actually have ordered "enough" boxes of various sizes and have put them at the armory for all the families to have access to them. If you get the specially marked one, they are cheaper to use for APO addresses.

Our local guild has actually already made over 170 pillowcases that we will ship over there next month ... that way they'll all have a piece of home with them. The company I work for will cover the cost of shipping them over so that is a big relief too.

Having a child in the service is a privilege in so many ways but when they have to leave -- each time it's harder and harder.

Thanks QB for the wonderful words :)

ontheriver

I so understand what you're going through. I was a military wife for 20 years and a two time military mother. The men in my life were always leaving. It is a sad time when we say goodbye, not knowing when they will return. Go over and see him, don't wait till morning. He'll want to say goodbye and give you a hug just as much as you want one. Then, stay busy, do lots of quilting, write lots of letters, spend time with the little ones and your DIL and support each other.

watterstide

i am with you dear friend. my son leaves again on the 1st of august.

while in baghdad, he was able to skype us once in a while. he read books to his kids through skype too.

i hope he is able to this tour also.

sending a care package every 2 weeks, helped me!
(he wanted " franks" hot sauce! lol)

smagruder

As another military mom, I fully understand. It is tough knowing he will be leaving soon...but you, too, need to see him before he goes. Skype is my blessing...my son is stationed in Florida and, in his job, travels a lot... gone a lot. His wife has the hard thing to do... see him go so often. Thank God it is not for long periods of time. I pray daily for ALL of our military wherever they are serving. Thank him for his sacrifices from one mom to another's son.

lsmft

My thoughts and prayers and thank yous are with you son and all those who love him.

AliceQ

As I type, my son is somewhere between the good ole USA and Afghanistan. Can't wait to (hopefully) get a call that says 'I've arrived safely'. This is my Marine's first deployment. He's single. It's hard to see your baby leave. We have an online group of MoMs. We cry together and rejoice together. Our kids graduated boot camp together. We've stayed connected and I couldn't have gotten through these first almost 2 yrs without them.
I understand your wanting to give him this time with his wife and children. I hope your DDIL appreciates you!