I decided today's task would be cleaning out the spare bedroom's closet - stuff in there has never been unpacked from our last move 7 years ago. I think it is safe to let it go. Of course, I did have to go through every box first, just in case. I find plenty that I had no use to me any more: old school papers on archaeology that I would not be referencing any time in the future, give-away totes that needed to be given away themselves, old textbooks (whose info is quite outdated), etc. I did find a few treasures too: hubby's watch from our first anniversary together, missing for over a decade; part of my fountain pen collection that I thought had been lost in a military move years ago, and lots of letters from hubby during his many deployments plus a few from his squad members, one of which still touches my heart to this day.
Back when we lived overseas, the wives had a "birthday club" that made sure that every soldier got a card for his birthday, no matter where he was that day. We drew names, and would often send a cake as well if possible. I sent a card to my soldier while the company was deployed in Bosnia (this was the initial deployment, tents only, no showers, no rec area, bare minimum everything), making sure it was sent out in time to arrive on his birthday.
The dear boy actually wrote me a letter back, telling me how his card brought him happiness for his birthday since no one else had taken the time to send him a card or to acknowledge his day. He commented on how he felt that we wives appreciated him and his fellow soldiers and that we a good support for them and that we brought a smile to his face in place where that was not happening very often.
Do I need to say that that letter got tucked back into a box, to be saved for another 15 years?
This Saturday’s Recipes by The Pioneer Woman
4 years ago
