I have been working on shipping our first box over. Hubby called and needed a few essentials- blanket, sheets, hangars, pillows, bug spray, lysol and a new wallet. Well that will be easy. Oh the fun of shopping and getting everything packed and ready to go. I knew I would need a BIG box since he needs pillows and blankets but once you add everything else it became a REALLY big box. I stuffed everything in there (lovingly) and prepared to send it.
I thought this would be an easy task but soon found out I didn't know where to send it from. People kept telling me different ways to send it: use the base post office, call mobility and have them send it over on a plane, us UPS or the post office. I was hoping that someone would have an inexpensive way that I could send this huge box without costing me a weeks worth of groceries. After calling lots of places and talking to lots of people- I'm sending it through the post office.
Luckily, I found out that after this big box the cost won't always be so high. They now have priority flat rate international boxes that you can use to ship to the soldiers. I called the USPS and ordered my free military kit that they have. It is supposed to come with tape, boxes, labels and customs forms. I need to find a spot in the house to be our new postal area.
Of course I love shopping so when he said he needed all these things I was excited. Sure- I will go and buy all these essentials for you and have it shipped out lickity split. The hardest part came when I was putting his new wallet in the box. Something so simple as a wallet yet it was so much more than that. As it be, I was told that if you are captured and they see in your wallet lots of family pictures they see you more as a human and not just a soldier. Well, I decided to buy 2 picture holders for his wallet because that was one piece of information that I wasn't going to slack on.
I printed out lots of different pictures. I made sure there was a variety for him to look at and none of them were him in uniform. I wanted him to be able to look at those pictures and be reminded of our everyday lives outside of the military. Pictures of Christmas and his teams he coached were my favorites.
As I put the wallet in the box I think about how weird it is that something so simple as a wallet can make me cry. Because even though its just a simple wallet it really is so much more than that. The thought that those pictures could possibly help him if he is captured is a thought that I didn't ever think I would have. I know that the chances of him being captured are remote but that doesn't stop the emotion that is brought on.
So with that-- I sealed up the box and am shipping it out today. My first of many boxes that will travel through the miles to send a smile and love to my wonderful husband.
4 comments:
I am sorry that you had that rough moment, but glad you were able to put together something so special for your husband. I was lying in bed last night with mine and very suddenly, and unexpectedly, was struck with heart-wrenching sadness at the realization he will be deploying in a month.
Thanks for the info on the military kit from the post office. I will get mine ordered
Hi Cheryl - thank you so much for becoming a follower of my new blog. I so admire you and all that you are going through, this article describes it all so poignantly and I think your blog is just fabulous.
Aww I remember that feeling. My husband forgot pertinent meds when he left for Baghdad in 2004 & as soon as he got in theater he needed other things. Like you, I had no idea how to ship it much less where! All I knew was I kept hearing what I COULDN'T send him! I was afraid to send him a simple Men's Health magazine b/c with the half naked men on front, the Iraqi's consider it porn!! LOL.... Then you can't ship beef jerky, Bibles.... I hope all of that has changed but back then it was really still kind of new (we went to war what 2002?) & there were SO many rules. I remember shipping all of his from base though I don't remember why!? Good luck. Yes, you do need a staging area in the house ;)
Oh and I meant to say, did you hear the new study that came out the other day saying that if a wallet has a picture of a baby inside it's more likely to be returned than any other wallet(s). So they suggest putting a friend's baby or even a fake baby in your wallet. LOL!
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