Cards For Our Troops

Stamping Sisters In Christ posted their 12th challenge this past Sunday. The challenge is to make a card for one of our military men or women.

"The challenge for this week is to make a patriotic-themed card for a soldier and as a bonus, donate it to Operation Write Home, so that a soldier may be encouraged by your words of thanks. Write a special message of gratitude on the inside and sign your name. They will be distributed to soldiers who rarely get mail, or just need encouragement. Be sure to put your card in an envelope and write “Any Hero” on the front. For more information on how to make a card for “Any Hero” click here (http://www.owhhomefrontblog.org/2009/09/anyhero-cards-q.html)."

This is a challenge that is near and dear to my heart since I am a military mom. I currently have a Soldier, my youngest son Patrick, in Iraq at this moment. He is serving his second tour there and will not be home until June 2010. We miss him dearly and know first hand how much they appreciate blank cards to send home.

My oldest son, Peter, is a US Marine who served 1 tour in Iraq. He is home now and will be out of the marines May 2010. Our prayer is that his unit is not sent back before then. Though, once a marine always a marine!

They never think of themselves as Hero's or think that they deserve the thank you's that have come their way. They believe that all they did was their duty, kind of like "I was just doing my job". What our military men and women sometimes don't understand is that it is the very job they chose and do that we are grateful.

I do know, though, how important it is to them to know that we here at home are thinking and praying for them. That we support them even if we do not agree with the war they are fighting. That we love them and miss them and look forward to the day they are home more than anything in the world. That we morn for every one of our military who do not make it home to continue in their lives. That we feel sorrow for the loss some have suffered; lost hearing, limbs, fingers, even memory due to brain injuries.

They fight for our peace and freedom by giving up their own. Some do not live a perfectly peaceful life after being at WAR. Some learn to live with that lack of peace and move on, while others do not. They give up their freedom by submitting to their commanders even if they may get killed. They suffer with no showers, bath rooms or privacy. They don't always get to sleep in a bed, or even in comfortable night clothing. They carry heavy loads daily on their backs, loads so heavy I could not even lift them. They sleep with a gun not a pillow. They spend much of their spare time cleaning those very guns.

Yes, we see lots of pictures of them goofing off and having fun. After seeing them we may tend to think that it is not so bad for them after all. What we do not see is that those pictures represent the times that they want to remember. The rare moments that they can forget where they are and just be themselves. Sometimes we receive a powerful pictures of the reality of the war they are fighting. Of the times that photos were taken without their knowledge, showing their sacrifices, whether they be comfort or brother/sister in alms.

These young men and women, for the most part, have given up the best years of their lives. Who does not cherish the memories of their late teens and early 20s? Those who have not chosen not to make careers in the military have put their lives on hold. They can not move forward and have a hard time planning their future. They will not go to college with their peers. They will go after their peers are already graduated and have careers.  Yet, they are much more mature then those peers and always will be. 

So...now that I have written ALL THAT, LOL...I will move on to my cards. If you made it this far into the post I thank you for sticking with me!

Here is one of the very first cards I made back in 2007 that fits this challenge well.

This is my Clean, Quick & Simple card for today. You can tell it is one of my first cards by the poor little ribbons, LOL. All different lengths and adhered kind of haphazardly. But I think it is still cute and I hope it cheers up the soldier who receives it.

Here is the card I made today. Not so quick, not so clean (one layer), not so simple.

Isn't he the cutest little soldier! This is a stamp set I received from The Greeting Farm. They were giving away this wonderful set to those who have a family member in the military. All I had to do was send a picture of my sons in Iraq (though a picture of them at home in their uniforms would have been just as good) and I was sent this set! Talk about supporting our military families! Of course The Greeting Farm is "famous" for the Anya and Ian images. Tooo cute!

Here is a side angle of the soldier.

I wanted to give him lots of dimension. I wish you could see the crystal effects I put on his lenses. It makes them so shiny! I made the yellow ribbon from the shrink sheets, stamping an image from the SU set Godspeed. The metal tag I got a long time ago on clearance in a little girl jewelry bling kit! I think it worked perfect here.

Again, I hope they like the card. I wrote the definition of the word "hero" on the inside left panel. Then I wrote a note of gratitude on the inside left panel. Added a few stickers to balance the pages and stamped the back "hand made because you are worth it".

Well, I hope you like my cards for today. I will share some of the blank cards I sent to put in the large box of all the cards they receive. This box will be sent to Operation Write Home. So please come back tomorrow.

Till then, hugs