My husband, Mike, is in the Air Force. Through our 13 years of marriage Mike has spent quite a bit of time away from our family while he serves our country overseas. This past April, we got word that he would be deploying to Afghanistan for a year. We knew he might go this fall for four to six months, but we had no idea it would be in July for a year.
I decided I needed to find a way to help him through this time away from our family. So without his knowing, I emailed his friends and family and asked them to share funny stories and pictures about Mike. There was a “no sappy” rule—the last thing the troops need is sappiness.
I then took those stories and some of my own and made Mike a deck of cards—with enough cards to send him one a week and one for us to hand him when he finally walks off the plane and into our arms! Our three daughters love picking which card to send Daddy each week! It also gives me a chance to share with them all the funny stories of our family and friends.
Besides the cards, I made a business wall calendar for Mike to cross off days. I added some of his favorite pictures and some words of inspiration. We have an exact copy on our wall and our three daughters love crossing off days.
And one other thing I have sent him is a copy of a postcard I originally made when he was in Iraq.
The following is Mike’s words about the projects:
The calendar was something. I really needed to cross off the days during this deployment. But when it showed up, integrated with all of my favorite pictures, it became so much more. I now use it to jot down little notes to better keep track of my experiences over here. Since we have two of them, it’s nice to know that the days are being crossed off at the same time by my girls on the other side of the world.
The Heritage Makers card “Remember Kissing” is one that Leslie sent me while I was in Iraq. It uses a picture we had taken in Florida a few years back. I was very happy to get it in Iraq and just as thrilled this time in Afghanistan. Receiving those perfect memories through photographs reminds me how great our marriage is and helps me press on through tough times over here.
The cards are fantastic. They never fail to bring a smile to my face. Each one brings back memories of various fun and unique experiences that Leslie and I have enjoyed together. They contain memories that are so powerful that I am taken away as if on a vacation for just a moment with every card.
I’m very proud of my husband. He has been in the Air Force 17 years and has served away from our family many times. It does not matter how many times your spouse is deployed, gone is gone and it does not get easier. You just know you’ll get through. I’m so grateful I had Heritage Makers to make my Hero gifts to help Mike with this long year.
