Surprise Package to the Sandbox!

I was hoping to receive a letter back from my adopted soldier by now, but one has not yet arrived.  Instead of my weekly letter, I included a personalized Christmas card in with this "surprise package" to my adopted soldier, since the normal monthly package already went out for December.  In addition to my soldier's card, there were 21 other cards included.  My mother and I hand-made each one (11 each).  Right before sending the box, a friend of mine sat with me and helped write in all the cards that my mother hadn't already written in.  Unfortunately I had no names for the cards, so all the envelopes said,

Well worth the wait...

I sent out letter #3 this morning. I'm sure the neighbors think I'm a little nutty.  I tromped through the snow to our condo's outgoing mail box (incoming ones are lock-boxes), pushed the mail that was in there toward the back, put my letter in face-down, left the door open, took a picture, and then closed it.  It may be strange to document stuff like that, but I think it's fun.

The letter is below the photo, again, with names protected.  I learned something this week about "pretty" stationary

First Package, Second Letter - Still A Stranger

The second letter and first care package to my adopted soldier are on their way to him as of this afternoon! They are on a race; I've asked him to tell me which one arrives first!  I intended to send them out on Saturday, but we had some bad weather issues here.  Chinook (warm) strong winds + icy roads + rain = very unsafe driving conditions.  I spent Saturday at my parents' house working on homemade Christmas cards for my adopted soldier's platoon with my mother, opened the door to go to the airport post office, and said, "Oh, heck no!"... and didn't leave until Sunday morning (at which time their power went out).  Oh the adventures...

I haven't received any communications back from my adopted soldier yet, so I still haven't

PS. Mango says "Hello"

Mango sticks to me and my notebook so much while I write that my adopted soldier might get a considerable amount of cat hair delivered to him with his next letter!

Constructing Care Packages 101

My day yesterday was a bit grim.  To counteract the grimness of it, I decided to put together my adopted solder's first care package.  I already had the box in my car; it was given to me by a postal worker when I sent a package to an old friend of mine (also stationed oversees) a few weeks ago.  For perspective, it's just a smidge taller than an average can of soup.

In Process

Letter #2 is in process. Just thought I would share a little gem: Mango, my cat, decided she would help by proofreading!

1st Letter - Reaching Out to a Stranger

Today I sent the first letter to the deployed soldier that I adopted through "Soldiers' Angels".  Writing to a total stranger was a little more challenging than I thought, especially since I know nothing about him except his name, and