I was so glad to see this....I received Godiva, Pot of Gold and Ashers and they are all somewhere in Irag and AK with a femail soldier.  I don't dare tell the kids or grandkids, they all know how much I love chocolate, but there was no way I could have eaten one piece thinking of my "girls" over there.  I must be a junkie   jz  PS I just saw how I spelled female, ya think I'm a junkie????

Mary:

Not only did I have the nerve to tell my family members that their gifts went to the soldiers - I actually did that to the members of my family who are so against the war that they can't see straight.  They e-mail me articles all the time about how awful the war and the government are, etc., etc., etc.  Well, they can't see the forest for the trees.  Forget the politics - SUPPORT THE TROOPS.  That means write letters, send what U can, honor the brave men and women over their fighting.  SO ------ the people who got "presents" that were actually sent to the troops are the ones who talk constantly and do nothing.  They - some of them anyway - will surely be enraged.  That should be fun.  The other members of my family that know my passion for AnySoldier.com will get cash contributions to the site to keep it going.  They understand and will be happy to know that their gift money will be helping others.  I'm 62 - heck if I can't do what I want at this age - when can I?  Just let them argue with me.  Selfish clods.

Mary

Proud AnySoldier Junky

I can't help but chuckle Mary.  My sister and brother in law asked that a donation to Anysoldier be sent in their name.  Got to love them.

If I had any doubts about being an Any Soldier Junkie they were dispelled the other day when I went to the post office to mail a care package.

You know you're an any Soldier Junkie when -

1. Your post office guys tell you about the new, larger FRB for the military,

2. They are as excited about it as you are,

AND  they promise to keep some on hold for you as soon as they get them in stock.

I'm already making their Valentine card.  Let's see - Tootsie Pop Snack Bars or Chocolate Hearts!

Ann

You must be an AnySoldier Junkie if..... 

1. ...you whoop for JOY! to send & write again to Capt-B..nee..Major-Pain (Gary Bourland)'s unit because he's back posting; then find it tearful to write that first excited letter, realizing you've never quite stopped praying on him, his unit, his family & theirs.

2. ...your form of taking a break is perusing the newest AS emails and ask for (yet) another address because you (just gotta) write to a redeployed SFC with whom you corresponded way back in 2004-5.

3. ...you have those moments when you wonder whether you can do enough (write enough, send enough) to "make a difference" like Capt-B always said (we) did. ...and an on-site, cammied, active-duty uniformed personnel (you're trying to tell about AS) says to you, "Oh yes 'mam, we know that website - you guys, you're the BEST!"  and you know you can write again.

 

..........you decide being an hour late for work one day, is better than losing five shipping days if you wait till the weekend to send a monster package.

     Hi Dragon,

I am SO envious.  I cannot do that since my boss stops at the Post Office every day before he comes in to work.  Running into him there would not be a good thing

Sharon

^^^^
Normally I mail on Saturdays from my neighborhood post office, rather than haul the packages to work downtown.  This time I made an exception because the recipients are coming home in a couple of months.  So I didn't want to lose the additional days for parcel post.

 

If you check online and see that the Federal Tax Refund has been added to the joint checking account my soon-to-be ex-husband and I still share.  He won't take my name off it.  So I can see it online.  Within 45 minutes of seeing that addition to the account I was inside the bank in the town that is 45 minutes away and had the cash in my hands.  From there I hit Target and bought every single little stuffed animal they had in their "One Spot" to send to one of my female Sgts who helps out at a hospital in Afghanistan.  I made sure there were no pigs or dogs in the group and was checking out and suddenly the woman behind me yelled, "NO - Not that one".  Sure enough, what I thought was an odd looking little pink bear turned out to be a pig.  The woman was of the Islam faith and had heard me telling the cashier that the little critters were going over to children in Afghanistan.  I then asked the woman to go through all the other stuffed toys I had purchased to make sure I didn't mistake anything else.  She approved of all of them and they'll be in a box to Afghanistan by Tuesday.  Isn't the internet wonderful???  You can find money before your soon-to-be ex-husband even has a chance to stash it away from you.  Although, after being married to him for 25 years he didn't seem the least bit surprised that I not only grabbed the money, but that I was on my way to shop for my soldiers. 

Have a good day everyone, we're expecting yet another big snowstorm here in south central Wisconsin.  Yippiee! :-(

Mary

You go girl!  You are toooo funny!

VickiV 

You are too stubborn to realize you bit off more than you can chew for a first bite. 

I put over $1200 on my plastic last week, mini deoderants, foot refresher powder, game books, mini mechanical pencils, food, sports equipment, packing boxes, drink powder, emergenC, granola bars, kudos, gum, lip balm, body wash, DvDs, magazines, labels, ping pong paddles and balls, frizbees, cards, dice and more card games, etc..  I really thought I had NO shopping gene as I hate shopping, and I don't think I have the bargain shopper gene yet.  I have a folding table set up in my kitchen with big mixing bowls full of each individual item.  I printed off all the big labels with personal notes I worked on all week, and stuck them on the back of post cards to go in each package.  I only have about 12 of the smaller care packages done (about 1/2 way) and two of the larger (going to smaller squads).  I was afraid friends and family would laugh at me, but so far everyone has been positive...I mean it is hard to hide the kitchen and "what ARE you doing?" has been the question I have heard the most in the last 3 days.

 Can I be a junkie in training too?

jetakai,

 Honey, I think you're already way beyond "junkie in training" and well on your way to hardcore junkie!!  Once you find your bargain shopper gene, it's all over.

Kathy

Hi Jetakai,

I hate to break it to you, but Kathy is right.  You are way past the Junkie in Training.  I think you are an Officical Support Junkie.  I knew I was when I hit the $1500 on my plastic.  That was my limit.  I've passed that.  I am happy to say that I have found some self-discipline though.  Except for yesterday, I haven't used my plastic in over a month for any AS purchases.  I was buying stuff as I found it & had enough cash on hand.  But I found a new group and just couldn't resist trying to get some stuff to them ASAP, plus I heard from my 'main' contact with his new mailing address....so more stuff to him & his guys.  Ah well, it's all worth in the end if it makes even one of them smile for even a minute.  (In my opinion).

Hugs & a big WELCOME!!

Sharon

Sharon,

Oh dear, you have a lesson to learn about using plastic.  We use it to earn money!  We always charge everything on our plastic that we possibly can, leaving the cash in the bank to get the 1% interest, then cash in the awards for charging ($25 for every $2500 charged).  We pay the whole charged amount at the due date each month, so never incur any interest, and get a couple hundred dollars back each year in cash awards to buy additional Any Soldier gifts.  We make the credit card companies work for us.

Gran

Hi Gran,

Thank you!!!    As soon as I get this card paid off, I'll use this lesson.  I've got it planned out fairly well as to when I'll be out of debt.  Thanks again!  I love learning something new each day, it's like a reward for getting out of my warm cozy bed.

Hugs,

Sharon

Gran:

We make the credit card companies work for us.

Yay to that, Gran! I used the points on my credit card to get Starbucks gift cards (a few coffee drinks for me, a few bags of coffee for my soldiers) and my very generous Mother let me use her Sears points to get a $200 K-Mart gift card!!!