adopting

No, no babies or animals for us, but rather a soldier. Specifically Gary.

I signed up at Adopt a US Soldier and a few days later, they sent me a name.

Our family has "adopted" a 20 year old from Indiana, currently serving in Afghanistan. The only reason I know he's 20 and from Indiana is that I searched myspace and found his home page.

I mailed him a snail mail note last week, and I have a care package that is going out on Monday. I don't know what he likes, or what it's like where he is ... I don't know if he's in a safe and boring area of A-stan or if he's in the middle of things. I do know he's with the 82nd Airborne Division, which means he's most likely a paratrooper.

Being a suburban Mom, you feel like you're helpless some times, or that there is nothing you can do to help. I still cut all the coupons from the Sunday paper and sort and bundle them together to send to bases overseas for the families to use - they are on military budgets, and money is tight, so that is my small part to help the families that are stationed elsewhere. Now, I can help somebody directly.

For coupon information, click here and here.

Not only those soldiers serving now, but those that served before them ... but they did that, which lets me sit here, stay home, read blogs, raise my kids, plant a garden, vote, drive, speak to my husband, go to school, wear jeans and occasionally make up, have an opinion ... for what they have done and what they are doing, regardless of whether or not you agree with our current situation in the world, regardless of your opinions on our current president, this is the least that I can do.

What can you do?