Deployment Survival Kit
My girlfriend Sadie went home for this deployment. She has triplets and decided being near her parents and grandparents would be best for her family during the seven month deployment. I was sad to see her go but completely understood her reasoning. As a surprise Toni and I prepared and sent her a Deployment Survival Kit. We filled it with silly and serious things that we hoped would help her get through the days. It included (in no particular order);
12. Cracker Jacks to be a kid again
11. A Baby bottle to keep your babies fed, full and happy
10. A Movie to help you chill out, vegetate, and forget the time for a few hours
9. Military Wives Prayer to remind you God walks with you always, and you can always lean on Him.
Military Wives Prayer
Dear Lord,
Give me greatness of heart to see,
The difference between duty and his love for me.
Give me understanding so that I may know,
When duty calls him he must go.
Give me a task each day,
To fill the time when he’s away.
And Lord, when he’s in a foreign land,
Keep him safe in your loving hand.
And Lord, when deployment is so long,
Please stay with me and keep me strong.
Amen.
8. Hair ties to pull your hair back and get the job done (on days when there isn’t time to vegetate)
7. Bubble gum to mask the I didn’t get the chance to brush my teeth breath when you have surprise visitors
6. An American Flag to show your pride in our country as well as to remind yourself what you and Adam are sacrificing for. So that EVERYONE may be entitled to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
5. A Journal to write your deepest fears, darkest moments, happiest joys, everyday trials, to vent, to scream and yell; to just get EVERYTHING OUT.
4. A USMC Wife Shirt to show everyone who you are and what you’re made of. And also to give you back a little piece of the home you left behind.
3. Bubbles for the Babies So you can have a trick up your sleeve when they’re having a bad day and you need to distract them.
2. Stationary to keep in touch with Adam
1. Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka as a last resort, just in case…
What would you put in a deployment survival kit?
I always feel famous when you talk of me! That was/is such a GREAT idea!
Toni,
I’m so glad you don’t mind that I write about you. If you did, I might have to make up a fake name for you because it would be too hard to leave you out of my stories.
I hope more people will use our great idea for their friends!
Kelly
Thanks for this post! I am looking for ideas for gift baskets for the spouses in our squadron (my husband is in the Navy and is the CO of his squadron)…The squadron deploys in about 10 days and we spouses are having a “PITY PARTY” a few days later…I plan to give them a “survival kit” as a surprise. I love your ideas, and will use several of them!! THANKS!
Bridget,
What a great idea to give a survival kit to the entire Squadron! I’m sure they’re going to love it, and you for being so thoughtful! I’m so glad you found some of my ideas to be helpful. Feel free to post what your survival kit will be composed of. I’d love to hear about it!
Thanks for reading!
Kelly
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