Week 14: The Box O’ Stuff

Now that Hawk has finally received it, I can’t spoil the surprise. Ever since Farewell, I have been thinking of little things that I wanted to send him. As the weeks passed, I began to slowly set aside things on my dresser until I finally made the trip to the post office to get a Priority box to mail it in.

Of course, Hawk requested only two things: An iPod case and Sour Jacks. Wouldn’t you know that Sour Jacks just so happen to be some of the hardest candies to locate on the face of this earth. Sour Patch Kids? No problem, they are everywhere, but does he want Sour Patch Kids? No. It has to be Sour Jacks. So picky.

I’ve read stories about how much soldiers love to receive care packages from home, but I never thought it would get the response it did. I figured it would just be another something he would just enjoy, since I send him letters every week. But, truthfully, I haven’t seen Hawk that happy the entire time he’s been gone. He smiled at me like I had given him the entire world. Like I had transported Home to him. To me it was just a silly poster, candy, miscellaneous toys, and some love notes, but to him it was like a lifeline.

A lifeline that didn’t just stop with him. Evidently, he hung my silly Duck Dynasty poster up in the office and all the guys like it. It is kind of sad that something so small like a poster can bring them all such joy…but it does. And it does my heart good that maybe they see those funny bearded men smiling at them on the wall and they chuckle and smile back. Anything to make the days brighter over there.

I know I especially struggle when I know Hawk is discouraged or disappointed. It hurts me when he has a bad day, or a bad week, or a bad month. It causes me pain. I was praying that he would get the package when he really needed it. When he really needed that smile. When he really needed that laugh. When he really needed that piece of me. And he got it – right when he needed it. The man flat out raved about it. About the creative colors that I used to decorate it, right down to the video I included.

Never again will I underestimate the power of a care package.

Priority Box: Free

Stuff Inside: $50.00

Postage: $14.85

His Smile: Absolutely priceless!