Heads at Ease pillowcase project - our motto is: ALL OR NONE

Ladies, I have a prayer request. Tomorrow at 8am EST Terry Stoelton's sister, Sheryl Lucas will be having surgery to repair her broken neck. We need to lift her and the family up in prayer for God's healing mercy. They will be doing the surgery at a hospital in Jacksonville FL. I will keep you posted as I hear more.

Lord we come to you tonight to lift Sheryl and her family in prayer. Lord be with the sergon that you may give him a steady hand and a graceful heart as he does this very dangerous surgery. Lord we ask for your peace to be with the family as they wait to hear the outcome. I ask this in your gracious name Amen.

Praying as I write.  Please keep us posted ME.  Prayer for Terry as well.  She is able to be at the hospital?

any news on Terry's sister?

My son is in Kandihar and I have a new group of kids who want to make pillowcases.  I am guessing they will probably make a dozen, but I'll let you know.

Well the surgery went well, she was in ICU by 11:30-12pm but only for 2 hours then went to a regular room and should go home on Wed. Terry was not there but her mom was and said that the docotor said all went well and then were able to fix everything. God is so Good.

ME, so glad to hear that all went well with T's sister!  God has answered prayer again.

Kelley, that is great about the kids wanting to sew!  thank you.

Terry, happy to hear that you got to see your son and DIL.    Kelley and Terry, please email about your son's deployments.  Thanks.

Saw the doc today for my annual physical.  My numbers are all pretty good and I am in good shape.  I did talk to him about the pains in my legs when I try to sleep.  So he poked and prodded and now I am really achy.  haha.  

Here are a few notes I've received from VRC-30. They are currently deployed as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln airwing.

Birdie,

Thanks to you and all the others who took all the time and effort to plan, prepare, and send out the recent care packages to Det 2!  The extraordinary amount of support from home is an amazing thing, and everyone here certainly appreciates it.

I got my hands on a pillowcase, card, and photo - and it's been a high point for me personally.  In a very modest effort to thank you for the color that this brought to our lives, I'm attaching a few photos, which you are free to modify or share, as you like.  The photos were all taken today when I brought my pillow in and took her for a ride to the USS Abraham Lincoln - in them you'll see myself and other VRC-30 maintainers - all having a great time.  =)

Best regards, and many thanks,

LT Mxxx Kxxxx

Hey Birdie -

Just wanted to drop you another 'thank you' for the care packages that
arrived today!  All of us here are enjoying all the goodies.
Tragically - I didn't take my camera today, so couldn't capture the
moment... next time.  =(


Thanks!
-Mxxxx

I love my pillow case so much thank you!!! I got one last deployment and i have no idea where it went but I have to say getting these cases make me feel like a have another piece of home. It makes me a little more comfortable. :) Thank you!!!

Sxxx Dxxxx

Birdie, those are  awesome notes and I love the photos!  thanks for posting them.

I'm also putting them in the 2012 misc thread so we can find them again,

Mornin' all!   A big welcome to Idare who just joined us.  We will be finished with the ESB tomorrow when I mail my pcs and then I will start a new thread for a group.

Happy Friday all!

If you are on Facebook, check out the link below.

This is the page of a 10-year old that has taken his support for our troops to a new level. I've offered to send him some pc's to take to the wounded soldiers he visits. He's very excited about that. Let me know if anyone is interested in joining me.

I'm waiting to hear back from him as to how many he would like and when he might want them.

http://www.facebook.com/HonorCourageCommitment.SemperFi

Hi everyone, I'm finally back from Florida.

And here I am just back and the first thing I do is ask for you good thoughts and prayers. My oldest son is trying to get an interview for a new job. Its one he really wants, so if you could all keep your fingers crossed, I"d really appreciate it.

Hi Birdie, I do not go to FB but did click your link.  saw just a bit.  where is he going to visit WW?

Lyn, glad that you are back and we will pray for your son.

Crew, I just finished watching a wonderful movie "Dolphin's Tale".  Have you seen it?  Based on a true story and it has wounded warriors in it.  And I could keep thinking was "have to get more pillowcases mailed".  I hope you can watch.  I got it on DVD from the library.

Last mailings for the ESB going out tomorrow, then I will announce the next group.  It is army.

Luke's mom works for Operation First Response and that allows him the opportunity to be involved with wounded warriors on a regular basis.

His plan, however, is to take the pc's with him when he goes back to Bethesda to visit his friends. He's formed a very close bond with many of these guys and they look forward to seeing him. And of course, he makes new friends all the time. He's quite involved with all of the wounded heroes he comes in contact with.

NEW NUMBERS!!!  Check it out.

That is a wonderful thing about Luke.  We have sent 150 pcs for the ww at Betheseda but I am sure that is only a drop in the bucket.

New group thread. 

I took a day "off".  I just wanted a change in routine.  So I boxed up 68 pcs for 2 different units, then Ray and I spent the rest of the day doing fun things.  Like mailing pcs, picking up more pcs at the QM (77), and then we went to see "Warhorse".  Both of my grandfathers were in France during WWI so the movie was interesting to see.  Very good.

Had an email from DWG.  She is still really busy with the Stennis, and she asked me to post this note:

i am intersted in this project.....can someone give me more info??

Hi dawnl, happy to have you join us.  We basically make and mail pillowcases to the troops.  There is a thread that I will bring up to the top about our guidelines.

please pm me your email address.  That is the easiest for me.  

have an awesome day!

thanks for this information Theresa.  I did not get to listen to him.  did anyone?

Welcome to Dawn, we are glad to have you join us.

We are mailing to the 14th EN BN this week.  I have 75 pcs packed, 1 more box to go and I'll mail tomorrow.

Have an awesome day ladies!

Here is a thank you I just received in my e-mail box...

Good Day Ma’am,

                I am writing you in regards to your pillow cases. I just wanted to say THANK YOU! They are wonderful. I was in need of a pillow case and went to our local USO to see what kind of good they had and found your crafty pillow cases in there. They are wonderful and full of color which is the perfect fix for this plain dreary scene! I ended up taking a few for my roommates and I know they are just as appreciative. So again , thank you so much and take care!

Very respectfully,

Katie

My son just identified all the planes in the one picture for me!! 

I love the idea of pc's at the USO!!  Did we do that or is that where extras end up?

I do not know how the case's got to the USO. Just happy to know the pillowcase's are a hit...

Well, I am not real sure, but a thank you came thru the heads at ease email that Dori and ME monitor.  Dori always sends those to me and I generally respond as well.  That young man also said at the USO, and he is with another marine unit.

I am thinking one of our recent chaplains passed some on.  I'll email them and ask.

Numbers do change sometimes by the time we get them all mailed plus not everyone wants one.

thanks for posting the note.

At least if they are at the USO we know a military person will get them!

Changed my profile picture to grand puppy -2 named Cade.  Much more laidback then puppy 1-Gordon.

you are right.  I haven't followed up as yet.  I did get my 100 pcs mailed on Friday.

I'm so excited-my son graduated A school Friday!  He is officially a mine man!!

congrats to you and your son Cindy!   I do believe we will finish the army unit in the next wave.

The next group is Marines.  The grandson of a local woman, who has been a big supporter of HAE is in this unit.  In fact, she is the one who saw my original interview in 7-09 and got the Quilter's Market involved. 

That will start some time in April, but not right away.  So please keep sewing and stashing.  

Tucson is having awesome weather, but I heard that snow is on it's way next week!!!!

Sue,

Do you need me for the next wave for the army group? I will have 15 ready to go when you need them.

Also, I have about 5 or 6 Marine specific pcs that will definitely be done by April, along with enough to make up 15 for a box.

Hi Lyn,

We are good.  The 2nd wave starts today and I believe we will finish them in this wave.

We have a new Marine battalion coming up in mid April.  We'll take a few weeks off.  Watch for a new thread in about a week.

Just got an urgent prayer request from my friend Pat about her little grandson:

Will woke up experiencing double vision this morning. He is being taken to the ER for a catscan. Please pray that they find nothing seriously wrong.

Tucson had more winter yesterday, even snow on the mountains.  We had a 100% chance of rain yesterday and God didn't disappoint us.  Milwaukee was 20 degrees warmer than Tucson haha.

Have an awesome day ladies!

Here is a note from Pat about Will:

It seems like I'm always asking for urgent prayers for Will only to report praises. But with his Leukemia anything suspicious can be deadly. Because of the double vision he was experiencing this morning they did an MRI on his brain to rule out tumors. Well, praise God it was negative. In fact the doctor said his brain is perfect. His counts were also good, except for his sugar level which was down to 44. This most likely caused the double vision. So, he is on track to have his spinal tap on Thursday where they are going to resume the chemo treatment he hasn't had since December.

thanks for posting Natalie!

Ladies, I have a donation of 202 Surgical Caps that need to get in the hands of our Military. They can be deployed or state side. If you anyone that could use some handmade Surgical Caps please email me. here are pictures of what I have:

These are the tie back ones.

These are for people with long hair and the round ones, some have hair ties.

BarbaraRN, Welcome Aboard we are glad you joined our Family, if you have any questions feel free to ask or you can contact me at mepeller@bellsouth.net and I will glad to help in any way I can.

Welcome to BonnieRN and Deborah.  We are glad to have you both join us here!

I ditto what Maryellen said haha.

Nice caps.  Our contact for the 14th EN BN is a medical officer, I"ll ask her too.

Reminder:  this is the week for mailing to the that unit, wave 2.

Have an awesome day ladies!

Went to San Antonio this week to see my son, he graduated A school!!! Official Hospital Corpsman!!!! Woo Hoo!!! It was so good to see him. Was stuck on the airplane for an hour and half because of storms in Texas, but finally made it. He got his orders and will be in Jacksonville for 2 years!! So close to home!

glad to hear that you got to see your son's graduation!  and close to home, what a blessing for you!

Thank you Natalie, He is going to be stationed in a hospital in Jacksonville, Sometimes its so hard to get out of him exactly what he is going to be doing, as I piece it together and continue to ask him over and over, I usually can figure it out!

Welcome to Christine!

I have posted new numbers as I finally got my pcs mailed to the army today.

We will rest now until mid April.  I need to confirm some dates with the Marine,

but be watching for a new thread in  a couple of days.

Sue,

I'm finally back and can mail whenever you need me to do it. 

glad to have you back Lyn.  we'll be mailing in a couple of weeks.  Watch for a new thread in a couple of days.

Welcome to Kish97!  So glad to have you join us.

I recevied a promotion in the after school program which will start on 4-16.  I am very excited about it.

So today and tomorrow are my last days for doing craft time in the main kitchen area.   And guess what we did?  decorated pillowcases for the upcoming Marine battalion.   Last week we colored pictures for the Army group.  I got 150 pictures.  I brought some little prizes and candy which they got for their best work and every 2 pictures.

Congratulations on your promotion Sue!!

thank you!  We attended a parade today for the veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.  It was really great and I am so happy that we got to go.  Met some nice people.  It is the 2nd one like this to be held in the country.  St Louis started the idea.  Wonderful!

I have posted the new thread for the CLB-4.  The photo below is me at the parade on Saturday for our returning Vets from Enduring Freedom.  It is the 2nd one like it in the country.

Off to work.

Hi, A while back I signed up to send a box of 20 pillowcases I think to a hospital somewhere but then saw all shipments were on hold since they had enough. I can't seem to remember where that was and I was on for April, Can you help me with finding out if they are still on hold and if so is there somewhere else to send the ones I have. Some of my students wanted to decorate some to send and I would love to pass them on. Thanks

Chris_ Submom, That group is finished but, we have started a new group this month its at the top called CLB-4, its a Marine unit. We would love to have you send the hand decorated ones to that group. You can go in and post a comment to Sue and tell her how many and what date you can ship on. Thanks for all your help.

ME

well said Maryellen.  Yes, we would love those pcs for the new Marine unit.

I have been working with the kids in the afterschool program on decorating pillowcases too.

Chris, do I have your personal email?  I send out the address to emails and I would love to have you mail this week if it's possible.

please pm me your email address.

Peggy, we are delighted to have you back!  would love your help making pcs, how is your sailor doing?

Here's a photo of me and Peggy about 3 years ago.  She is one of the few HAE members that I have met.  We were with some handsome Marines that we were "stalking" in a mall in Birmingham haha.  Actually, we were walking VERY fast to catch up with them to thank them for their service.  Boy, those military guys and girls sure do walk fast!

And welcome to shadesofpurpleNukemom!  We are glad to have you join us.

I just got this lovely thank you note.