blessing others

My amazing casualty assistance officer moved on to a new job title this month and I was assigned a new person.  There really is not a lot the CAO does for our family anymore, but they are committed to checking in on the kids and I every month or two as a "healthy and safety check," and Air Force Families Forever are there to provide a continued connection to the military for our family.  I appreciate how they have been there to answer my random questions, give me hugs, and help me get through the mess of AF paperwork and legalities these past months.  The new CAO gave my kids a big box yesterday full of goodies from the America Cares campaign, a program that comforts the families of fallen soldiers.  I watched my children delight over the "surprise" and realized it is amazing how a box of simple items, packed with care and love, can bring such a smile to the face of someone.  It made me realize how little time it takes to put together a care package for someone, yet the delight of the receiver is enormous.  I especially wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you who sent me care packages last summer.  The sweet letters, words of encouragement, and little treats - and ESPECIALLY the birthday gifts for my children - they all blessed me in more ways than I can say.  I apologize if I did not verbalize how much that meant to me at the time.  But it has also encouraged me to find simple ways to bless others.  I wanted to share an organization called Soldier's Angels that provides letters of encouragement, birthday cards, and care packages to our military members during times of deployment or hardship.  My children and I are going to join the card sending team.  But we may at some point "adopt" a deployed member and put together care packages for them.  In seeing how much these little items of love and prayer lifted my children's spirits, I want to encourage them - and you all reading this - to know that your small, random acts of kindness never go unnoticed.