A Birthday Party to Support Our Troops
Dear Penelope,
My son’s a Marine and he’s serving in Iraq right now. His birthday is coming up in a few weeks and we’re all lonely without him. So I’d like to do at least a little something in his honor, take some photos of everyone together and missing him and send them over to him. Do you have any other thoughts for us?
Kathy
Fort Worth, TX
Dear Kathy,
We have a very close family friend whose son is completing his military service right now, too. It's been incredibly difficult for her, as I'm sure you can imagine, but she had a wonderful idea for a way to celebrate him on his birthday and do something nice for him, even if it can't be in person. She’s asked her son and his friends serving with him in Iraq for a list of the things they desperately need or just really want, and has circulated the list to all of her family and friends who will be attending the Support Our Troops party she's throwing. She'll collect the gifts and messages of support and send them as a big birthday package to her son.
This party idea sounds like it would work perfectly for your son’s birthday as well, and would let the rest of your family and friends feel like they’re able to reach out to him in some way on his birthday. You can add the photos you take of everyone gathered together and wishing him well to the package you send, and I’m sure it will be just the right thing to make your son feel loved and cared for during such an emotionally charged time. While I know that nothing's the same as having your son home safe and sound for his birthday, this party idea will certainly work as a way to do something in his honor, as you said. Please send a happy birthday message along from me!
Enjoy Planning.
Penelope
Have a question for Penelope? E-mail her!
Oops
Success!