And finally, I'm going to leave you with this note.  It was written by a 6th grader, and sent to our Marines this month.  It is from a 6th grader that is wise beyond his years.  It is from a 6th grader that makes us remember that what they do is real, and there are no take backs.  It is from a 6th grader that genuinely understand the dangers they face. 


To our troops, we say Godspeed and we all pray you are home in the arms of your loved ones soon.  To our "Home Team"  we say we couldn't do this without you....and we say .....Are you ready for our next group?  Stay tuned!

We will have two April 2010 Blogs.  Next up, the homecoming of the USS Carl Vinson to her new homeport and the homecoming of the USS Cleveland.

Molly and Team

Hi and Hello to the most amazing Molly's Adopt A Sailor Fans on the planet!

March had us GREEN with Irish Eyes and headed to a small island called Diego Garcia to support 59 MA's! Our Mom of the month, Jeano, got us organized and off shopping for things to make their tents less 'smelly' and things to tame the monotony of residing on a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Away all of our famous Navy Moms went, looking for stick-ups, flameless candles, and all kinds of games to help pass the time for our newly adopted MA's. Not only did we ship all the goodies requested, Valeriejean's best friend has a site called Chocolate Chip Charities  and proceeds from this site were sent to Molly's Adopt A Sailor.  Valeriejean, what a wonderful idea, our adopted sailors benefit from some super delicous cookies, and Molly's Adopt A Sailor benefits as well.  A win/win situation all around.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for that wonderful idea! 

Lots of our Navy Moms sent pillowcases to our group as well.  Just beautiful as always.  Great job, Heads at Ease and Molly's Adopt A Sailor Moms! 

Magazines, Books of all kinds from John Grisham to National Geographic's made their way from loving homes across the United States to the tiny island of Diego Garcia.  Those 59 MA's were able to see the love that their Molly's Adopt A Sailor Moms and Members have for Sailors deployed to all locations of this world!  

Our MA's were quick to send thank you notes to our Mom of the month, affectionately known as Momma J.
Here is our first thank you note from our very grateful contact.

Hey Momma J!
I was kind of confused how this worked! lol. i got the first box, tore into it, and then realized (very quickly) that i had opened a box for a female! lol. Shock and surprise went through the whole station (along with laughter) until i noticed "Female Box" on the lid. lol. I quickly handed it off to a Female Shipmate and she loved it.
As for pictures. I am kind of limited as to what i can send as our base is Top Secret. People know where its at, and a little about what we do, but not what is all around us, but i will do my best to get pictures for you and all the navy moms that are sending things! We were also instructed by our Chief to make sure we all keep in contact with our Navy Momma's. We appreciate you and all of the moms at MAS so much! The feeling we get when mail comes for us is just so touching, and it gives us a warm feeling from home! I think I speak for all of us (serving in every branch) when i say that the true heros are not us, but those who are standing behind us 100% of the way and support us, and giving your sons and daughters up to help us protect the country we love. I will make sure every one in our station gets a box, and i will keep you updated with as many pictures as I can.

Thanks again, and sleep tight Momma J, because we stand guard for you and everyone else back at home.
MA3 Alex

And another email....

Just wanted to thank you for the care packages that you sent for us Sailors
to enjoy.
We know how much you think about us, but we just want you to know how much
we think about you as well.

And more emails.....

On behalf of the NSF Security Department of Diego Garcia, we would life to
say a sincere "Thank You" for the care packages that we received. Your
donations graced several MA's with smiles of joy and care. We appreciate the
time and heart that you guys took out of your lives to send these small
tokens of gratitude.

V/R
NAVY SUPPORT FACILITY DIEGO GARCIA
SECURITY TEAM


First off, Thanks for your gifts!!! My name is Chief Petty Officer H.
A, I'm part of the Naval Security Forces serving at Diego Garcia in
support of the Global War on Terrorism. Your package came at a perfect time,
you have raised the moral of our Sailors and for that we THANK YOU!!! Again
on behalf of our Sailors, I Thank you very much for your kindness and
patriotism. Additionally, please pass on to others in your families that
they can rest assured that their thoughtfulness and generosity put a smile
on every face here. God bless you and our country!!!

Have a great Navy day!!!

What an amazinly grateful group of our nation's finest. ....and for that your Navy Moms are forever grateful.
I would venture to say that the month of March will not soon be forgotten in Diego Garcia, and some very beautiful Navy family bonds were once again formed this month.

.....and with that, we say,  "HAVE A GREAT NAVY DAY!"
Sincerely,

Molly and Team

 

We had girls....

 

We had St. Patty's Day theme.....

 

We had patriotic, we had tie-dyed.....

Hi and Hello to the most amazing Navy Family and Molly's Adopt A Sailor Members on this entire planet.

Here we go with yet another installment of an amazing adoption.  I am continually surprised about the way this world works,  I've been on this planet awhile now and you would think that the amazement of this world, would start to wear off, but not here.  Not this place.  Not when it comes to Molly's Adopt A Sailor and the wonderful Navy Moms and Members that make this all possible.  Some people have asked, where we find the "troops' that we adopt.  Well, as you can see from the website, some of them have started to find us.  But how?  How does a sailor, marine, soldier or airmen find us when they are stationed so very far away.  Well, this month we have a story. 

In October of 2009, we adopted a Navy Unit stationed in Kuwait....Blog is under October's group with pictures.   This group was astounding.  Susan the Mom of the month and Ligia, our contact, worked tirelessly together to pull off the October adoption without a hitch, and Ligia was even able to send pictures!!!  That was such a welcome sight and one that will go down in the history books, for sure. 

.....and now, enough background information,  here comes the STORY.  As most of you all know, we put labels on our boxes, that say "Molly's Adopt A Sailor" before we ship.  We want our troops to know where things are coming from, and know that the things that they are getting are affiliated with Molly's Adopt A Sailor's wonderfully amazing Members.  Evidently,  the boxes in Kuwait, started to stack up, because we received an email requesting love and support for the 51st MLC in Iraq and we were so happy to oblige!  But we had to wonder, how in the world did our newest group of adopted troops find us?  We had the opportunity to ask out contact Jennifer, and we were shocked to hear her response. 

"Your information was on a box that we saw when we were in Kuwait." 

So, from one little label, on one little box, in one little country the world of an Army adoption opened up for Molly's Adopt A Sailor.

This little label caught the attention of one American Hero who wanted to make sure that her troops received some love and support from us, from you, from  home. 

And we believe this story, is a great start to January 2010.

Stay tuned, as we have lots going on around here.  We have official non-profit status and have applied for our 501(c)(3).  We will keep you all posted, as to the status. 

A huge "Thank you" to our Mom of the month of January, Laura!  What a wonderfully creative way to announce this adoption.  You did an absolutely wonderful job! 

Thank you to everyone of you that participated this month in sending cards, letters and care packages from home to the 51st MLC.   To date, they'd lost count as to the number of care packages that came to their location.  Absolutely astounding and wonderful, they definitely felt the love.

Godspeed to our 51st MLC.  Stay safe, stay strong, stay focused and THANK YOU ALWAYS!
We know it may not sound like much,  but this statement spoke volumes.  One little label, on one little box, in one little country, caught the attention of on American Hero who wanted to make sure her troops received some love and support from us. PHENOMENAL. Absolutely stunning.  And that is our story for January.  We are off to a great start in 2010, and we can't thank you enough for all your help in shipping the love and support to our troops.  Godspeed to our 51st MLC and thank you for a wonderful adoption. 

Hi and Hello to the most amazing Molly's Adopt A Sailor Members EVER!!!!!!

November has been so busy, and as we move into December, the Molly's Adopt A Sailor love and support has started to "ship" to Afghanistan for our Adopted Seabees.   What an absolutely amazing group both here in the States and there in Afghanistan.  We were so lucky to have the Chaplain himself be our contact this month.  He's become affectionately known as Chappy, around the Molly's Adopt A Sailor Group and oh,  how we love him.  Our Mom of the month, Diane,  announced our group November 1st, on the dot.  We needed time to gather and work on one very spectacular Christmas in Afghanistan.  Chappy's only request,  stockings and smores.  Well,  if we have learned anything this month,  we've learned that the spirit of giving, the spirit of Christmas, and the spirit of opening your heart to help, is alive and well with the Moms and Members of Molly's Adopt A Sailor.  We are so proud of the Moms' that have stepped up to the plate and knocked this latest project out of the ball park.  Not only did Diane announce and secure an astounding Christmas for  our NMCB-74 Seabees, our Mom in Illinois, Karen worked diligently, tirelessly, and astoundlingly to secure a very Merry Christmas for our group of 60 Sailors in Iraq.  It is absolutely amazing to see the gift of giving unfold with so many mighty, fiercely patriotic Americans stepping  up to show our United States Military that we stand behind them, 110%.  We are here for them, and we are here to support them. 

I must go with Highlights or I would be here for a week typing, and you would be here for at least three days reading.

1)  Central Florida Mom's co-ordinate packing party with UNO'S Pizzeria in Kissimmee. This was an absolutely stunning show of support.  All told, there are still donations coming into UNO's and one of our Molly's Moms, Mary, or AKA Molly in Florida, continues to collect those donations for our future groups. We must say thank you to Terry and UNO's in Florida to making this Christmas one to remember as a Seabee in Afghanistan.  We are forever, grateful to you, UNO's for allowing those fiercely patriotic citizens the avenue to help our "Adopted" troops. 

1)   Stockings-and I'm not just talking any kind of stocking.  We are talking the best of the best for our Seabees.  Our very dear sweetheart, LynLove, coordinated the Heads at Ease troops and our very own Knit for the Navy group, to come up with over 250 scarves for our Seabees and 250 CUSTOM (yes, I said custom) Stockings for our Seabees.  See pictures below.  The dedication to detail, the amount of Love that went into each stocking, each scarf, if anything Seabees please know that you are loved by your Navy Moms and by your Molly's Adopt A Sailor Members, and by the whole of America.  We thank you, we pray for you, and we can not even wait until you are home to the loving arms of your families.

1)  Central Illinois Moms' co-ordinate a total of over 84 care packages and this was the first packing party for our Ms. Karen.  Can you even imagine how these next packing parties will go in Central Illinois?  Bravo Zulu, Mama!  And the pictures you have for us, priceless.  Please see below.
    

1)  This month, will always be the month that I think about the dedication of our newest generation.  I will always think  about those teachers that find it in their heart to adopt troops for their entire class.  Not only are they teaching  our next generation the importance of being an American Citizen, they are teaching them that service and sacrifice to  ones' country should be held in the highest regard.  These are our Heroes.  The latest sports star is but a fleeting moment, the latest, greatest skateboarder will not be remembered, to those young Americans that believe in this country, the real Heroes are those that are recipients of the Medal of Honor, those that have sacrificed being away from their families for months and months on end, and those that are recovering from an IED blast and trying to get their lives back within the hallways of Walter Reed or your local VA.   We couldn't be more proud of those children from Chatham  Elementary in Illinois to the schools in California, Oregon and Washington, as well as, those across the country, that contributed in making our Adopted Seabees Christmas feel just a little bit more at home, and  to allow them to feel appreciation from the newest  generation of American citizens, that are proud beyond words.                        

1)  Forget about it, this is going to be a book, too many highlights not to mention.   How about our Mom that put together the  scrapbook of Mom Christmas Stories for us, so Chappy could tell those stories around a fire while our Seabees might just be savoring a smore.  Thank you to all of those that contributed to those Christmas Stories, and thank you to all the Facebook members that contributed and gave shout-outs to all of our Seabees. And Susan, thank you for the poems, thank you for the stories about the fruitcake, oh how you will put a smile on so many faces in Afghanistan this Christmas.

1)   How about the Colorado Moms.  I do believe they were the first group to attack our Molly's Adopt A Sailor group with a       packing party.  We are so grateful to them for showing us how this is done, and thank you again this month for the outpouring of love and support from the great state of Colorado.

1)   Thank you to one Terry L. that answered the friend request from one very passionate, very panicked Navy Mom on how   we need to go about adopting our latest group.  Forever grateful, that he accepted the friend request, and was very willing to help us secure our latest group of the best of the best.

1)  Chappy, to you my dear, for allowing us to adopt you and your "kids".  Thank you for allowing us to turn your world upside down in an already upside down, crazy place.  Godspeed to you, and many prayers to you and your troops.

1)  So, here at Molly's Adopt A Sailor, Christmas 2009 will be remembered as 9 brand new babies waiting for their daddies to get home,  countless next generation school children, that now know the meaning of being patriotic and supporting our troops,  and the amount of love and support when you allow an American an avenue to give that love and support, infinity.  And to all the Moms/Members who helped put the Daddy boxes together, and the amazingly beautiful baby stockings that are headed their way, we are forever grateful for your amazing talent.

In closing,  this Christmas, may you hold your loved ones' close if you are able, believe that the world revolves around the little things, and believe in the power of making things happen.  Remember that with a true passion for what you love, anything is possible and most of all remember what this Holiday season is all about.  To those, that will be missing their loved ones' this Christmas, we say, stay strong, you are the backbone of this country, and we are grateful to you as well.  Behind every good Sailor, Marine, Soldier, Airman and Coast Guard Men, there is a family, adopted or not, that has your back, and we will fiercely protect your decision to serve your country.  We could not be more proud and we thank you.  We are forever indebted to your service and sacrifice to this great nation of ours. Remember to hold your friends dear, life is so very short and fleeting.

Fair Winds, Following Seas, Godspeed, keep your head down when you need to, keep your chin up always and know we miss you, we love you and we are counting the days' until you come home. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Molly and Team 

 

                                

 

Hi and Hello to the most amazing Molly's Adopt A Sailor Members, ever!!!

It was a busy month here at MAS, we announced our October group, and got straight to work.  Susan our Mom of the month announced our new group October 2nd. 

"Molly's special hugs are headed for a medical clinic in Kuwait! This is kind of like a MASH unit. Guys and gals pass through this clinic for medical care! So our mission this month is two fold- take care of the wonderful staff that puts themselves on the line every day ands end some mom love to those wounded warriors coming through the clinic on their way to Iraq and Afghanistan.

So our mission
For the staff- A unit of 20 men and 10 women, some single, some married with children. The women have requested tampons, pads, liners,body sprays, lotions and powders, and finger nail polish (no bright colors). The men have received some packages but would like deodorants and foot powders and such. They do have microwaves so think of fun snacks! They have also requested individual drink mixes! These wonderful caretakers share what they have with those passing through so lets shower them with love!

For the patients- what is better than a note from someone who cares? When you are hurt and far from home a few kind words mean so very much! So lets stock this clinic with cards and letter that they can hand to those brave injured warriors! Along with those wonderful notes, let's send trial size lotions, eye drops, toothpaste and toothbrushes and more! The wounded warriors passing through can pick up what they need and slip it into their pocket with that precious note from home! This clinic serves 40 or more injured in a normal day."

As the excitement of collecting, coordinating and writing to our Special Hugs group over the course of the month ensued, with fantastic ideas being shared with all our members about who was sending what types of items, little did we know on the other side of the world when the first wave of love and support would hit, they would send us pictures to prove it. Yes, that's right I said pictures of our Special Hugs Group.  What an absolutely amazing month.   One for the record books for sure.  Thank you Susan for such a wonderful idea this month.  Thank you Molly's Adopt A Sailor members for coming through for our Adopted Troops again this month, and Thank you to our team in Kuwait, for sharing the photos with us.  We are forever grateful to you for sending them, we are forever indebted to you for what you do, and your smiles will forever be etched in our Memories. 

Until next time, fair winds and following seas to our Sailors, and Godspeed to all our troops. 








                                                           

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