Follow-up to Letter 3

Well, there have been quite a few happenings since my Mother's Day post.  I went ahead and posted Letter 3 from Heather first, but still felt that I should post this separate "update post". 

Last weekend, my husband, Mike, and I traveled to Chicago for a family wedding.  Luckily for us, the wedding and our 1 year anniversary were on the same day, so we were able to squeeze in a great deal of celebrating with some family members that we rarely get to see.  The reunion itself would have been enough of a reason to make me smile, but on Sunday I also got my first call from Heather.  I was so excited.  For some reason, the number that showed up on my cell phone was not her number, so I think it may have "pinged" off a cell tower or something and that caused the phone number to show up strangely.  The number that showed up had a "203" area code, while Heather has a "313" one.  Strange....

Although our phone call was a short one, it sure was a relief to finally hear her voice.  She sounded so far away though and I could hear other excited conversations going on in the background.  I was sure that the folks on the other ends of those phone lines were just as happy as I was to also hear from their loved ones.

I knew that Heather didn't have very long to talk and I thought that she might also want to call her boyfriend, so I quickly asked her if there was anything that she needed.  She said that there was a packet being sent to me, from the unit commander, that would explain information about what she could receive in the mail and the details about her graduation date. (I haven't received this yet.)  She did ask for some writing paper and some ladies boyshorts (underwear).  Apparently there is not a great selection of undergarments at the small shop (PX - Post Exchange) that the trainees are allowed a rare trip to.  She did say that her unit had just completed it's first Physical Training (PT) test and that she had done "ok" on it.  She said that she was keeping pace with everyone else and that her unit was friendly and that she had made a few friends.  I ended the conversation by telling her that I loved her and was very proud of her. 

SO, this morning I went shopping before work and got the boyshorts and writing pad that she had asked for.  I put together her first care package this evening and it looked a little less elaborate than I had imagined her first one might be.  Although I would have loved to have thrown in a few goodies, like a Hershey's bar or some Reese's Minis, I stuck to what I thought the regulations might allow.  The box is currently sitting here on the dining room table next to me and contains a package of the requested undies, 3 steno writing pads, 2 pens from the Chicago hotel I stayed at (I couldn't think of any other souvenir she could have...lol), a box of envelopes, a book of stamps, and photos from my other daughter's prom.  There was also a card and letters from her sisters, Robyn & Carrie.  A little of my heart was also thrown in the box for good measure.  I hope that, when she opens the box, my love for her is the first thing that she "sees".