A Young rew Memory

(cross posted because somethings are worth it, and to me, this is)

When I was young, growing up in Nebraska, I remember spending a Christmas during Desert Storm making little care packages for the soldier while my mother and I watched CNN. My mother was in her second year of teaching, raising two kids on a salary of about $17,000 a year. We had gone to the Kmart behind our apartment and bought all sorts of things by following around the Blue Light Special cart. Most of it was dollar trickets, small plastic games, puzzle books, pens, paper, boxes of generic fruit roll-ups. We made about 20 boxes. Most of the same things showed up in my stocking for Christmas that year, and I made one more package out of that.

My uncle was no longer in the airforce at that point, although he was in the Reserves still, and we had worried he might be sent over at some point. Every time we sent a box we hoped he wouldn't have to go, too.

This gives me good memories. And it makes me want to call my mom.