The Smell of Bread Baking

Dear All,

The days go by so fast and most of the time I don’t even know what day of the week it is. I just realized it has been well over three weeks since I last wrote you. The center gets busier and busier as more and more troops find us and come.

Just before I went on R&R I was at the laundry mat and a soldier was making those macramé bracelets that are made out of 550 cord or parachute cord. He showed me how to make them so I picked up some 550 cord on R&R. Once we were open and running I one day got it out and started to make one and immediately I had several troops around wanting to make some. It was so fun and since we have done and taught them how to do hundreds of them. We have now ordered our third round of 550 cord. We haven’t decided what to call it but it is a toss up between Connecting Through Crafts or Relating Through Rip Cord. They love doing it and have made them for their wife, children and self. They do bracelets and key chains. I hope you enjoy the picture of them. They are all so cute and I enjoy teaching them how to do it.

We had a distinguished visitor last week. Vice President Dick Chaney. He spoke to the troops at the stadium. Talk about the security measures. He was quite protected. I did not get to go see him as this is my United Through Reading day on the other side of base and it is a one of my weekly highlights.

The smell of fresh bread brings home to the troops. My friend Laurie sent a bread maker to us via a soldier who was home on R&R. We opened it that day and baked three loaves. The troops loved it. Can you imagine what they felt when they walked in the lounge to the smell of bread cooking. Laurie sent twelve boxes of bread mix and four days later we had devoured it. We had troops set their alarms so they would be back when the bread was ready. Thank you Laurie for the bread machine! It has been quite the hit.

I was talking to Johnny and the other night and he ask me how many UTR’s we had done since we arrived. I went back into my records and if my recorded are right we have done close to 1100 recordings for the United Through Reading program. Isn’t that cool! That represents over 2200 children whose mother, father, aunt, uncle or grandparent has read a story to their special little one. That’s a lot of books that have been mailed home and brought so much joy to our deployed troops families. For many it is their life line to their child. Not all our troops have supportive families at home cheering them on so for some here being able to send these readings home is God tool to breath love into their children. I have talked too many who these little DVD’s is the only connection they have with their children.

Easter was a bit quiet. I went to my little church and was blessed by the fellowship with God’s people. We had stuff Easter Eggs for the troops and Chocolate bunnies. Some of the eggs had prizes so that was fun.

I again face another rotation of troops finishing their three months here and headed for home. It is so hard to say goodbye to the many that have been such an important part of our USO heritage here. I have been so blessed by so many and I realize that for the most part I will likely never see them again this side of glory. A sobering reality.

I am going to close. I keep falling asleep trying to write. The alarm goes off early and my normal weeks are averaging around 90 plus hours.

I love you all dearly. Your books have been such a blessing and the chocolate that Dyna Corp and my biker buddies from meet and greet in Dallas collected has been a huge hit. I love to tell them about you and how much you appreciate them and the sacrifices they are making. They are so taken back when they realize they are so loved.

Resting In His Mighty Grip,
Linda