Quilts of Valor Delivery Day

I have to tell you - I know that I will be emotional, but I always forget that until I show up next to a soldier. And this delivery completely overwhelmed me. I so badly want to convey to you all the importance of your quilts and of your work and of your caring so I think I may post a few different times. We took down over 40 quilts and were able to deliver the majority of them. Unfortuneatly for injured people, sometimes there bodies don't cooperate with there spirits, and so some soldiers weren't able to attend our delivery. But be rest assured - there unit leader stood up fearlessly for them, and took quilts back to those who couldn't come.

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That said... I think I should start at the beginning.... Thursday nite... Two more Wonderful quilts arrived on my doorstep. One you can see at Suzannes blog http://saltcreekquilts.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/stars-and-stripes-quilt-of-valor/ , and the other one I will defineatly blog about!

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Thursday I took this picture.... of all the quilts! And decided I needed to take a load to the school, so we did and had quite an entourage following me to the classroom. The whole school I think had an idea of what was about to happen.

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Friday morning 3 High School students, the CFS teacher, 8 5th grade students, one of the 5th grade teachers and myself boarded the bus for our 2 1/2 hour drive. We discussed about what might happen, what would happen, and what to say.... but we were all excited. We arrived on base and got to take a tour of the war memorial gardens before heading into the chapel. The chapel would be our main location for the presentation of the quilts. This is where the soldiers met us. All of these soldiers came from the Warrior in Transition Unit on the base. This means the have rehabbed enough to not need to be in the hosptial, but they are not rehabbed enough to be back with there active unit, or be discharged. Many of them have been there a few months, and few have been there for a year.

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We were able to talk with the soldiers and hang out and get to know them while we ate sandwiches. Many of them told us there stories of injury, and how they got back to the states. One soldier told me - Ma'am its just way to gory, I don't want to scare anyone.....

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After this we moved into the chapel where the quilts were and the kids started taking quilts to the individual soldiers. I tried so hard to take pictures of all the quilts going out - and I know I missed quite a few. For this I do apologize, but to make you feel better - I even missed the soldier getting the quilt my 6yo son made. But I know they are all in good hands and are SO Appreciated!!

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If you will allow I would like to tell you the stories I have permission to share one soldier at a time. This soldier I will call Pomona, as that is where is was born and raised. When we were out socializing I noticed him kind of standing there, very quiet and not involved with talking to someone. So I headed over and being the shy being that I am pestered him! I asked where he was from, and he grew up South of where I grew up. He was very quiet and very shy, and was very hesitant to engage in conversation. He worked Air Traffic Control in Iraq, which is one Humongous job. I think God must have told me to talk to him cuz in my previous life ( okay even this one) I am a pilot. So we talked planes and helicopters and soon he was actually talking with out me asking questions.

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His quilt was delivered to him, and I noticed he left it in the bag and didn't have it out like so many of the other soldiers... so again I pestered him. I asked him if he thought his quilt was okay - and it wasn't too girly was it ? This was his concern earlier in the day - that he would get something too girly. He said nope - it was fine. So I tried to talk to him again, and he just wouldn't take the quilt out. Being a quilter this was driving me nuts! I wanted to know which one he got. So I finally asked him , Can I take a picture of you with the quilt? He said No, I said okay, Why? He says if I cry in front of the men I don't know if I can handle it. I smiled and pointed to 3 other Men who were crying, and then he took the quilt out. And yep - he cried, and I turned away until he got the tears brushed away. The sweet girl next to him is one of our High School students - A - and she came over and hugged him and we got this picture.

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These soldiers - men and women alike are TOUGH! More so than I think I could ever be, and they are so considerate of others that they don't talk about themselves much, so this was quite an experience to have to talk about themselves.

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I have many many more pics and stories - so check back often!! I want you all to know how much your quilts are appreciated and loved and cried over!!