"Hello Mrs. Trail, I am First Sergeant Chandler. My unit was given a box of goodies from the Chaplain that you and your lovely friends sent to him. I would like to thank you for the gifts of kindness and the support that you give us. The warmth of your note and heartfelt support comes at a time of need for my unit. This past Saturday we lost seven good men that will be missed and always loved. Thank you again and please give my best to Laura and Ida." 1SG Robert C. Chandler

Just the latest in an on going series of notes from all over the world sent to my wife by email and postage-free hand written letters with APO cancellation stamps. Ann keeps and treasures each one though they come from complete strangers.

Years ago a lady showed Ann how to make crosses from hobby grid and colorful ribbons. They are of a size that makes them just right for bookmarks or pinned to a bathroom mirror and lately above the windows of Humvees going into combat. Ann makes them in idle moments while watching TV, or traveling, something to keep her hands busy. She includes them in sympathy or cards of congratulation. One of her goals is to make and have on hand enough crosses to give one to each and every person that attends her funeral. To date though she keeps giving away her stash so as she says she just can't die yet. I think I like it that way!

During my overseas stints during the VietNam War, Ann kept me supplied with mail- able baked goods and other reminders of home. When the War On Terror kicked off her caring instinct kicked in and she set off in search of a way to send reminders of home to our warriors. Through Air Force publications I happened on the web site www.adopt-a-chaplain.org. It is a group of volunteers working a faith based ministry in San Jose, CA. They regularly assemble donated items in boxes packed individually for each Chaplain to meet their specific requests. The boxes are then mailed; money for postage is also donated, to Military Chaplains covering a diverse area of operations and exposures.

Ann packages her crosses individually in a plastic snack bag along with a typed out verse of scripture, her name and address and the names and a picture to the ladies at Willow Ridge who help with the handy work. She then puts fifty of the individual bags in a one gallon plastic bag and mails several hundred at a time to the Adopt a Chaplain people.

Recent communication included the following: "We are now at box #4500 and progressing at 450 boxes/month with support from across the country We have been putting 3 or 4 of your crosses in personal mail to chaplains in each box so they can have them in their pocket when they meet someone in need and this a daily occurrence with severe family problems from this extension of duty time. This puts your crosses with our 80 chaplains in every area from foxholes to air bases from Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar, Horn of Africa (23 countries)."

A call came for beanie babies and other small stuffed toys and Ann sent several boxes. The following came back: "This week a chaplain assigned to the key receiving station in Kuwait for all troops coming and going into/out of the Middle East asked to be adopted. What an honor to see where the Lord places His people to witness for Him. I can see your groups of "crosses" in a lot of pockets as they head into new dangerous assignments. I can also see a lot of bunnies and small toys going home with tired troopers after an extended tour to see their children on the receiving airfield with the only thing they could find to bring them. See how the Lord provides." Gary Campbell.

Ann wondered if any local soldier had ever received one of her crosses. Voila, she receives a thank you email from LCDR Matthew Warnke, the Chief Chaplain on the USS J C Stennis, an aircraft carrier currently deployed to the Mideast. She was aware that her boss Craig Larmon's son, LT Byron Larmon, flies the F/A-18 off the Stennis and asked if LCDR Warnke knew him. The response: "Ann-Yes, I had seen him around the ship, but I did not know him. We got together today, and had a good conversation. He took a couple of the extra crosses so has received one now. He did remember you and he told me a little bit about the retirement home. He said that he had visited his Grandparents (Harold and Marion) there last December. It is a small world. Blessings to you, Chaplain Warnke."

I'm proud of my wife. Let us all make Memorial Day special and honor those who have sacrificed to preserve our freedom as well as those in the fight today.