As most of you know, Taylor held a blanket drive for the troops. People were so generous in helping her, giving blankets and or money to help ship, as well as Bob Cook who gave up a few hours of his time to give Taylor boxes to ship these in and then helped pack them up, all 21 boxes and then help load them up to take to the post office and haul them there and then help me unload them all. Boy, that was a bit of work!
I am proud to say that Taylor shipped out over 170 blankets, 21 boxes total. We have more here that came in after the first shipping went out and they will be going out soon.
We sent these out a week before Christmas and I was completely shocked when we got an email from a MSgt. stating they got some boxes from Taylor and were a bit puzzled by who GySgt Taylor Batten was and then by the amount of boxes they got!!! They read a note from Taylor, saw a picture of her and a letter that I wrote to them about Taylor. I wanted whoever that got these blankets to know about her and why she was sending them.
Taylor picked out a Marine unit and then the 82nd Airborne to send the blankets to. I was very proud of her for that, she could have very easily just sent all the blankets to her Marines, but she loves Army to and they are over there as well, so it was HER choice to send half to each unit.
Now we were shocked that the blankets got there so fast, but also in what this MSgt. said. It just goes to show how small of a world it really is. The MSgt. was so touched by what Taylor did and the letter, he showed it to his command and to his XO. Guess what? That XO happens to be none other then Taylor's beloved Major B!!!! Taylor just shrieked when she read that! What are the chances that out of all the deployed Marines, she sends off to a unit and someone in there happens to know her personally?! We have laughed several times over this. For those that don't know of the story of Major B, scroll down and you will find their story in her blog.
What has become of this has been pretty emotional for us. Taylor's letter and story has been passed around this Marine unit and she has gotten several emails from those guys. Then, the story was posted on their official website and now she is getting emails from family members. I have cried several times tonight already. I am with Taylor and I know she is amazing and I know what she does is amazing, but when you see it all the time, I guess I have become 'used' to it. It is just Taylor's normal, if that makes any sense. But then to get emails from guys that are in a war zone, thanking HER for being there for them, well, it snaps me right back into reality. When I read an email from a mom whose son is on his first deployment and had been involved in an IED attack with one of his friends being hurt, it snapped me back to reality. The reality of just how special my child is and just how amazing she is.
She continues her fight for herself each day, yet never looks for herself, but beyond. She looks out for what she can do make sure her troops feel they are loved and taken care of. That they know they are doing something worthwhile, that they matter. Now the in turn are doing the very same for Taylor.
I am not sure if I am able to post the website information of the unit she sent to and what they have on their webpage. I will ask if I can post it and if I can, I will do so.
I want to thank everyone that has helped Taylor make this blanket drive the success it was, even if only 1 blanket had been collected, it would have been a success to her because that is 1 person that would have been touched. But as it is, it is hundreds of people that have been touched. Not just by those that got blankets and kept them, but by those that got blankets and then handed them over to someone else who needed it more then they did, or an Afghani child. It has touched parents of those whose child is that Marine over there. It has come back and touched us as well.
Thank you everyone!
