A Year with Flat Daddy

Here we go again

Us — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:34:52 +0000

Well, here we sit. In a conference room, with a few hundred other individuals. We’re starting all the briefings again, gathering the paperwork again, steeling ourselves for the challenges ahead. Again.
Yes boys and girls, the prep work has started for our next deployment. In a few more months we will once again become a Flat Daddy family. Today the reality starts to set it. I am all at once focused and frantic. My chest has begun to tighten a few times, the tears are trying to force themselves to the surface.
The journey begins…

Brief update:

Us — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 14:46:27 +0000

My uncle has recently started responding to verbal commands and has some success moving his limbs intentionally. This is wonderful news and is more than we were initially led to hope for. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers, keep the good vibes flowing!

A request for thoughts and prayers

Us — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:04:17 +0000

On August 6th my uncle, US Army Sgt Anson Curry, was critically injured by grenade shrapnel in Afghanistan. The news we received swung wildly between “there’s no hope” and “oh my gosh he moved!”.
Eventually he stabilized enough to be moved to Bethesda, where he is currently being treated. My grandmother and his wife are there with him now. He has been placed into a deep, medically induced coma to resolve some issues, though there have been some small bright lights at the end of the tunnel. For instance, he opened an eye at one point and turned his head towards a voice on the phone.
Please keep Anson, his wife, and all of his family members in your prayers. In addition, there were apparently several other soldiers killed in the incident, so please remember them and their families in your prayers during this difficult time as well…

In Memorium

Us — Mon, 30 May 2011 04:28:45 +0000

This Memorial Day will be bittersweet, it always it. But it hits us closer to home this year as we grieve the recent loss of SFC Cliff Beattie.
Cliff’s parents and sisters have been dear friends of ours for about a decade now, and they have always attested to his commitment to the Army and his country. The morning of his death, Cliff participated in a run honoring fallen soldiers. His wife was deployed in Iraq as well. He leaves behind two children, one of whom is about to graduate high school, as well as countless friends and family members.
Our thought, prayers, and aching hearts are with Cliff’s family at this time, as well as the family of the PFC also killed in the IED attack.
Flags throughout Washington state will fly at half staff on Wednesday June 1st in his memory…

Another chance to serve

Us — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 06:54:59 +0000

As some of you know, I work at the airport.
Recently we began to see a major influx of service members and their families being routed through our airport from Japan. All in all we are expecting to see approximately 15,000 of these folks over the coming weeks/month. Flying for hours and hours with just their family and a few bags of clothes, they are tired and stressed once they arrive. Many don’t know where they are headed or what exactly is to become of their belongings left behind.
As always, the USO has done a commendable job of stepping up to help. A large section of the second level has been equipped with cots and seating areas, a conference room has been converted to a welcome center and play area, and they are even offering rudimentary vet care for those families that have managed to bring their pets along. The USO volunteers are there at all hours of the day and night. I have never seen them complain and they are constantly working to assist those who serve our country.
Japan needs help. Give, give all you can. I and the people I know have all been very lucky, everyone connected to us has made it through alive so far, some against unbelievable odds. Many, many others haven’t been as fortunate.

All I’m saying is, in the future, when you’re looking for somewhere to devote your time or money, please remember the immense service the USO is providing now, and all they do everyday for service members and their families.
All our best to you and yours

You should all be proud!

Us — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:54:48 +0000

I have been so excited to hear about all the Flat Mommies and Daddies being shipped all over the country and beyond. Even better, thanks to the outpouring of support from people all over, many of these flat folks are being sent to military families at NO CHARGE to them. What does this really mean? Well, I recently had a commenter on the blog share her feelings and I wanted to pass it along to you. Shannon writes:
“Thanks to my mom finding your story in Parade, I ordered our Flat Daddy and he arrived just days after real Daddy deployed with the Navy. My children are 6, 4, 1 1/2 and another on the way. We are so excited to take Daddy with us and SO thankful for the generous donations that enabled us to do this without charge. THANK YOU for being out there – for all of us military families.”

Thank you, thank you all. Thank you for giving even the smallest amount, and thank you for letting me be a part of this amazing experience. If you are now, or ever have been, a service member or dependent, thank you for everything you do. When the hard days hit, it helps to come here and be reminded of all the great things in the world. Then I can turn to my family and appreciate them even more.
You are fabulous!

Flat Daddies in the news

Us — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:42:44 +0000

Not us this time, but another bit of news locally about Flat Daddies:
Meet this FD and his family here, then see a bit of the homecoming here. We’ll even forgive King5 for borrowing a line from our intro Honestly I’m just happy to see other families having fun and staying together across the time and distance. All our best to you Wyse family!

A little holiday cheer

Us — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:03:31 +0000

Some extra thanks

Us — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:33:37 +0000

Because if you meet Flat Jared, you can’t get out of having your picture taken with Flat Jared!
First, to Mr.Brad Dunn, and all the nice folks at Parade magazine, who flew across the country and let me talk his ear off

And to Lindsay Cohen, Matt the cameraman, and KOMO 4 news for getting the story out there and helping to drum up more awareness and donations for Flat Daddies. Find the story here.

Oh my wow

Us — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:19:23 +0000

What an amazing response today!
I’m totally floored by the overwhelming show of support for our family, but mostly for all the men and women in the armed forces and their families. People are really wonderful and it’s so great to witness this firsthand. I hope that more people have discovered the fun and comfort a Flat Daddy or Mommy can bring to families.
First and foremost, thanks to everyone. I’m just a regular chick who has a regular job and a regular family(and an unhealthy cosmetics obsession) who decided to try and keep in touch with her husband while he was gone. The idea grew a little when I added our family, and a little more when I added our friends, and then, well, it looks like it’s taken on a life of it’s own. Life, ha, that’s a little joke there. Get it, because it’s a piece of foam? No? okay then…
I had grandiose plans of responding to each and every comment. As the hit count started rising and the comments were coming in faster than I could approve them I realized that might not be as easy as it sounds. I have a day off coming up soon and I hope to catch up then, so be patient with me and keep those comments comin’!