I Support Military Kids Slideshow

We Support Military Kids!

We recently asked fans on our Facebook fan sites to submit pictures of their little HEROES and we asked the question, "Why do you love your HERO?" We used the pictures that were submitted and the answers to the question to make this slideshow. Bringing awareness to the sacrifices these little HEROES make, goes along with the AmericanHeroHugs mission of "Honoring the HERO and the CHILD."

ARMY WIVES PRAYER

I just found this prayer while looking for quotes and wanted to share it and some thoughts it provoked.

Army wives prayer

Dear Lord,
Give me the greatness of heart to see the difference between duty and his love for me. Give me understanding that I may know, when duty calls him he must go. Give me a task to do each day, to fill the time when he's away. And Lord, when he's in a foreign land, keep him safe in your loving hand. And Lord, when duty is in the field, please protect him and be his shield. And Lord, when deployment is so long, please stay with me and keep me strong. Amen.

Often times when we are married to someone with an important job that requires them to put their duty first, it is hard not take it personally. It is important to remember their commitment to their duty doesn't mean they love you less, it is a reflection of the love they have for you. Supporting them to perform their duty is a reflection of the love you have for them.

When left alone during long deployments or sudden changes, it is important to keep yourself busy and utilize all of the support systems available. Do the things that make you happy and bring you joy. Do the things you would do together but only if they bring you comfort. Being able to take care of yourself is a gift you can give your deployed HERO.

Always rely on the power of faith that they will return safely. Never give up your faith and your hope. Staying positive will help you move from day to day. Surround yourself with people who are positive so you can pull each other up when you get down. Turn to your support system in times of need, tell them when you need help. People will help you but you have to be willing to ask.

Always remember to take care of yourself and to take pride in the duty you are performing by being a supportive and committed military spouse. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND WE THANK-YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

XOXO

~T&K~

A picture opens the gateway for support

We recently posted this beautiful picture on our I support military kids facebook fan site. We were not at all surprised that it opened up a dialogue among fans who have experienced a similar moment. This picture for some, represents the moment they said goodbye and for others it represents the long awaited homecoming. This picture invokes so much emotion for those who have lived this experience. Whether it's the sad moment of goodbye or the joy of a homecoming, it's a shared experienced for these brave families. It's a moment of sacrifice we must all notice and be grateful for.

AmericanHeroHugs For Veterans

Recently I was going through old photos and found some of my dad when he was in the military so I decided to try to make dog tags with them. I love the results! A personalized dog tag would make a get gift for your HERO too. How fun would this be for the kids to have of their Grandparent? Recognizing HEROES past and present is not only a gift for the HERO but a great lesson in showing gratitude for those who proudly and bravely served and sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy in our great country. Order your AmericanHeroHugs dog tag TODAY at www.AmericanHeroHugs.com.

7 Positive Things

1. Focus on just today.
No one can control tomorrow. Try to only focus on what needs to be done Today.

2. Take time for you.
Everyone needs and deserves a break. We are better parents and people when we relax a little. It's amazing what even as little as 10 minutes of personal time can do for your outlook.

3. Think positive!!
Keep a small notebook and write down 5 things at the end of the day that you are grateful for. This one simple thing changes lives because it changes the way we view the world. You begin to view it with gratitude!

4. Choose your battles.
Decide what's really is important to acknowledge. The small stuff that worries us or stresses us out is not worth the energy we choose to put into it.

5. Hug those babies of yours and tell them you love them everyday. Kids are resilient and even when we make mistakes. They just want our love and will forgive.

6. Keep family and friends close.
Having a support system during deployment is critical. Join groups and reach out for help when you need it. Isolation will lead to depression. So many people want to help so be willing to reach out for the help. Their is great strength in numbers. We LOVE to help you!!

7. Laugh when you feel like crying. Lay down on the floor with the kids and each of you put your head on the others belly and start to laugh. It will be fake at first but soon there will be real laughter and you will feel much better. Laughter is not only the best medicine it's the best stress reliever too.

AmericanHeroHugs, are they just for Kids?

AmericanHeroHugs products although designed with children in mind are not just for kids. We often get orders for adults. Some people like to get two pillow cases, one with a picture of the HERO for the child and one with picture of the child to send to their HERO. Adults also love our HERO Jewelry. Often times we will make dogtags with pictures of children for the HERO to wear. HERO night lights although great in bedrooms, can be used to light dark hallways and bathrooms or anywhere you need a little extra light at night. It's important that we show pride in our HEROES and bring awareness to the children who also sacrifice for our freedom. The families left behind need our support. A great way to support our troops is to support their families

Why did you start American Hero Hugs?

"Why did you start AmericanHeroHugs?" This is a question that Tonya and I get asked a lot. The most important reason we started it was to find a way to honor our HEROES. When thinking about that, we discussed the most important thing to us and we both answered "Our children!" What better way to honor our HEROES than to also honor the people they love most, their children. We both agreed that we had to create something that helped foster a connection between the HERO and the CHILD when faced with long separations due to deployments. Using our combined talents we came up with AmericanHeroHugs. It started with a story told by a personal friend name Larry about his family's story of deployment and how a photo pillow gave them a connection. We have tried to put together products that will provide that connection. A child wearing a dog tag with their HEROES picture on it can open up the opportunity for someone to ask about their HERO giving them the opportunity to talk about them and feel connected. When a child gets into bed at night and sees their hero on their pillow case they can feel connected. We have geared all of our products to things a child can connect to and letting them have their HERO with them in some small way.

We operate AmericanHeroHugs out of our homes to keep operating costs low in order to keep our prices low. We know the financial burden long deployments puts on families. Do we want to make money? We would be lying if we said we didn't, but our intent when starting this was not to get rich but to use our talents to the best of our ability to provide a service to those who provide the ultimate service for us.