Operation Buckeye: Please Help!

The Christmas I found out I was pregnant with Nicholas was when my dad sent out his first care packages to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It wasn't called anything then -- it was just my dad collecting items or money to buy items to send in the first round of boxes. He got the idea after reading a newspaper article about our troops.

Most, if not all, the money came from my dad and mom, our family [including me and the hubby] and dad's friends. My hubby and I went to Meijer with him to buy the items for those first boxes and planned to help him pack them all up. [While the hubby helped Dad fill the cart, I snuck off to buy my pregnancy test!]

Since then, this labor of love has a name, more volunteers, more attention and more funds. It's not just my dad, Jim, anymore. It's now called Operation Buckeye. Last year, 1064 boxes were sent to the men and women of our armed forces. To date, over 1400 boxes have been sent.

Trying to bring a touch of home and brighten the day of a soldier, the boxes contain items that are both treats and necessities: Beef Jerky and hard candy are two of the favorites, along with drink mixes (to give water a better taste). Gum, chips, cheese crackers, canned fruit, granola bars, tuna snacks, tooth brushes and paste, books, batteries, deodorant, foot powder, peanuts, puzzle books, and wipes are only a partial list of items sent.


Want to Help Operation Buckeye?
There are several ways to help. The most obvious is through donations:

Operation Buckeye
PO Box 1814
Westerville, OH 43086-1814

Or dropped off at any Huntington Bank branch [if you live in Columbus, OH].
Please make all checks out to "Operation Buckeye"

They also look for volunteers. Volunteers gather at Operation Buckeye HQ every second and fourth Saturday. Boxes are usually packed from 1pm to 4pm.

Operation Buckeye HQ is located at :
4290 N. High Street
Columbus, OH 43214


Contact Operation Buckeye:
Jim Caronis [my wonderful dad!!] - Chairman: Jim@operationbuckeye.org
Dave Eyestone - Treasurer: Dave@operationbuckeye.org


More About Operation Buckeye
OPERATION BUCKEYE was formed with the sole purpose of sending boxes to our troops as a way to thank them for their efforts and to bring a touch of home to them. The physical conditions they endure are difficult and being away from family for long periods of time is also difficult.

OPERATION BUCKEYE boxes contain food and snacks, personal hygiene items, reading materials, and good wishes of love and support.

All monies raised through letter writing campaigns, media exposure, and donations from individuals and companies are used to purchase items , supplies, and postage. OPERATION BUCKEYE provides caring civilians the opportunity to show their appreciation and respect to the men and women of our military stationed in hostile and remote regions of the world.


Related Articles or Stories:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2006/10/19/20061019-C1-00.html
http://ohio15th.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2007/03/01/20070301-B1-01.html http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/27/MIKE27.ART_ART_05-27-07_B2_0K6RAR0.html


P.S. My dad has NO idea I posted this in my blog! He's not about self-promotion, but I wanted to try and help out, so I've been putting the word out about Operation Buckeye. And I'm SO proud of my dad for doing all of this and just wanted to brag a little about him......

DNA is Like a Box of Chocolates

So, when Nicholas was first born, most people said he looked more like me. Granted, it's hard to tell with an infant so young, but I did agree with them......over the weekend, though, my mom said that Nick Knack was looking more like Andy! I took a close look at my baby and thought, "Hmmm....I just don't see it...." [or maybe I don't WANT to see it!]

What is lurking in Nicholas's DNA is 50% a mystery. As Forrest Gump would say, it's a box of chocolate....you never know what you're going to get! I suppose that could be true about what I passed on....the only thing I know for sure that I gave to that child are his toes! They are definitely my toes, and they are the same toes that my father has. We all have these lollipop big toes and the second and third are close together. In fact, that's the second thing I said in the delivery room right after, "He's so beautiful! And slippery!" I then said, "He has my feet!"

I remember when I was pregnant, and the doctor asked me about some test for a disease that is hereditary. I said, "Oh, that's okay....it doesn't run in my family." Then, I suddenly realized that I have NO idea what runs in Andy's family! It's because he was adopted, and he has never looked for his biological parents. Therefore, he could have all sorts of things lurking in the shadows of his genes....

Me, for example, I am half Greek. I already know what evil noses and big ears are hidden in my DNA. My grandmother had quite a schnoz! Thankfully, they don't seem to be dominate genes! So far, Nicholas has a cute, normal nose. We'll see if it becomes the German nose that both my brother's and I have.

My biggest concern with this unknown family history stuff is that we don't know what to look for or prevent.....physical appearance is pretty minor compared to the real problems he could have inherited. Like, does cancer run on Andy's side? Mental illness? Or something like that? Same for his girls.....we really don't know.

I guess there isn't much we can do but wait.....and see how our little baby grows....

Obviously, Mommy Puts Out

I'm not sure where this design idea came from -- or what inspired me. But it's been a big seller for us this month! Obviously, Mommy Puts Out. How funny is that? I need to order one for my baby, so he can wear it to day care. I wonder how the ladies there will react!!

Been a crazy weekend. There's this tiny chance that I'm pregnant again [because this mommy obviously puts out!]. My husband will absolutely FREAK. We decided only one baby, and that's what we had -- Nicholas. I'm still not sure when I got pregnant with him, because we weren't even trying yet! Some swimmers must have gotten loose or something. All I know is that I was more shocked than anybody when the ept test showed a big, ole plus sign.

I took another ept test on Saturday. However, it was an older one -- from the "pair" of tests that I got when I checked to see if I was preggers with Nick Knack. I have no idea if it was still good, and I had to go online to make sure I was reading it correctly. Of course, DUH, how difficult is it to tell the difference between the + [positive] and -- [negative]?

Well, it was a definite -- [i.e. NO BABY on board], so I am guessing that I am not carrying a little bro or sis for Nick. Sometimes, I secretly want another baby, and sometimes I'm just fine and dandy with Mr. Nick. I'm be happy with whatever direction my life takes me....

Happy Birthday, Curt!

Today is my younger brother's birthday. He is 37....which makes me.....older. I'm actually not that much older. Mom was 40 when she had me, so she was running out of time to have anymore babies. My dad, her second husband, now had three girls with the addition of me, so they gave it one more try for the boy he always wanted. Voila! Curt was born sixteen months after me, and then Mom was D-O-N-E.

What is interesting is that if my mom had an easy pregnancy, then the kid has been easy. And the deliveries were also somewhat indicative of how the child turned out.

If that's the case, then Nicholas will be a SAINT! The pregnancy was pretty easy, as far as pregnancies go. I did have a bad month when he was pinching my Sciatic Nerve.....THAT was hell.

During this "phase", I went on a trip. Of course, my terminal was the very last one, so I had the farthest to walk to get to baggage claim. I took my time, but I was still sobbing by the time I reached baggage claim. My husband was circling the airport and ended up parking and coming inside to help me! It was bad.....

So, besides the pinched nerve, the pregnancy was pretty easy....in hindsight. I didn't feel that way when every bad pregnancy symptom hit at once! The delivery was really easy....again, as far as deliveries go! I had a brief period of time, pre-epidural, when I was suffering the worst pain of my life! But that didn't last too long, and I was in heaven after the epidural.

And so far, Nicholas has been a good baby....I mean GOOD. He was sleeping through the night by 11 weeks. He rarely cries -- even after FOUR shots at the doctor's! I really hope he doesn't turn out to be a demon child at some point, because so far, he's been a dream.