Happy Tuesday Friends!
Dear Bridget R,
Firstly, I hope this finds you and your family well and safe. Secondly, the hugest thank you to you, Bobbie S and Inge C for the quilt you all made for me – I have been in the Army since 1985 and this is the first one I have received – I love it.
Your quilt found its way to Egypt and just in time – we are returning home in 24 days which I am very much looking forward to. While I have enjoyed my second tour here and once again made some wonderful friends, I am very eager to go home and cuddle my dog with a nice glass of wine.
I have a partner and four adult children spread across the country who are my life blessing. As I am nearing the end of my military working life I have been lucky enough to receive a final posting, before turning 60 and retiring, to my home town in WA. This will give me some much needed and wanted time with my elderly parents, my sisters, and two of my children who live there. I have been away from home for way too long and am looking forward to finding a nice quiet place to retire and spend my days playing in the garden and with my knitting.
We had a lovely ANZAC Day here this year on the clifftop overlooking the ocean, then went to work. That’s the way it is I guess, at least we got up nice and early to pay our respects and were joined by many soldiers from the other nations here.
Once again, thank you all so very much for the beautiful quilt – I will treasure it always.
Kindest regards,
Good afternoon Kirsten O,
I hope you don’t mind me reaching out but I just received your quilt through Aussie Quilt Hero’s and I wanted to thank you. You have done a fantastic job - its perfect and made me smile. I hope I didn’t cause too much anxiety with my request. From your letter it sounds like you had quite a fluid and challenging career both in and out of uniform. I myself have served for 20 years and it has flown by. It is hard to remember where the boy who got off the bus at HMAS Cerberus has gone all those years ago. Defence can be rewarding/challenging both at the same time and it certainly takes a piece of you without you even realising.
Again thankyou for taking the time to make my quilt I really do love it. I’m sure you guys hear this often but these things really go a long way to making life in defence a little better.
Thankyou for your service
Note: When Kirsten sent AHQ & recipient the thank you email she included the below which I thought should be included as I am sure we have all felt the same when just given a one word theme for the quilt or LB. It also made me chuckle. We can all do with a bit of laughter I am sure!
My brother is a Marine Biologist so the broad concept of 'fish' was challenging for me - did you mean pelagic fish? freshwater fish? tropical fish? whales and turtles aren't fish..... When in doubt I go back to what would make me happy - so abstract fish was the result and you can decide the species!
Dear Toni F,
What a privilege it was receiving the laundry bag on the day of our departure!
The handiwork has been nothing less than excellent but what is of greater honour is receiving the recognition by you and all who serve at Aussie Heroes.
The task I have been called to fulfil is one of great honour and I do hope my role as a military chaplain will be appreciated by those who attend and participate in these services.
We will have family descendants in attendance and even though it has been over 100 years since their relatives were killed in action, I believe this will be just as emotional and somewhat painful all over again for them. As for us in the contingent, we are deeply humbled and it is such a proud moment for each of us on this journey. I think this experience will be very difficult to top in our military careers.
I also appreciate the walk back though your own history. It's those stories that connect us to one another. They are all so unique yet similar with stories of challenge and achievement and even times of great difficulties and pain. Thank you for sharing that with me.
I pray you will be continually blessed as you forge forward while serving faithfully with Aussie Heroes. It is such a valuable mission with incredible reach into the lives of so many people all around the world.
Thank you again.
Kindest regards,
Good afternoon Lyn R,
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for making the quilt for me. I am very impressed with how it turned out.
I have been bowling at a very high level for many years now, and have represented Qld a few times in the early to mid 2000’s. My brother and I actually held the national doubles record for that event for 11 years. It’s great to know that you have enjoyed bowling when you have gone. I also hope to be representing the ADF in Tasmania in August for the Tenpin Bowling Nationals being held there.
I am yet to get to a V8 Supercars event, but endeavour one day soon. I just love the sound and speed.
I hope that you will enjoy your travels and the warmth of Qld winters.
Again, thank you so much for the quilt and for all the support that you and Aussie Hero Quilts give to those of us serving this great country.
Regards,
....
Hi Bridget R,
First of all thank you so much for the work you did on the quilt and laundry bag we absolutely love it. I say we as the family were over the moon to be included. I have been in the RAAF for nearly 19 years and this will be my first deployment with kids so to include them in the quilt was great.
Getting the house and family ready and also getting in as much family time before I go. My wife is sorted and also in the RAAF and is the real hero in this house for what she is about to take on over the next 6 months!
Again thank you for what you and your organisation do it is greatly appreciated!
Cheers
....
Dear Bridget R,
I want to thank you so much for the lovely Laundry Bag you made for me. It was very humbling that as a new-to-service Chaplain you would make one for me.
Not only does it look amazing, it’s tremendously practical. I actually really needed a laundry bag, and it will be very helpful for me in my travels with the Army.
I’ve attached a photo of me receiving the Laundry Bag (see below).
Again, thank you so much for you. It’s so detailed, it must have taken quite some time.
Blessing and regards
....
Dear Pennie T
I cannot thank you enough for the beautiful quilt you have made for me. When Catherine D personally delivered it to me today I was overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude.
I am so grateful for all your hard work. Your quilt is absolutely amazing and definitely captures the essence of me perfectly. I just love the colours and everything you have added.
The Kombi panel is just stunning and matches my own kombi which is lovely, the mother and baby outline to signify my midwifery is particularly pertinent and totally captures my heart and soul.
I am really enjoying my new journey as a yoga teacher and love that you have also added some asanas into the quilt. It is also wonderful to have my RAANC logo and the Army logo signifying my Service. You honestly could not have done a better job.
It is also very special to know that a fellow nurse has made this quilt for me, having other nurses appreciate military nursing service really does mean a lot. I too have been nursing for 40 years, 32 years of my service has been with Defence which included a deployment to East Timor. I do not know how you find the time to fit everything in. You are obviously a remarkable caring human and I totally appreciate all that you do with your nursing and particularly your voluntary work with Aussie quilts. It is an amazing program and I am so privileged to be part of it.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will truly cherish my beautiful quilt and it will definitely become a family heirloom.
Kind Regards
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