Thirty-five kids sat at tables stamping, glittering, gluing and writing Merry Christmas messages on folded green or red paper at a local daycare to honor deployed parents and 5th Stryker Brigade soldiers. Gavin, spelled out "honored," repeating letters with marker as a volunteer named their order.  Nearby, Nan, addressed her card: "to Dad."  "He's gone for fourteen days," she said.  "He's on the boat.  He's in the Navy."  Gavin, quickly calculating, assured that her father would return before Christmas.

Dropped off at Little Winners Daycare and Childcare LCC for a Parents' Night Out, kids played games, ate pizza, frosted sugar cookies and watched a movie in addition to stuffing stockings for Fort Lewis 5th Stryker Brigade and penning holiday greetings for overseas military.  The event also provided couples with needed respite. " ‘... I don't know what we are going to do.  It's our first time away during the night ...'" Little Winner's director, Shannon DeRosier, repeated earlier sentiments.  "Good to see them come in all dressed up and excited to go out tonight."

Rose Johnson, owner of the certified ACCYN site (meaning military will cover a portion of child's care here through NACCRRA), gladly noted the night's $500 profit designated for Daddy Dolls (www.hugahero.com), an organization offering huggable comfort for military kids, like her grandson.  Relocated and parentless at 20 months, he splits time in Texas and Washington as his grandmothers share custody during the deployment of both mom and dad.  "For like an hour and a half, all he did was sit there and push his mother's voice over and over and over again," Rose said of his reaction to the doll with sewn-in recorder.

She created the Night Out from a passionate heart full of gratitude and understanding.  Having seen her own husband, deployed in 2005, for only brief periods of military leave, her eyes tear speaking of her sons (now 16 and 21) and their father's required absence.  "I totally understand what these guys are going through," she said.