Military spouses crave connection. In a lifestyle full of constant changes, we hold on to the relationships that mean the most to us. Distance, however, can provide a unique challenge that technology has thankfully minimized.
We have loads of apps to send pictures, video chat, leave comments, and “follow” someone. All of these technologies are great, but one technology that will never go out of style is good ole snail mail.
THE BEAUTY OF WRITING LETTERS
My husband deployed soon after we started dating and we used social media to stay in contact day-to-day. It was convenient and quick, but it lacked the excitement that we experience when we get a letter in the mail. Even though we talked multiple times a week via chat or video, when the conversations ended I rarely went back to re-read them. My husband’s letters on the other hand were kept by my bed and brought out regularly to re-experience over and over again. It is hard to describe the joy I felt every time I opened my mailbox and saw a letter waiting for me from my soldier. I’m sure you know the feeling I speak of!
I was really excited to discover a unique and touching company called SmileMail. SmileMail makes voice-recorded greeting cards, which play your message when opened. You record and customize your card on their app, and they create and physically mail it for you. So easy! They are specifically focused on helping military families keep in touch, especially during deployment. I keep thinking back to our first deployment and how I would have felt every time I opened a letter from my handsome soldier and heard his voice saying a message he recorded just for me!
USING SMILEMAIL TO CONNECT IS QUICK AND EASY
It takes less than a minute to create and send a SmileMail card. Through their app, you choose a design, record a thirty-second voice message, and add a picture. Then they make and mail your card for you! Every card has a tiny chip inside which plays your voice message when opened. SmileMail has all the benefits of snail mail combined with the ease of an app. Unlike a voicemail or text message, SmileMail cards can’t be deleted and are keepsakes to keep and listen to forever.
Not only is it a modern take on a timeless concept, but all of the cards are made in the U.S. with high-quality cardstock. SmileMail’s simplistic yet beautiful designs are curated from partnerships with small indy greeting card companies. I love #shopsmall businesses that collaborate with each other!
DEPLOYMENT-SPECIFIC WAYS TO CONNECT
To make it even easier for military families to connect, SmileMail offers subscriptions designed specifically for families going through deployment. The “Love Letters” subscription allows families to send cards back and forth. It gives both sides something to look forward to every week, and by the end of a deployment families will have a shoebox full of SmileMail cards to reminisce over for years to come. The “Deployment Countdown” subscription is for families looking to support their loved one during deployment. We’re giving away one of these at the end of this post! Every week family members can take turns sending various morale boosters and affirmations to help boost their loved ones’ morale during deployment and help the time apart go by more quickly.
The ways to use SmileMail to connect with your loved ones is endless. Imagine one scenario where a dad is deployed and sends SmileMails back home to his kids so they can hear his voice whenever they want. Or the entire family singing “Happy Birthday” to send to their deployed loved one. With the holidays coming up, you can surprise someone with holiday cheer and make their day! Have a friend who could use some words of encouragement? Record your voice and choose the perfect card to send.
Long story short, we are excited about this new way to connect with each other. We love the personalized touch it brings and it just might make the distance between families feel a little bit smaller.
We have a special discount just for InDependent! Use code MSWS19 for 20% off of your first month and let us know what you think. We are also giving away one (1) six-month Deployment Subscription and five (5) SmileMail cards! Enter here.
ABOUT EVIE
Evie King is an Army spouse and the executive director of InDependent. She found InDependent after searching “military spouse wellness” on the internet and started volunteering with the organization in March 2016. Evie loves everything about InDependent, from the amazing team of military spouses who work to enrich the lives of our military community, to the supporters and collaborators who share their stories and expertise to create content for military spouses and support their wellness. Each interaction is a reminder that we’re stronger when we come together as a community. When she’s not coming up with creative titles or working with team members and partners, you can find Evie going on adventures with her spouse, cooking up new recipes in the kitchen to test on guests, or reading novels curled up on the couch while enjoying a hot beverage.
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