Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
It has been almost 3 years now and I still don’t really know how to talk about our time in Fort McCoy for Operation Allies Welcome (OAW).
OAW was a worldwide effort to protect Afghan refugees fleeing political persecution. It aimed to protect Afghans who supported U.S. efforts in Afghanistan—a cause my husband and I deeply believed in.
it started in quantico...
The journey to get there, however, wasn’t without its struggles. When the operation began in the summer of 2021, I was pregnant with our first child. As you can imagine, we now faced the challenge of balancing my postpartum recovery with my husband’s commitment to this meaningful mission.
Initially, the plan was for us to stay together in a hotel near Quantico while he worked on the project at Camp Upshur.
But circumstances changed, and we had to adapt. After a very difficult December apart during which we could no longer join him in Quantico, he was offered a leadership role at the camp in Wisconsin.
...and somehow ended in fort mccoy??
Fort McCoy was tough
We decided to accept and relocated as a family to Fort McCoy.
It would have even more challenges than his time in Quantico. After all, I had at least stayed in our home with all our belongings. But all I could focus on was the fact that we would be together. For real this time. So I agreed.
The move was no small feat! Three days on the road with our 3-month-old, dog, cat, and baby gear packed into our Honda Fit. But when we arrived at the one-bedroom cabin that would be our temporary home, it felt like a fresh start. It was snug, charming, and full of potential.
Living in that cabin came with challenges: limited internet made running my education business tricky and the cramped space required constant creative problem-solving. Taking care of a newborn in the Wisconsin winter was no easy task either—every dog walk meant bundling up both myself and the baby.
but it was also beautiful
But there were also beautiful pockets of joy.
The snow outside was magical, the evenings were warm and cozy, C relatched after months of nursing struggles, and I cherished every contact nap with my baby.
The work my husband did was meaningful and fulfilling, and seeing his joy at the end of each day made me glad I had supported him in his involvement with the project. We indulged in Wisconsin’s incredible cheeses (those cheese curds were unforgettable!) and found beauty in our new life as parents.
Reflections
Would I agree to it again, knowing what I know? To be honest, I’m not sure. On one hand, I advocate better for myself and my needs now and hubby is more receptive, but on the other, I’m significantly more confident in my on-the-road parenting and I have become much more impassioned and involved in activism and helping at-risk populations.
That season taught me so much about myself. I became more patient, resilient, and compassionate as a mother and wife.
I learned how to be stronger, kinder, more loving, and more patient with myself.
Those lessons shaped who I am today.
And to me, that is worth everything.
Immigrants, Refugees, and Global Communities
This segment of the Immigrants, Refugees, and Global Communities Collection is a little odd just because I wasn’t inspired to crochet or design in the moment, obviously, since I didn’t even crochet yet. Instead, for Wisconsin and Jamaica I’m drawing my inspiration from sitting down in silence and stillness to reflect on my experience during that time.
Wisconsin was a funny experience because I’ve always enjoyed the cold but I’d never been so absolutely enveloped in it. We were far below freezing the entire 6 weeks there and just broke 32° one or two days. It was rough — until it wasn’t! I recall one day when James came home saying how nice it was outside – it was above freezing! So we got all 3 of us dressed up and went for a long walk in the snow. Your body adapts to so many different things. Weather changes, stress patterns, identity shifts. The self adapts.
I adapted to being a new mom. To being a military spouse. To parenting on the road. And yes, to the intense Wisconsin winter.
Inspired by these conditions, I’ve designed one of my first official patterns!
Meet Pippin!
Pippin the Snow Puff, with his soft, squishy body and silly gangly arms, is more than just a crochet stuffy—it’s a memory of the challenging yet sweet and fun few weeks we spent in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. He represents the harsh cold becoming a welcome friend. Every stitch reflects the bittersweet experience, and I hope it brings to you that same inspiration to overcome difficulties.
And if you love the Immigrants, Refugees, and Global Communities Collection but don’t need any crochet items, I’ve got something special for you too! Each crochet piece in the collection will also be converted into adorable illustrations. Based on your feedback and requests, these designs will become coloring pages, stickers, digital clipart, stationery, or other charming items. My goal is to make sure that anyone that wants to be a part of the Travel Collection can do so.
If you’d like to learn more about about this segment of my shop, which is dedicated to both curated and unique designs inspired by our global adventures, click here to visit the Travel Collection main page. And remember, 15% of all sales from this collection go towards supporting education in the local community, so your purchase makes a difference in more ways than one.
If you’d like to bring this little guy home and help support our global community to boot, you can purchase your very own Pippin the Snow Puff.
Thank you for being part of this journey with Cozy Daisy Stitchery. Your support not only adds a bit of global charm to your home but also helps make a meaningful difference. I’m so excited to share more of our travels and the creativity they inspire. Stay tuned for more stories and designs as we continue to explore the world, one stitch at a time.
