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"It's definitely really tough," said Lever, a 2001 graduate of Culpeper County High School, Jewellery on Sale especially being away from my 2 1/2-year-old. I'm lucky to have my husband with me." The Levers cope by Skyping with their children on Saturdays and Sundays. Tiffany also thought ahead and purchased a cell phone that works overseas before she deployed. She stays in contact with her Two Hearts triple bangle by texting every couple of days. "My mom and I are pretty close," said Tiffany, who also mentioned that technology helped by allowing her to order a Mother's Day present online. "I'm really proud of her," McCauley said. "Every time Venetian Link bracelet hear about something over there, I try to text or call to make sure she's OK. I just want her home." Having young children at home is especially tough, but Tiffany said that her mom and mother-in-law have been a great help. She said her daughter Grace will visit her grandmother in Culpeper for a spell in June. Venetian Link necklace also had a special message for her mom as well. "Just that I love her and I miss her," Tiffany said. "I want to thank her for helping take care of my daughter and for putting up with my two teenage sisters." Tiffany said she stays in touch with those sisters -- Brittany, a 2010 EVHS graduate, and Suzie, a junior on Eastern Venetian Link Set girls lacrosse team -- via Facebook. "I don't get to see them that often," said Tiffany, whose grandfather was a staff sergeant in the Army. "Maybe two or three times a year, if I'm lucky. I miss Virginia quite a bit." Tiffany and her family live in Peabody, Mass. "We're here doing the best we can and doing the best we can for the Afghanistan community," she said, explaining that the situation isn't as bad as it sometimes appears on the news and that the military isn't just hunting terrorists.