...to be thankful for strangers

...that sure did bring four kids some crazy J-O-Y this evening

My children were 'wowed' this evening.  

I keep biting my bottom lip to stop the stinging in my eyes while I write...

A box arrived here at the house a few days ago.  I saved it for an evening that would be a little less hectic than some of ours can be.  I knew that this package would be coming because Mark had told me to expect this it.  The return address was unfamiliar to me.  And the story and gesture behind the box was unfamiliar as well.

The holiday season is filled with stories about folks 'doing unto others'.  And I feel like our military soldiers are especially taken care of during the holiday season.  You hear about the opportunity to send a soldier a card through the Red Cross, Mark has received packages from several different VFW's, and family and friends are especially kind to remember Mark and other soldiers serving overseas.

I am so thankful for this.  I want nothing more than Mark and other soldiers to get "J-O-Y" from home.  I know that being away from home is so difficult on our soldiers and I am so grateful for the kindness of family, friends, and strangers toward them. 

This time though, the gesture was for #1, 2, 3, and 4.  Our package was a gesture of kindness sent to my cherubs..to bring them a little holiday cheer, from a stranger wishing them a Merry Christmas.  Recognizing that having their Dad gone for the holidays, is so very hard on them.  

I am so tearful and thankful, thinking that someone would consider the sacrifice that these four little ones have made.  It's funny because for the most part I don't think about that either.  But this kindness...someone trying to bring them happiness is so lovely; it tears at my heartstrings.

This is the new story...

A co-worker of Mark's from West Point put this couple from New York in contact with Mark.  They wanted to thank a family for their service.  Their package was so thoughtful.  She took the time to send Mark one of the recordable story books (Twas The Night Before Christmas) from Hallmark and asked him to record it...then send it back to her.  Because she had more...

She filled a large box with Christmas treasures that any child would love.  There were blinking Rudolph noses, flashing light-bulb necklaces, candy canes, a dog with a storybook...can it get any better?  While they loved it all, the karaoke microphone that plays Christmas jingles (it disguises your voice as an elf's) was the item that they fought over all evening!  She even included a sweet angel pin for myself.  And of course, she brought their Dad a little closer to them with the storybook.  Abbey kept playing it over and over.

I am still speechless...and tearful.

Isabella couldn't believe that a stranger would think of her and her siblings.  "Just because my dad is deployed?"  William was amazed.  The little girls just wanted to eat the candy and play with the treasures. 

I know there are holiday angels all around us during the holiday season.  I hear about special stories on the news nearly every day.  There are families and children that need so many things.  Things that Mark and I are very lucky to be able to provide for our children.  

I just didn't realize that our family needed an angel too.  For different reasons.  

Thank you.