Shower Of Generosity

OK, so the big news - I have a laptop again, so I can continue blogging! It was given to me by a family member that does not know about this blog, but does know we are struggling. She wasn't using it and had received is as a gift years prior. When we mentioned that our littlest had killed ours with a glass of water, she instantly offered it to us. I am so humbled with appreciation. Not only to receive such an "expensive" thing as a gift, but more so because of what it allows me to do - pay bills, look for jobs, communicate with family, and recently, to have my catharsis writing this blog.

I sincerely hope that someday when we are much better off, I can show this to her and let her know that she gifted me one of the vehicles that got us there. Please, please, please...

Christmas this year was so far above what we expected, and all due to the generosity of our family. Since we moved here in October, this is the first Christmas we (I and my children) have gotten to spend with my husband's family. They really MADE it Christmas for us, and especially for my children. The littlest of course won't remember, but my oldest had a Christmas like she'd never had before, with literally PILES of gifts.

There were so many gifts around the tree, and it was so prettily decorated, that it must have looked like Santa's own to her. There was so much food, and ten different kinds of cookies, and oreo truffles. But most importantly, there were so many of her favorite people. With the party going on around her and the other kids looking for their names under the tree, she was sitting at the table playing tic-tac-toe with her uncle and cousin. Later on of course, she was squealing in on overload of delight as she ripped off wrapper after wrapper, but I just really thought those two moments were so sweet.

Our family was overly generous to my husband and I too, and we were very happy with all we received. We both got some new (nice!) clothes and some home items. My husband got a gift card to his kind of toy store and spent two hours in delight spending it. Not only that, but we got to take home tons of left overs!

But personally, here were my favorite gifts:

*My husband laughing hysterically (gasping with tears streaming down his face) at a homemade ornament his sister gave him. It had googly eyes, and I guess just how silly it looked really tickled him. He will keep it forever.

*My father-and-mother-in-law saying that one of THEIR best gifts, was having me in the family, and loving and making their son happy. /sniff

*Watching my oldest child making the memory of the best Christmas she's ever had.

This is what Christmas is about. This is where the joy comes from. This is what people mean when they say the best things in life are free.

To all those who gave of themselves this Christmas, but especially to my family - Thank you so much. You have touched us deeply with your generosity and have given us so much that we wouldn't get otherwise. We cannot thank you enough.

No matter where you fall on the income line, I hope yours was a wondrous and joyous Christmas and that you made some really priceless memories with your family. Those are the only gifts you will remember, and the only ones that matter.