Has absolutely overwhelmed me this Christmas. With Michael's first Christmas around the corner, we have received 3 First Christmas ornaments for him with the one that blew me away the most coming in the mail last night. Aunt Kim got him the cutest rocking horse. Grandma Nora got him one with a teddy bear on it. I don't want people to think that those ornaments are any less meaningful to us because they aren't. This one just took me by complete surprise and left me almost speechless. Here's the story of the one we received last night:
Last night Aaron went to check the mail. He came back in and told me that Michael had a gift from someone in Brownfield that he didn't know. I couldn't imagine who had sent us a gift that Aaron didn't know. It turns out the gift was from Freddie Tatum. I was shocked at that by itself. So I unwrap the gift and find an ornament. I notice that it says "First Christmas 2008". I think, "How sweet of Freddie to think of us at Christmas and our new baby." Then I look a little closer, Freddie has signed the ornament. Then I turn it over and notice that the back says, "Joy to the World, Michael". That's when it hits me that this is no ordinary ornament. This is a hand painted ornament that Freddie has done herself. That's when I start crying. I am so overwhlemed by the generosity of this gift . Then I remember seeing Freddie almost a year ago at the airport in Lubbock. I was nearing the end of my first trimester and am so excited that I tell Freddie that we are having a baby. My only guess is that she remembered that conversation then found out that Michael was here. I talked to my grandmother last night and found out that she had been contacted for Michael's name and our address.
Needless to say, this morning I'm still overwhelmed with her generosity. It makes the ornament that we even bought him for his first Christmas pale in comparison and it's a Waterford crystal baby bottle with a sterling silver top. (I know. We went a little overboard.)
I was reminded by this gift that this is the season of giving. I needed that reminder after spending the afternoon shopping and dealing with people around me who have no regard for the people around them. It made me step back from all the craziness and remember what Christmas is all about. It's funny how God can do that even through the smallest of things...a Christmas ornament.
No comments:
Post a Comment