the kindness of a total stranger

Nope, haven't been blogging much lately.  We just had a fantastic three-day road trip where we saw the Cahokia Mounds, went up in the St. Louis Arch, spent the day at the most awesome City Museum (also in St. Louis), and learned about Abraham Lincoln at the museum in his honor in Springfield.

But today I would like to recognize my deep gratitude for the kindness of a total stranger.

About a month ago, on one of those blog-to-blog hops, I found a Trauma Mama doing a gift swap and I thought, "Hey, that would be a really nice way to make someone's day, and maybe have a little fun getting a gift in return."

Me being the kind of person who likes to check off her to-do list, I found two great gifts at a local fair trade Christmas bazaar, made contact with my recipient and sent off the first package weeks ago (I decided to send them in two separate shipments because heck, it's just more fun getting two boxes, right?  :) ).  I didn't hear anything from my giver, and honestly I thought, "Well, this may just be another one of those times where I get to give, but I get forgotten.  *sigh*  Oh well."

Not so.

While we were on our trip, I got an email from my giver, M.N., saying that she had been thinking and praying about me for WEEKS as she got to know me through my profile and my blog, and had really put a lot of consideration into what to give me.  That in and of itself made me say WOW.  And feel a little embarrassed.  :)

Yesterday, the box came.  Andes mints (yum) and cocoa (also yum).  And a beautiful, surprising (that's putting it mildly) infinity-shaped pendant with the following words:

"Merry Christmas, my LDS Trauma Mama sister!  I have read your blog, reviewed your profile, and thought about you for weeks.  How do I get a gift special enough for a mama like you??  I picked this infinity pendant with diamond accents to remind you that your good works as a mama will bless the lives of your kids infinitely through eternity, and that when you feel like a lump of wasted coal, you are spent in the service of your Almighty God, and He is making you a diamond in His hands.  I have never met you but I love you!  Bless you for who you are!"

*sniff*

*sniff*

Wow.

This was from a -total- stranger.  The only things we share are our faith (which wasn't an inherent part of the swap; the trauma mama I gifted is not LDS) and our parenting of kids from a trauma background.

It still leaves me kind of speechless.

Thank you, M.  I hope you were equally blessed by your giver as you blessed me.  *HUG*