Presents Revisited

I know I've posted about receiving gifts before.  But I recently received two gifts that were so awesome I had to share them with you.

So it was my birthday on the 22nd of April.  I got loads of nice gifts from friends and family.  One of my daughters made me a gift and put it on my pillow so I would see it last thing my birthday night. Lo and behold, it fell off the pillow sometime between when she put it there and I got into my bed. She waited well over a week before she asked in a rather small voice after I had just brought her in from school, "um, Madre, did you like my gift to you?" I was a little taken aback I have to say. I didn't remember what she had gotten me, so there goes the internal struggle. Do I admit I have no idea what her gift was and risk hurting her, or do I gush and try and bluff that it was just perfect? I took the honest route and apologized profusely for not remembering her gift.  That's when she told me she put it on my pillow.  I remember vividly nothing there that night.  I took off up to my room to find said gift.  And I did, it had fallen down along the side of my bed and was between my night stand and the bed.  It's funny how something as simple as what she gave me could turn into one of the most memorable gifts I have received in, well, recent memory.  It had tears rolling down my face by the time I was done.  How something so simple could have such impact, well I was truly moved

46 Reasons why being 46 is pretty ok and an art journal page made just for me.

I will keep and cherish this forever.  Wow is all I can say.

The next awesome gift came from a friend from college.  Actually we went to school together and never really met each other.  We have mutual friends, met on FB and realized we had a bunch in common.  Like we're crazy Italian mothers, like we LOVE all things hockey, like we're both totally awesome and the world needs to watch out for us hahaha!!  

Anyway, my friend recently found out I had MS, she and her two lovely daughters are doing the MS walk.  I didn't know it until I received this picture on my timeline on FB

Can you say blown away???  This fine family chose to walk in my honor at this MS walk.  They haven't even met me, and yet they chose to champion my cause.  Once again, a gift without a package, wrapping paper or a bow, but yet, in the same breath, the most beautiful gift to receive.  I am truly humbled and blown away.  My friend explained she's trying to raise her girls with compassion, teach them to be kind to others, definitely a dying way of parenting in this world we live in, teach them to live right.  MA, you have already accomplished your goal.

Yep, presents, gotta love them. These presents I have received cost nothing, but have rewarded me so richly.  Was it the Beatles that sang, "the best things in life are free....?" I am going to have to say I couldn't agree more.