Mail call left me SCREAMING today!

I have had various surprises throughout the last couple of weeks.  Hearing from old friends and relatives that have never, ever written me once, much less sent me a Christmas card.  I have been so overwhelmed.  I have not known how to share it with you in my posts.  Because they have indeed not only been miracles, but desires of my heart for years!  I will have to get my emotions together and share them with you over the next week or so.

But today...mail call was a SCREAMING day!!!!

First: I got a Christmas card from a little girl that I tutored in math and reading a couple of years ago.  I had not heard from her or her mom, after making several attempts with no luck.  I got a beautiful photo of her and her little brother.  When I am ready to posts photos after Christmas... I will scan the photo and share it with you.  However, it was a delight to my soul to hear from them!

Second: I received my Tupperware catalogs and flyers in the mail.  I have also decided to sell Avon again and will get those flyers on Saturday.  Say a prayer for me that God will send me lots of customers, so I can earn enough money to fix my car.  It would be greatly appreciated.

Third: I received a very nice package from a Gather friend.  It was filled with not only a gift and treats for me, but each of my dogs received a gift and treats, as well.  I love it when folks remember my doggies.  The candy I got happened to be what I liked.  She nailed it!  It was Dove, Ferreri Rocher (Dawling...LOL) and a bag full of Toberone's.  My gosh!  I haven't eaten Toberone's in ages.  When I was a teenager, I used to buy a bar ever chance I got.  I forgot they even made the candy.  So it was a nice treat indeed!  Then as mentioned, the dog got a box of treats as well.  I sat each gift and box of treats, oh so nicely under my tree.  I love surprises!  Even when they are for my dogs too!

Fourth: Then later that day, came another mail call and this one just blew me over!  The reason being, is that it came from a couple from my hometown in Jacksonville, Florida...that I have known for over 30 years.  I knew Greg before he married Carrie, but Carrie understood the bond that Greg and I shared...that before she walked down the isle to marry him, she wanted me to know that she had no intentions of breaking up our friendship and welcomed me with open arms to be a part of their family.  Because of her generousity.  Carrie and I have bonded like sisters and I love these two with all my heart!

Now...  Why was this mail call was so special, you might ask?  As much as I love these two... getting a Christmas card from them is as much of a miracle I would ever expect to get from them.  They have hearts of gold, but they can never seem to get off their ruckus to even toss a Christmas card in the mail to me, even though I've sent one to them every year, for the past 30 years!  Well...today my reward finally came!

Not only did I receive a Christmas card from them, but a family photo with their two grown children Chrissy and Zack...too!  I will also share the photo at a later date!  Now before I tell you the next surprise.

I have to tell you that Carrie and I have had this looooooooonnnnnnnnnngggggg ongoing joke about her sending me a special treat for Christmas.  She makes the promise every year and every year she forgets and I patiently forgive her, because I know her heart is in the right place and nothing is ever worth losing her friendship over!  We laugh about it each year and out comes another resolution promise from her every year.  In which I say..."Sure, sure Carrie... Yeah...we'll see!"

Now...  What I forgot to tell you...was that their Christmas card came in a lightweight box. When I opened the box.  Well let's just say...I SCREAMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   WHAAA HOOOOOO!!!!!  YIPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!  PASS THE BUTTER AND BISCUITS PLEASE!!!! I remember thinkin'.  Oh Lord Teresa!  Better put a lid on it, before the neighbor calls the cops...thinkin' someone is trying to kill me or something!

Carrie after all these years finally fulfilled her promise to me!!!!  Needless to say...I was stoked!!!  Because not only was it a fulfilled promise.  It was also one of my desires on my wishlist!  I remember telling God today, that because of the lateness of the season, I might not get my wish, but it was okay...because I was hearing from folks that I have long awaited years to hear from, plus a few precious Gather members where thinking of me this holiday season. And that has meant the world to me!

But now...it wasn't just a dream or a hope, anymore.  It was now a fulfilled wish from my wishlist!  Carrie sent me a Christmas stocking!!!!  It was not just any ole stocking!  It was beautiful with embossed embroiderment of a Santa and other Christmas treasures on the front of it.  I will send pics after Christmas!  Now here is the odd thing.  Carrie had a cute trick up her sleeve...I think???  Most stockings are usually filled anywhere from half, two thirds and even sometimes to overflowing!  Hers was only about 1/3 full.  I remember thinking???  Maybe part of my gift was the stocking?  Because you could tell that it wasn't cheap.  What was inside was kind of heavy though...  I thought to myself...  It really doesn't matter.  Because, I got the desire of my heart this Christmas and that was my Christmas stocking and it was a nice one at that! So thank you God, Santa, Jonathon Smith and mom for using Carrie to bring my desire to pass!

But getting back to the story.  In the bottom of the box, was my Christmas card and inside the card was the nice family photo I was telling you about and behind the photo well...  The card read...  Here are a few Jacksons from Jacksonville!!!  I didn't want to count them.  I guess there might have been at least 3...maybe 4 or 5.  I don't know.  I just stuck them inside the stocking. I thought...  Now I know why the stocking was only one third full.  She had hidden the rest of my surprise behind their family photo.  Cute Carrie.  Cute.

Now here is my delimna.  Those Jacksons really can come in handy right now.  But I always feel guilty using them for myself.  I always tend to let them help take care of a few obligations.  Why can't they ever show up when I don't feel guilty using them for my personal pleasure???  I don't know???  Maybe...I will let at least one Jackson treat me to a nice dinner after the holidays?  I will have to see how many brothers Carrie allowed to come with him.

Nevertheless!  I heard from my dear friends today and one of my wishes came true.  Like I said...I wouldn't mind if I got 14 stockings, which I know probably won't happen.  But it doesn't hurt to dream.  Does it???  The fact remains...  I needed to hear from every person I have heard from so far.  Their acts of kindness could not have come at a better time.  I have been feeling so low about myself and feeling like I'm not worth a damn to anybody and well...it's starting to look a little more like Christmas these days!

Like my pastor said this past weekend.  Yes...  Christmas is not just about the gifts.  It's about loving those around you.  Even the fruitcake people.  (That's another story I will have to tell you. It's kind of hysterical.  LOL)  However, he went on to say that you can give without loving someone.  But you can't love someone without giving to them. Sometimes...it's the tangible acts of kindness...that leaves a more lasting impression and brings healing to broken hearts. And that is exactly was these people are doing for me.

They are bringing a little bit of healing to this broken heart...  Thanks so much!  And as Tiny Tim would say..."God bless us, EVERYONE!"