Friends to the rescue

A couple of weeks ago I received an unexpected package in the mail:

From my good friend, Beth Nixon and her family (names blurred because she doesn't publish them on her blog). WOW! What an excellent surprise. Made even more so because we were starting a couple of really busy, happy weeks; so I knew we wouldn't be needing this box any time soon. I honored the spirit of the gift and set it aside.

Today, Jason went back to work after being home for a wonderful (emphasis on FULL) four and a half days. George has been, shall we say, screechy. He can be very cranky and violent while he gets used to Jason being gone. It all calms downs after a couple of days. Then Jason comes home for a weekend. Then he is gone again. And the cycle repeats. Fun.

So, as we returned home from a very noisy trip to the library, Emma asked me, "Can we open that box today?" I admitted that we probably would, then proceeded to STRESS THE HELL OUT when I couldn't find some paperwork Jason needed me to fax to him. Three hours, many phone calls, and a destroyed basement later, he called to say he found copies and doesn't need originals. I went and found my angry, banished children; apologized for acting like a Momzilla; and off we went to open that box!

Tonka trucks just the right size to play with alongside his Thomas trains!
They are currently rolling down a track that stretches across our living room.

That's a happy face, I promise! She just recently started
collecting these little kitty charms and just about inhaled all
the oxygen in the room when she saw a new set!

Ahhhhhh, espresso and chocolate bliss.

Thank you, Bethy, you are amazing. The house is quiet as the kids play with their new toys and my mouth is happy.

My vow is to return this favor in some way. To Bethy certainly, but also to some other mother going through a transition of some kind. To someone who needs an unexpected present to turn the tide of an ugly day. To someone, like me, who needs reminders that little things bring big smiles. To children that have stresses in their lives that they can't articulate, who need a chance to open a present and just play every once in a while.

Thank you for rescuing my day, my friend.