First off, let me extend an apology for not posting an update sooner. As most of you will know, I ended up sick shortly after Christmas and I haven't been able to kick this crud yet. Last week I was on a steroid and an antibiotic, and it still hasn't gotten rid of this horrendous cough that is plaguing me. So, the combination of my daughter's birthday being right after Christmas, and then being run down and tired from being sick, I've not gotten around to an update.
I again want to extend a sincere Thank You! to all of you who gave. This wouldn't have been so successful if it hadn't been for your generous support and outpouring of love! I have to say, I have some of the best family and friends a girl could ever ask for!!
Well, as with most things in my life, this project did not go off without a hitch! *sigh* I would love to be able to say that everything went smoothly and perfectly- but it didn't. I got everything packed up and shipped the box out on December 20. I paid a little extra (ok, a lot extra) for it to get there by Thursday, December 23. That was enough time for Rachel to get the box, do some shopping and be all set for Christmas with her boys. No problem, right? Wrong! As I tried to track the box, all the UPS site would show me is that they had received the billing information. Nowhere was it showing that the box was en route. I started to worry. I checked with the mail room men at work- no, they were sure my box got sent with the UPS guy on Monday. I checked the site again, still nothing. I called UPS- they were going to put a tracer out for the box. I checked the site again, still nothing. *sigh* By now, it was Christmas Eve and the box was no where to be found. I cried. I contacted Rachel, just to be sure she hadn't gotten the box. No box! She was worried it had been delivered while they weren't home and it had been stolen. I prayed that wasn't the case.
Rachel was still able to have a nice Christmas with her boys. Her mother had sent some things for the boys, and she said they had spent the day at home together. I was devastated! Completely devastated. Everything I had hoped for this Christmas for her didn't happen. And there still was no box. UPS didn't know where it was, the mail room guys were sure it had been shipped- I didn't know what to do. I was just devastated.
Fast forward to the first week of January. I was home after work and I heard a knock at the door. Wouldn't you know- it was the UPS man....and the box!! Wait?! Why is the box being returned back to me? This was my Christmas box that was supposed to be in Kansas, how did it get back to my house? The UPS man didn't know, all he could tell me is it was shipped to me from Texas! TEXAS?! How did my box end up in Texas?! He didn't know. Well, at least I had the box, and could now ship it properly to Kansas where it belonged. I printed a new shipping label, making sure it was going to Kansas and off the box went!
This time the box did arrive in Kansas, and although it didn't make it in time for Christmas Day, Rachel and her boys were able to enjoy a "Second Christmas" of sorts. A little extra fun for the boys on an otherwise ordinary day! I really felt bad that the box didn't arrive in time for Christmas, but I guess I really can't control the mail! All that matters is that it made it to its intended destination, in the time frame that God obviously intended for it to happen. 3 little boys were overjoyed by the contents, a mama was content knowing her boys were happy- and this friend, though devastated that things didn't go "according to plan" was thrilled to know that she, and so many with her, were part of blessing this family!
Again- I say THANK YOU! for being a blessing this Christmas season. A blessing not only to another family, but a blessing to me. I never thought that I would be blessed so much over the past few months- but when I saw the outpouring of support and love, for a family that none of you even knew, it really truly blessed me. I can't say Thank You enough, but I can say that it truly is "...better to give than to receive." Acts 20:35.
For now, I will be putting this blog to rest. I hope to get back up and running again later this year, when I choose another family to bless in the 2011 holiday season. If you'd like to be notified when I put the blog back up, feel free to email me at Christmasblssng@gmail.com . Until then, I hope you will continue to bless those around you all year long, not just at Christmas!
