Holiday of Happy

Tis the night before New Year's
I'm beginning to fidget
Not a creature is stirring
Not even a m...ouse.

Actually, all the creatures are stirring and getting out their pots and pans and chilling bottles of sparkly beverages. I'm completely holiday partied out - just laying low with my loin fruit and man-I-am-dating-but-not-going-to-write-about.

Forgive the 10 days of silence. I have been hiding out on the island of misfit toys nursing my holiday overwhelmed, burned out, in a serious sugar coma self. This Christmas was probably the best, but most exhausting, I've had in years. And this was the year that my smart assed, cynical despite all that I believe, self got a shot in the arm of the miraculous and determined that, yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause after all.

A few days before Christmas, the kids and I had just gotten home after a loooong day of shopping when the doorbell rang. On our porch stood two children I had never seen before holding a ginormous basket filled with Christmas Love. They said the basket was for me. I didn't believe them.

"Sweeties, I think you have the wrong house."

"No," (giggling) "This is for you."

"Um, who are you?"

(Pointing behind them) "We live over there."

"And this is from you?" (Looking around the parking lot) "Where are your parents?"

"We're just supposed to give this to you."

"But I don't even know you. Is this from your parents?"

(More giggling) "We're just giving this to you."

"Thank you so much, but I think you need to ask your parents if this is the right house."

They just stared at me.

"Are you sure you have the right house?"

"Uh-huh."

I was still not convinced but didn't know what else to do. I thanked them and my kids grabbed the basket. I instructed them NOT to open anything because in about 5 minutes there was going to be a knock on the door and some poor, embarrassed strangers were going to apologetically ask for it back.

They pulled out an envelope with my name on it. Now I was thoroughly confused. "Wait, it really is for us?" Kids ripped open the card and out fell an American Express gift card for not a small amount of money. My mind started racing and finally took in the contents of the basket. Rolls, a ham, cookies, bags of amazing candy and nuts, chocolate up the wazoo... Who would / could do this? Was it the local ward who had chosen the naughty, single ex-Mormon mom to Secret Santa in an attempt to get her back to church? My eyes fell on a bottle of champagne. Nope. Not the Mormons.

There was another card. I opened it and out fell cash and another handful of Am Ex gift cards in equally not small amounts. The card read, simply, "You are loved by MANY."

How do I even begin to express how that felt? I can't. How can I thank those that blessed me anonymously? Again, I can't. I have my strong suspicions but won't leave my seat at the magic show to rush backstage, shake the crew by the shoulders and demand to know how the trick was done. It doesn't matter. It was done. And it was magical. And it made me deeply happy.

Talk about catching the Emily Vision.

God bless them. Every one.