Christmas Spirit

Sometimes I wonder what I could have possibly done to deserve such a great life.  I have made a few poor choices, yes.  Bad things happen to me, yes.  But every time things start to get bad, some way, some how, someone comes through to help me feel nothing short of blessed.

Each year at work, we participate in the Adopt-A-Family program.  If we can get six coworkers to participate, that means we can "adopt" a six-person family for Christmas.  It is all 100% anonymous through the Adopt-A-Family program.  We each pick a family member to shop for and then we all chip in on food for a big Christmas feast.  And although we don't know who it is we are helping that year, it has always been our first thought on Christmas morning that we had provided something wonderful for a family that otherwise wouldn't have it.

It was announced that this year we would not be participating because "times are tough" and not everyone can afford to spend the $30.  I was outraged.  Who exactly are times tough for around here?  We work in a government office where most everyone is severely overpaid.  I am a single mom who has not received any child support and even I was willing to let my bills pile up and set aside a few bucks for a family who has nothing.
I thought this was pretty much the opposite of Christmas Spirit...

...until I came into work this morning...

My boss and two of my friends at work called me into a spare office.  When I walked in, there were two large boxes of diapers and four pairs of pajamas.  Jellybean and I had been "adopted."  And it wasn't over yet.  Inside an envelope was cash for one month of my babysitter's fees.  Inside another envelope, were bill stubs that my friend had "stolen" from my desk and paid with a credit card.

I don't even know how to thank somebody for something this huge.  There is nothing that I can do that will top two boxes, four pairs of pajamas, and over $500 in bills paid.  How can I possibly show my appreciation?  Here I am every day--blogging when I should be working--and they are going out of their way to show me these extreme gestures of kindness!

For the rest of my life, I will be paying this forward.