Blown Away

Once we all started to have kiddos, my sibling and sibling in-laws, all agreed that there would be no gift giving between the siblings. We'd focus all our gift giving attention on our new family of kiddos running under foot. After-all, we had all seven cousins within a span of three years.

Here and there, however, a couple of us would break the rules and send a little something to a sibling, but it was a cute gesture and sometimes relative to an event that was happening in that person's life. The pack, for the most part, has held together.

But when I received my birthday card this week from my brother and his family, I was blown away. Inside was a very sweet note from my SIL. They had decided to gift a donation of a dollar for every year of my life to SixtyFeet. They had already done it, as the receipt was included in the card.

Yes, there were tears from me - which kinda shocked my kiddos. I was speechless and just passed the card around the room for everyone to get the full impact for themselves.

I really did not see that coming. While they know about my happenings, I wouldn't say as though it has ever been a long topic of conversation when we get together. Likewise, they are involved in a number of organizations that I can't confidently explain to another.

We are each doing our own thing, perhaps more quietly that we ought to, but at the same time, we are not the kind of people in general who will grab any arm next to us, and pull them into our way of thinking and supporting. We just show love and compassion, and what happens around us, happens around us. I feel that planting seeds through action works - no matter if it is done quietly or loudly.

So, for my brother and family to know about SixtyFeet ... they had to do some searching, and I think perhaps that was the kicker that touched me the most.  Because, I'm not real sure if they read my blog. And I am okay with that - as our relationship is much deeper than this online journal of mine.

My sweet children were also speechless, as they had to wait until the card reached them, and finally they got the chance to huddle around the card, their faces growing with a bigger smile with each word they read, until their mouths dropped, and their eyes were huge.

It was the best surprise ever. I am so grateful for my brother and his family for being so generous to a cause that I support, and have compassion to see succeed. It was the icing on my day!