It's not a secret that there are generous people in this world. Through Molly's diagnosis, we have found many. From cards, to meals, to gifts, to lending a helping hand, we have seen the beauty of generosity in others. We are trying our best to teach the girls that God uses all these people to bless our family and so we pray that He blesses them as well.
Today was no exception.
I received a message online from a fellow military wife, let's call her J.L. She too has three daughters about our girl's ages and has been following Molly's journey from the beginning. She requested to stop over to bring the girls a Christmas gift. What I didn't know, is that it would be so much more than that.
After the girls excitedly received the large package and wandered inside, we had the chance to talk with J.L and get to know her and her family a little more. Having gone through health scares for her own daughter, she knew in some way where we were coming from. It was so refreshing to talk to another Mom... seems like I haven't had much of that interaction lately... and to have similar feelings and dealings in life as she did. She was very sweet and encouraging and we ended the visit with hopes of a future play date for the girls.
We walked inside and the girls eagerly waited for the green light to rip open the package. Inside was something I never expected. It was a beautiful train set to place under the tree. Now, trust me when I say, the girls would have been excited about any gift. Dolls, coloring books, etc. It's all fun for them. But this one was very special because of Molly's words.
"Mom, do we get to have this next Christmas too?!"
We will have the train next Christmas, but we don't know if we will have Molly. If we were honest about things, the odds are against us. If we went by statistics, she will not get to turn that train on next year. And as I stood there, staring at the train as it went round and round the tree, I smiled thinking about the gift that would keep on giving.
Years from now, when Molly is gone, and our hearts ache for her to be with us, we will be able to look at that train and remember two things. One, the smile on her face when she opened the package. Two, the generosity of a stranger that brightened the day of our entire family.
We've already laid on the floor, watching the train, listening to the horn, admiring the craftsmanship. And for years to come, we will do the same, but with the reminder that Molly did the same with us and it was lovely. It was beautiful. It was lasting.
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