My heart is full to bursting

I don't even know where to start. So many things have happened in the last month that I can't even find the words. My heart is full, my eyes are filled with tears that don't ever seem to stop. There have been a million moments that I have been convinced that it just can't get any better.

And then it does.

Today was a wonderful day at church. After a morning of waking up late, rushing, yelling at my kids and dashing out the door to get to church on time while still arriving in a completely packed building during the opening song while carrying a baby and a million bags on one shoulder and hitching up my skirt with the other I didn't have high hopes. But the sweet music and calm spirit sunk in. Eventually.

This has been a month of blessing after blessing after blessing. And of course the ones that matter most are my Savior, Jesus Christ, love, family, being together, seeing my oldest son baptized by his father and knowing it was a moment I would never, ever forget. Those are the gifts that sink in deepest, that mean the most, and that are completely irreplaceable. But I also want to talk about some physical gifts we received that have left me completely humbled.

I have been blessed with winning many giveaways and also some gifts from the person who had me in the stocking swap and I will tell more about these later but I want to talk about what a family in our community did for us. I will never understand how they chose us or why we deserve to be loved so much but our lives are changed by the love and kindness of this family.

The Friday before Christmas we had some family here in preparation for the baptism on Saturday when the doorbell rang. A lady we didn't know asked us if she had the right house and then handed us a cute bag with adorable stuffed gingerbread men inside. We were like, wow, sweet, and put them out as decorations. Then about 10 minutes later we get another doorbell ring and we open the door to an overflowing porch. There were 20 presents, a turkey, tons of food, and a popcorn tin with microwave popcorn and candy and a $20 gift certificate to a local video store. Taped to the popcorn tin was this note:

"Please accept these gifts on behalf of our son Brennan. Brennan has gone back to our Heavenly Father and is no doubt doing great and marvelous work in heaven. Brennan was an angel sent to us as a blessing and is now a very special angel to our family. He is a kind and generous spirit who loves to give to others and share his love.

Our family wants to help Brennan continue spreading joy here on earth. These gifts come from our hearts to yours with love in hopes of a very Merry Christmas. Don't open til Christmas!"

And it had twelve signatures on it that I will not include here for their privacy. I can't even write that without crying.

We had family here from the day that we received it until today and we decided to put those gifts aside to open after everyone had left so that our kids wouldn't have a lot more presents than their cousins. So today after church we sat down and opened our gifts from this wonderful family. All of my boys got some great presents, some really nice clothes, toys and soft snuggly blankets. After they opened their gifts we opened the family gifts together and our jaws dropped down to the ground and then we all jumped up and were yelling and crying. They had given us something we had wanted for Christmas but knew we'd have to save up for for a few years. A Wii!!!! We are still in shock and looking at each other and saying no way. We are so excited to play it together as a family.

So thank you to that sweet family who chose to pass on the love and joy after an experience that must have left them heartbroken.

And we are determined that in some way and at some point in time, we will find a way to pay it forward.