The Angel's Gift

Christmas Eve, 1997...but tonight, sitting by candlelight pondering Christmas memories...it seems only yesterday...

"Andy, are you ready to go?"

"Hold on.  I'll be there in a minute" he responds.

"Chuck, could you please finish dressing Lee.  I'm hooking Mac up to his monitor and dressing him."

"Mom" calls Wanda.  "Would you please fix my hair?"

"Yes, sweetie, but I need to finish dressing Mac first."

Then I realize that I'm not dressed and my hair is a mess.  It is hectic getting a sixteen year old son, an extremely active two year old son, a medically fragile infant and an eight year old daughter ready to leave the house together.  But I smile, feeling the blessings of family on this holy night.

Finally, everyone is fully clothed, hair in place, wired to monitor and potty breaks taken.  We head out for the candlelight Christmas Eve service at our church.  The church has a large congregation, and we must arrive a bit early to be assured a seat.

When we enter the sanctuary there are no visible seats available.  An usher leads us to the front of the church to a pew where one of the elderly ladies of the church is sitting alone.  She smiles as she slides over to make room for our entourage of bodies and necessary gear.  There is no time to chat, other than our exchange of "Merry Christmas"...the service begins.

As the lights come on and we prepare to leave, the elderly lady speaks, "What a beautiful family.  How old is your baby?"

"Thank you" I reply.  "He is three months old, but he is not our son.  We are his foster parents and the plan is for him to return to his birth mother."  As I spoke those words, tears weld up in my eyes.  I realized just how much I loved him and wondered how I could ever let him go.

The lady smiles; her face aglow.  "Oh honey" she says, "He is your child.  Merry Christmas."

A peace flows through my soul such as I have never before felt.  I look into the the crystal blue eyes of the lady, again she smiles, but I have no words.  She rises slowly, beginning her walk down the aisle, and for a moment...just a moment...I could have sworn wings were peeking from beneath her Christmas red coat.

This Christmas Mac is ten years old, and of all my sons, he has the biggest Christmas spirit.  He is the angel's gift to us.

~~~~~

Visit Wrapped Emotions to read about his week's prompt, lucubration.

This post is also a part of this week's blog blast at The Parent Blogger's Network, "What Makes A Gift Memorable?"  The blog blast is sponsored by Excitations which offers a variety of memorable "experience" gifts for all ages.

My heart feels it is the gifts which money cannot buy that are memorable...love is the greatest gift.

Comments

[Brittany]

I think it's interesting how when we tell God "no" about something, that is when the "yes" occurs. Look how much that "yes" in your life has blessed you! Mac is blessed to have you as a mommy and to be apart of your family. Such a wonderful story, thanks for sharing it! :)

[killlashandra]

He is your child. Wow, I got teary eyed. I've been hearing twice a week how the goal is reunification of foster kids with their family or relatives, but it doesn't seem to happen like that as much as the lady tells us it should. I'm glad he's with a permanent loving family now, that's so important.

[Sheila]

OK, I'm in tears now! What a beautiful story!

[Maya]

What a touching story. I'm going to share this with a friend who is a foster parent.

[Christina]

A beautiful and heartwarming story. Thank God you have Mac...and thank God for the angel that touched your mother's soul that Christmas Eve 10 years ago.

[Emily R]

Do you have a daughter? I thought it was just boys? Was she a foster daughter?

And, I am so glad Mac has stayed with his family.

[Tara R.]

That brought an instant lump to my throat. Thanks for sharing that story.

[To Think is to Create]

beautifully written, thanks for sharing!

[susiej]

Yes, this was great. Thank you.

[Angie @ Sonflower]

Oh my, goosebumps! Listen, I really needed to hear that story. My husband and I have a big decision before us and are needing to hear from God for direction. This helped me so much! Thanks, friend.

[Jen]

Lovely.

We had something similar happen to us (in a grocery store of all places) when our son was still our foster child. Things certainly have a funny and wonderful way of working out.

[Candi--All Day Night]

Wow--that is an amazing story!!

Also, I wanted to let you know that you won my giveaway!!

[sara]

wow what a beautiful story, crying here, and i'm sure she was an angel, what a beautiful memory

[Stephanie]

Such a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing it.

[Lisa]

What a lovely memory to have tucked away! :o)

[Tiff@Three Peas in a Pod]

OMG! I cried when I read that. I'm a foster child/adoptee. I wonder if my foster mom ever considered me hers. I hope to think so!

[Kim]

Beautiful. Simply, beautiful.

[Melissa]

What a beautiful story. I got chills when she said that he was your child.

[Bronie]

Prophetic? Who knows. Blessed? Oh yeah!

Thanks for sharing such a beautiful story!

[Stacy]

Beautiful. Here I sit teary eyed. There are angels amongst us, aren't there?

[diana/sunshine]

what a beautiful story. it made the hair on my arms stand up. i believe there are angels here on earth. how cool that you met and talked to one. thanks for sharing this.

[diana/sunshine]

i just read the post you linked to under "wanda." i had never read it before. it was very touching and beautifully written. you are one amazing woman.

[Janice (5 Minutes for Mom)]

so beautiful - I love that story.

[Christy]

This is so beautiful. What an incredible gift you were given! You never know when those angels will show up, do you?
Thanks for sharing this touching and incredibly beautiful picture of God's love.
Christy

[DanaB]

What a spectacular holiday story to share with us--thank you so much!

~~

[Angel]

Dude, thats a real angel story! Maybe she was Mac's guardian angel? Or yours!

[Christy]

After reading this post, I linked to it on my blog. Thanks for sharing this inspiring story :)

[Jennifer]

As Zachary would say "I have tears dripping down" - beautiful!

[Leanne aka Phoenix]

You always have a way of making me smile and cry! :)

[childlife]

Aw, Melody... You make me cry like no one else. That was beautiful and I've no words. You just captured the warm glow of every Christmas candle ever lit, and my heart thanks you for the gift.

[beingmade]

Wow.... Goosebumps.... God brought you your very own prophet of encouragement, yes? Thank you for sharing this and for such a wonderful prompt this week!

[Bonnie]

I got goosebumps as I read this ! In fact, I think they are coming back just thinking about it again ! I have not done my Wrapped Emotions post yet ... it's been such a crazy week !! I think tonight will be the night for candle light ! I NEED IT !

[Marie]

Beautiful post Melody. AS usual, you touched my heart in a very special way. You have a gift with words, you really do.

[Mandy]

Beautiful story! Brought tears to my eyes.

[Steve Sensenig]

Hope you don't mind a guy commenting on this, but as one who is very in touch with his own emotions, I am not ashamed to tell you that this post made me cry, too.

My lovely wife Christy already said above that she linked to this on our blog, and I am sorry that it took me this long to get over here and read it!

We're in the process of waiting to see if a particular little girl is going to be ours or not. And even though she is currently in another foster family, when she has come here for respite care, we have already gotten some of those prophetic types of comments that your angel made to you. Comments about family resemblance, etc.

With all of those things going on in our lives, your post really touched me and gave me even more hope.

still wiping tears from my eyes,
steve :)