I had some rough and nice times mixed up this holiday.  It was a very
rocky time.  Further, in order for my children and pets to have a decent
xmas and for our bills to be paid, we could not give nor recieve presents
this year with anyone (including family or spouses).  But you know what?
The presents still came ...
 
I recieved a couple emails over the season from people that said very
generous and complimentary things to me.  I was so humbled.  I couldn't
even reply right away I was so caught off guard.  I am still mushy inside
from these sweet emails.  I recieved wonderful treats and really neat
cards in the card exchange as well.  Each day I recieved a card, I could
smile.  Then I recieved cards from ferret friends all over in addition.
I surely was not forgotten that is for certain!  I was so lucky to
recieve a couple presents from friends on top of everything!  I put the
little presents under my tree and waited for xmas day.  I even had saved
a few cards for the big day as well so I had things to open.
 
Someone thoughtfully sent my husband blown out underwear from their
husband so mine did not feel so alone from me making his blown out unders
public at the symposium (were they tasty Linda?).  My boys enjoyed
several special treats.  And I loved their faces as they opened them.
The best thing happened when Chet opened up a tiny surfing turtle (Chet's
totem is the turtle, and his love is skimboarding and the ocean).  He
held up the figure, over his presents that his grandparents got him, and
examined it.  He made an odd expression, and then said to me, "Funny, how
something soooo tiny can mean so much and make you so happy".  Wow.  Now
that was a gift (for me)!!!
 
Best of all, was an anonymous gift I think.  I saved this tiny thing
under the tree for last.  I really thought it was just going to be a
little trinket to hang on the tree or something.  The envelope
mysteriously said "From: Santa Ferret at the North Pole".  I love
surprises and mysteries you see, that's why I saved it for last!  I
finally opened it and it was one of Peg's handmade silver ferret
neclaces.  I bet you could have heard a pin drop in the room when we
saw this very unexpected gift.  How could someone do something so grand
and send something so "big" and "special" and stay anonymous?  What a
selfless thing to do.
 
You know, it's not the first Xmas that was made special by ferret people.
Every year I get to witness such generosity.  I get to watch people
donate to shelters.  I get to watch the Giving Trees fill up with secret
santas.  I get to hear from ferret friends about surprises they
experienced through FML'ers.  It's really something.
 
The best had to be my first year on the FML.  Nobody knew me.  I had one
request.  I wanted to make that xmas special for my husband who has done
nothing but "give" his whole life.  I wanted the whole holiday dedicated
to him, and to be done in ferret fashion to celebrate getting ferrets in
our family once again.  All I had to do was one tiny quiet post .... a
request for ideas.  The emails piled in with all the ideas in the world.
And offers to help acquire or make things piled in.  My husband sat down
to tons of items from the ferret store, to hand made ferret supplies and
decor from people on the FML, and the list goes on and on and on.  It was
a huuuuuuge xmas.  All that help and generosity.... from people who at
that time, I did not know very well.  It's probably the best xmas memory
I have.  That particular year, the holiday FML's were very creative,
packed with stories, poems, hikus, songs, and jokes.  So each day I'd sit
and read much of the FML aloud to my family.  I believe that might have
been around the time that I read "100 kisses", and my autistic son took
it literally.  Rocky had a white spot on his head for the next year from
Sean kissing him 100 times each day and counting them out loud.  It was
also the year that I ever saw my husband get teary over a post.... that
was Jean Caputo Lees "You Said You Loved Me".
 
Every year I can quote something special that happened just because of
the FML and ferret friends.  And I wanted to say once again..... thank
you.
 
Wolfy
[Posted in FML issue 4378]