A Near Tragedy

We have some wonderful friends who live in Amsterdam. They sometimes try to tell us it's not really cold here, but we don't believe them. Anyway, last month when my parents were coming to see us, they were supposed to have a long layover in Amsterdam, and they were going to get together with our friends. Unfortunately, that all fell through when they ended up flying to Brussels and Casablanca instead.

My friend in Amsterdam had bought some sweet gifts for us that she was going to send with my parents, so when she wasn't able to do that, she went ahead and mailed them to us in a package. The package came this week, and the kids were so excited. We opened it right away, and they each found their treasures.
Sarah Claire got an adorable bunny that is very famous in Holland, Lee Anna got a snow globe decorated with Dutch things, and Sawyer got the awesome shirt he's wearing in the picture (Jason is almost over the fact that it's orange and blue). They all loved their gifts. There was also a bunch of candy in there, and a package of something called stroopwafels, which are delicious.

So the day after we got the package, we were talking about all the sweet things they had sent us, and Jason asked me, "Where's the wooden nativity? I didn't see it."

Blank stare. "What nativity?"

"The note in the package said there was a wooden nativity. Didn't you see it?"

I hadn't seen that note, although I had read the notes about all the other gifts. It was, admittedly, a bit chaotic with three kids all trying to help me unpack the box of gifts. I quickly made my way to the kitchen and pulled the box out of the trash can (thank goodness it was still in our kitchen trash and not down at the bottom of the chute with all the other garbage from our building--yuck!).

I opened the box and lifted up the newspaper that I thought was just there for padding, and discovered underneath a beautiful (unsoiled) wooden star with a nativity scene carved in the middle. It is gorgeous, and I love it, and I am so glad that my friend wrote a note to tell us it was there and that my husband saw it and asked about it!

So, the tragedy was averted, but I cannot take any credit for it.
But I promise that if any of you ever send us a package, I will try my best not to throw any of it away!