On the second day of...

The second day for the Random Acts For Misha is kind of a multi-day project that is being "wrapped up" (so to speak) today.  Every year, The Family Giving Tree brings a stack of wish cards that have been filled out by the under privileged in our community---mostly kids, but some special needs and homeless or homebound adults as well.  Choosing a tag or two to shop for is an annual tradition for me, but was especially poignant this year.  In late April, my mother passed unexpectedly, and though (because of other circumstances) it has not been an occasion of horrific grief, it has made this holiday season a bit surreal.  Reminding myself, for example, that I did not need to buy the annual Christmas slippers for mom this year felt really odd.

Having also made the decision that, this year, all gift purchases would be made through local stores and none through the big box chains presented a challenge.  Most of the children's wishes involved things that you generally tend to only find at those big chain stores.  The smaller ones no longer carry them because they can't afford to compete.  I was determined, though, to find a solution and stick to my plan.

Being a believer that mom is still with me, I decided that I wanted to make "mom's gift" the donation wishlist item this year.  And she helped find the right wish!  My mom always loved doing arts and crafts types of things, and we found a wishlist tag from an 11 year old boy who wanted art supplies.

So from the choosing of the tag, to the shopping, to the assembly of it, it's been a few days, but today I've put together the gift that I will give to the drop off location in the morning:

I hope he'll love it.  It's from me, and my mom.