A gift money can't buy

I drew my youngest brother, Nick, and his wife's name for Christmas.
Amongst the adults, we draw names ...because it's nice to get a gift.
Nick and LeaAnn wouldn't tell me what they wanted for Christmas and I don't like to play the guessing game.
So, I waited... and I waited... and I waited.
I waited until the day I was to grace them with my presence presents. (You see what I did there? ;) hee hee)
They finally told me movie theater tickets so they could go on a date.
Then they saw everything that I had bought for my niece and nephew and told me I went overboard. (What can I say... I love them to pieces!!)
They asked instead of buying the movie tickets, would I come babysit instead?
...Because peace of mind is a gift money can't buy.
Of course, I said yes!!

I still get together once a month with three girls that I taught with back at the beginning of our careers.  We have been doing it now for over 10 years. We have shared everything with each other.
At least we thought we had.
This week we learned that K.L. has cancer.
She had a cough that she couldn't get rid of. She finally couldn't stop coughing one night shortly after our girls' night out and headed to the ER. They found a mass between her lungs.
Words like : localized and malignant quickly became part of my vocabulary.
I don't know what to do for her.
I know to give her love and support and prayers...
... but I don't know what to do for her...
...because friendship is a gift money can't buy and I would hate to lose hers.

Today is the anniversary of my mom's death.
Fifteen years without my mom.
...It's strange to see that written out.
I don't normally think about it in years, just time passed with me missing her.
My ex, R., is always gracious enough to let me have the boys on Christmas because he knows this time of year is hard for me.
My boys know it too.
I try to fill them with all of the memories of my childhood and what I think my mom would want them to know.
But I know I can't give them all...
...because having a grandma filled with memories and thoughts of her own is a gift money can't buy.

I get a phone call.
It's not early... I just haven't managed to get myself out of bed yet.
It's Dale (my surrogate dad).
He's calling to check on my car.
Then I get a call from the boys...
...to tell me they love me.
Finally I get a text from Ty...
...asking me if I would like to join him for lunch.
yep.
Feeling loved...
...is the best gift money can't buy!!