Wednesday, December 17, 2008

her small hand

I came home from work tonight and found in my mailbox two Christmas cards and two letters from Albania. Excited, I hurried up the stairs to open them. Both letters were from Majlinda. One thanked me for the jump rope I sent many months ago and told me how much Majlinda likes to "build the snowman," but it doesn't snow much there. She asked about my Christmas tree and what sort of decorations are on it (note to self: take a picture of my tree to send to Albania).

The second letter told me how much Majlinda loves going to kindergarten and how she wants to learn to read, so she can read my letters, and then learn to write, so she can write to me. Ahh, simple joys. Then she said "I am asking now Majlinda what she would like to send you and she says a hug and her small hand." When I looked at the second page of the letter (the first page is the English translation and the attached second page is the original, in Albanian), Majlinda had traced her hand, and written both our names inside the hand. She even colored at the end of the fingers and she has green nail polish, along with a pink bracelet.

I may frame that letter and hand.

I love coming home to mail from my girls and I love knowing that I am making a difference in their lives. Part of my Christmas shopping was done on the World Vision website. Ducks, chickens and seeds, oh my!

Really though, it's things like this that make my holidays happy.

What makes yours happy?

6 comments:

Sarah said...

Sooo cute!

Anonymous said...

LOVE the WV gift catalog. I sent ducks and chickens to my sister and her husband! quack quack, bock bock; love all around.

I wish Marinel would send me a hand picture ...

Anonymous said...

I just got my first reading assignment for in2books! That makes me happy, thank you for sharing all of the wonderful things you do with us.

Jess said...

This is so sweet. And such a great thing to do.

La Petite Chic said...

What sweet letters! I definitely think you should frame the hand one.

an orange county girl said...

awww...that's so sweet of your girls. don't you wish you could just hug 'em?

the thing that makes me happy about the holidays is giving my soon-to-be-4-y-o niece. she gets so excited over new toys and i LOVE how something i gave her has made her so happy.