My Most Special Christmas Gift

This is probably my most favorite Christmas present. I have been a single parent since my sons were 6 and 2 years old. One Christmas we were shopping in Roses; TJ and Ray were probably about 7 and 3 at the time. I always had to pay for my Christmas present and up until this year, I had not wanted to let them go about the store by themselves. But, this year, they wanted to pick out my present without me seeing it. So, I have them a couple of hints and one of the things I particularly wanted was a NC State sleepshirt. I directed them to proper aisle and then I went to the next aisle over, where I could hear their voices enough to know they were okay but couldn't understand exactly what they were saying. They were doing a lot of giggling and whispering. Finally, after deciding on "something" they asked if they could go over to the toys and they still didn't want me to look. So, we headed to the toy section, again with them only one aisle away from me. Finally, they told me they were finished shopping. Now came the problem of us getting to the check-out counter without me seeing what they had picked out. Remember, I still had to pay for the present. So TJ came up with the idea that they would lead me to the check-out counter, my eyes closed holding onto the shopping cart and he and Ray pulling it along. When we got to the counter I had to turn my back to the register and I heard TJ whispering to the clerk, "Please wrap this in 2 or 3 bags. It's Mom's present and she has to pay for it but we don't want her to see it. It's a most special gift." Thankfully, they had a clerk who definitely had some Christmas spirit and wanted to help those 2 little boys give their Mom a "most special gift". So, she put it in 3 bags and even stapled the bag closed so I couldn't peek. I paid for their purchase and she gave the receipt to them so I couldn't see the description of the item. When we got home, they carried the bag into their room; asked me for wrapping paper, tape, etc. and asked me to give them a little privacy so they could wrap the gift.
In our family we have a tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve and saving the rest for Christmas morning. Well, on Christmas Eve they wouldn't let me open the special gift. I had to open some things they had made at school. Finally, Christmas morning arrived and after they had found what Santa had left for them, we opened the rest of our gifts. When they gave me my gift, I was pretty sure they had not bought a NC State sleepshirt. The package was BIG, and pretty carefully wrapped. As I opened it, the first thing I saw was something red (which turned out to be the dog's cap) and realized the gift was extremely soft. When I removed the last of the paper, I was crying. Both of my boys know I love stuffed animals and this dog was wearing a very special outfit - a NC State sleepshirt. I was just so overwhelmed with the love they had shown for me in getting me this "most special gift".
I have had many truly wonderful Christmas's with my boys. I had to learn to share them early on, since their Dad and I were divorced. The first Christmas Eve they stayed with their Dad, I thought my heart was going to break. But you know, you get over those things and learn to enjoy the times they are with you. This will be our second year in a row without Ray being with us. He lives in Alaska and is just isn't possible for him to be here. But, hopefully, we will connect with him using the webcam and be able to wish him a Merry Christmas via internet. We will have 2 new people here with us this year, Amy and her son Josh and of course my granddaughter, Hannah. I also have a grandson, Matt, in Mississippi and he won't be able to be with us either.
I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed and happy New Year.

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