John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #186:Unexpected Gifts

"To give without any reward, or any notice, has a special quality of it's own."

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Weekend Assignment #186: Talk about an unexpected gift that you've received. That gift could be anything big or small - just something that you didn't see coming, and/or from someone you would not have expected to get a gift from. Holiday/Birthday gifts can be included here, but gifts at unusual times are particularly good too.

Extra credit: Have you ever given an unexpected gift?

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Recently, I got a nice surprise in the mail. My Mother-in-Law sent me some very special photos. All of Alan's school pictures, all 12 grades. It meant so much to me, because I only have a couple little treasures from his childhood. It wasn't my birthday, it wasn't my anniversary, she just sent them along because she loves me, and she understands the hopeless romantic in me. :) Photographs mean a lot to me, especially family photographs, and she understands that as well. She is a neat lady, and I am very lucky to have her in my life.

Extra Credit: I have a tradition. I like to go out in the world, on my birthday, and thank someone who has been especially nice to me at some point during the year. I give them a small thank you present, like a flower, and a little note just to say I appreciate how hard they work. Sometimes I do the same thing on or near New Year's Eve. It's just my way of giving back.

-OndineMonet
"First Kiss"
By Kim Anderson