To Mark's special agents:

I never expect to receive a gift from Mark via your kind efforts.  Every year, I believe that nothing will come, that as time as passed, this special kindness will also go by the wayside.  I cannot, and will not ever be able to tell Mark's delivery agents how special, important, and how much I am grateful for their acts.

This year, I was busy in the morning getting ready for a luncheon I was having for my Mom.  We were going to John and Tabitha's in the evening and I always want the biggest part of the day going to my beautiful daughter in law.  She is a superb mother and I want her to enjoy the time with John and the boys.  I remember when I had my boys at home and all I wanted was time with them.  This year, I decided to have a luncheon for Mom and had made a quick run to the store to get some last minute items.  I am sure there was nothing on the porch when I left.

I think the special deliveries are even more meaningful to Don.  He has tried, like me, to figure out who is doing this for us.  He even wanted to set up some sort of spy camera.  For a few years, I actually thought it was him doing this.  I changed my mind several years ago because the gifts left weren't anything that he would have come up with.  

Because I rarely go in the front door....I always just pull into the garage and shut the garage door once I am in....I had not noticed that there was something on the front porch.  Don was in the basement when I came home and as I putting things away, he went to the front door and noticed this year's gift from Mark on the front porch.

I was just speechless when I opened the door and saw the beautiful satchel bag with a shimmering green dragonfly on it.  On the back side beautifully stenciled was "Mom...You're a really good nurse, Just wanted you to know that."

I cried when I read that.  I remember him telling me that the Saturday morning before he died.  I had a rough night at work Friday and was feeling low about my effectiveness at work due to some pain I have been having.  It was like Mark talking to me.  I don't know how the person/persons doing this even knew I needed that boost.  I would like to think that Mark knew and loved them so much that he was somehow able to convey to them to get this message to me again.  You have no idea how that made me feel....so loved and so consoled by Mark when I needed it the most.

The extra bonus....the special agents left a note.  No, I do not recognize the handwriting and have no idea who does this.  I really don't ever want to know. If they get to the point that they no longer want or can do this yearly delivery from/for Mark....I understand.  But your message gave me a deeper understanding that Mark's friends loved him and haven't forgotten him.  That is the gift that is within the gift.  I have indeed allowed myself to believe that they are from him.  I tell people they are from him.  I have kept every single one and remember the feelings I had when we found them.

Your note.....it goes right into Mark's curio cabinet where I put the most important of remembrances of Mark. Your efforts each year have been right on the Mark.