Surprise, Surprise.......

When I arrived home from work Wednesday there was a DHL form plastered to my front door. Apparently, there was a package to be delivered to my address (no name as to who it belonged to) and it required a signature. How odd, I thought. I figured it was either being sent to the wrong address or it was something being sent to Tracy and Hua, who use my mailing address for their mail. I signed the form allowing the package to be left the next morning and didn’t think much more about it. When I got home yesterday there was a big box sitting right in front of my front door.....in PLAIN VIEW. The delivery person didn’t even attempt to put the box further down the front porch where it would be obscured by the railing and columns. No, it was sitting on a chair next to my front door and could easily have been stolen. When I looked, I saw the word "CHINA" on the shipping label and thought it must be for Tracy. Inside my house I put on my reading glasses (yeah....it totally sucks, older age) so I could read the label. The package was addressed merely to my street address no name. Then I saw where it was from. Hangzhou, where my young friend, Carrie, lives. She is the young 17-year-old Chinese girl that spent a couple of months at the English Language Institute. I drove her to Nashville and she spent a night and day with my family and friends before leaving to return to China in early August. She did much shopping and I learned that her parents own an exporting business. They export furs. Carrie sent me the most gorgeous brown cashmere cape that is outlined in fur. It’s beautiful. She also sent several cashmere scarves for me, my mother and cousins and a package for Tracy (whom she met through me here in Knoxville) that includes a beautiful knitted pink dress for Tracy’s baby. She wrote a letter to me in English and one to Tracy in Chinese. I haven’t had time yet but will take pictures over the weekend and post them on Monday. While I am in awe over owning such a beautiful cape, I am also amazed that it sat on my porch the better part of a day in full view of anyone walking by my house (I’d say an average of 50-70 people per day, 10-15 of which are homeless).
Have a wonderful weekend!