The China Cup

 

   My stepdaughter, Carrie, had an opportunity to do a two week study abroad class in Spain. When she told us about this I was very excited for her. I believe that it is good for people to travel especially when they are younger so that they have a change to experience other cultures and explore new places. Carrie has had many opportunities to travel and takes advantage of them as often as she can. I consider her to be one of the more well rounded and thoughtful members of the family because of this. 

   When she lived with us, she found out that I collect postcards. As a result she sends or buys me one from the places she visits. When I found out she was going to Spain, I asked her to buy a teacup for me. (As she is a broke college student, I did offer to pay her for it.) It's not the first time I asked her to do this. When she did a study abroad in England as part of her undergrad requirements, I asked her for a teacup from England. I wanted something that I could drink tea from, not a commemorative with the Queen's picture on it. She brought back a beautiful  striped tea for one set. 

   I wasn't sure that she would actually do it. I knew she'd be busy while she was overseas and might not have time. Late last week I got notification that a package was coming. I checked to see what it might be. It was being sent from New York, it had to be from Carrie.

  Waiting for a package like this is one of the hardest things to do. I was happy when I found out that it had finally reached our post office. I asked C to pick it up and to bring it to me when he picked me up at work.

   After work on Saturday I reached for the box in the back seat. It was from Carrie and it was definitely a tea cup. She remembered! That fact alone made me so happy. I tore open the package and almost cried with joy. Inside was a beautiful bone china tea mug with red flowers and blue vines on it. The mug had a matching lid. Inside the mug was a metal tea infuser. This meant that I could use it for loose leaf tea. The mesh on the infuser was fine so I could use any tea I wanted without the leaves getting in my tea. This was a mug for serious tea drinkers.  I also got a postcard.

   I thanked her for the mug via text. She called C a few days later for Father's Day. I thanked her again. She told me that she saw the mug in a store and thought of me. This is something I do myself when I'm choosing a present for someone. It just made me feel very happy all over again to be thought of in this way.

  I've been using the mug every day for my morning tea since I got it. Every time I use it I think about how this simple thing makes me happy and I grateful I am for family members like Carrie.