Ninety books. NINETY BOOKS. I am in shock.

I checked my redditgifts account on nearly the last day set for shipments, feeling a tad pessimistic and not expecting much since sadly I was shafted last year. When I opened my account, what I saw was pretty hard to believe. Six boxes? Six boxes shipped...to me? I have participated in a handful of redditgift exchanges over the past few years, but I have never had more than one shipment, and here is evidence of SIX BOXES. I took a snapshot with my phone I was in such a state of disbelief (see attached picture for proof)! And I didn't have to wait long for them to arrive because my santa is a balla' and paid for that 2-day shipping.

So a mere 48 hours after staring at my screen aghast, the boxes arrive. All six. All in one day. I live in a apartment so first I had to retrieve the boxes from the mailing center (3 trips), and then haul them up 3 flights of stairs (3 trips), til finally, sweaty and swampy, I piled them on my floor. I'm not a tall person, but stacked up, these suckers were nearly chest level and certainly heavier than I. I paused to take a few pictures, the cats had to explore in earnest, and then I was ready to open, open, open, open, open, open my boxes.

Books. Mounds and mounds of books spilled from each box. I just remember saying, "This is amazing." This is perfect." "They will love this one. And this one. And THIS one." After opening just the first box I was on the verge of tears at the evident care and attention that went into selecting these books. These books are NOT some thrown-together cheap selection of titles. These books are books that teenagers love, and I know my santa must have spent a considerable time shifting through piles of books, searching shelves, and researching titles to find the best, most enticing titles for my teenagers. There's Harry Potter, Eragon, Hunger Games, Stephen King, Ender's Game, The Help, Freakonomics, City of Bones, Lookingglass Wars, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The list goes on and on and on! My santa worked hard to find and ship THE BEST ninety books I could have ever dreamed of receiving.

I had mentioned in my letter to my santa that my boy students, particularly my freshmen boys have been complaining that I do not have books that they enjoy. Well now, I have ZOMBIE books, WAR books, BASKETBALL books, BIOGRAPHIES, CAR books, FOOTBALL books, HISTORY books, END-OF-THE-WORLD books. I have books that even the boy who treats books with the most antipathy I have ever seen can at least find SOMETHING to settle into for our silent reading time.

It is my greatest hope that my students grow a love for reading. My santa has provided the most generous, most thoughtful, and most kindhearted gift that will contribute in more ways than they know. I only wish I could share the smiles of my students when they see Ms. H haul in these loads of books. I wish I could share the excited flipping of pages as students escape into different worlds. I wish you could be a part of the many hilarious book reviews I receive each week. I wish you could see the difference you have made. I wish I could send you six boxes of gratitude, but I hope this thank-you will suffice. Thank-you.