Mom Mistakes Man Washing His Own Windshield As Christmas Miracle And Hilarity Ensues

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Mary Katherine Backstrom

You know when the air gets chilly, the decorations are up, and Christmas is all around? Well, mom of two and resident of Fort Myers, Florida, Mary Katherine Backstrom sure does. She was feeling totally filled with holiday spirit on a Friday afternoon. While feeling festive, she was hanging around her local convenience store, Wawa, killing time before she picked her kids up from school, and she decided to let her Christmas vibe fly.

Why not, right? She was simply in a happy mood and wanted to share the joy! She had also just watched an uplifting video about random acts of kindness, and so she decided to pay it forward by her own small act of kindness. She looked behind her in line and saw that a woman was purchasing a beverage, so Mary Katherine decided to pay for her drink.

The two shared a beautiful moment, and then Mary Katherine walked out of the Wawa. It seems her joyous mood had taken over, though, because in that moment, she thought she was viewing another small act of kindness, or even a tiny Christmas miracle. She made a hilarious mistake. It was so funny, she had to share it with her Facebook followers, and when she did, she got more than she bargained for. But hey! It was all in the spirit of Christmas and good humor.

Mary Katherine told LittleThings about what happened at Wawa. She said, "I had just read an article about the magic of the holidays and it just sent me into holiday mania." We can all relate, right? When you're feeling that holiday spirit, it can be hard not to see joy all around.

After she paid for the woman's drink, they exchanged pleasantries and talked about what a joyful time of year it is. It's hard to argue with, honestly. It feels like everyone is a little extra willing to go out of their way for one another. Mary Katherine sure was, and so she started to see that same kindness reflected elsewhere, too.

When she walked out of the store, she was still in her kind of dreamy holiday world. "I was living in The Christmas Carol," she said. That's when she saw it — a man washing the windshield of her car. Another Christmas miracle! Or so she assumed …

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I spent some time hugging a bunch of strangers today. Some of them laughed, some of them cried, some of them stared at the weirdo moms who were wearing shirts at the Pride festival offering free hugs. Honestly, I feel like the latter response is probably the most normal. Stranger danger and all of that. But what about this situation is normal, you know? I’m not gay. I can’t relate to any of the life choices or struggles that come with being in the LGBTQ community. But what I find most shocking about the LGBTQ community isn’t the drag queens. You’d think they were out for blood the way some people respond to them. No, what I find most shocking is the fact that there are actual, living parents in this planet who have chosen to withhold love from their own children. That is shocking. That is beyond comprehension. That utterly breaks my heart. From the moment my babies were placed on my chest, I knew there wasn’t a single thing they could do to make me love them less. And boy, have they both tested that theory. But the very idea that my children would one day have to seek refuge in the arms of a stranger’s mother just wrecks me. Hear me, please. My position is this: just freaking love people. Don’t ask questions, don’t be nosy, don’t be a judgmental jerk. Love people. Hard stop. And for the love of all things holy, if your child comes to you and tells you they are gay, do not abandon them. Do not reject them. Don’t make them feel less than. You wrap them up in a big, squishy hug and tell them they are loved. And if you won’t do it, then dammit, I will. #pride #lgbt #lgbtq #gaypride #swflpride #freemomhugs

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Mary Katherine was, of course, overjoyed at the sight and to know that the Christmas spirit was alive and well. She approached the man and started talking to him. "This was a Hallmark movie situation," she said. She was utterly convinced that Christmas was all around.

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My daughter and I just had a knock-down, drag-out bedtime hour. Finally, about ten minutes ago, I put her to bed and through clinched teeth said “I love you, Holland, but not another word tonight. You are going to sleep now. I’m done fussing over stuffed animals.” “Mommy?” I paused on the way out the door, literally biting my tongue I was so frustrated. “What is it, Holland?” “I DO have one more thing to say.” Of course she did. She was standing on the bed with her hands on her hips, too. Her hair was wild and she was using her arm to wipe her tears and snot away from her face. “Mommy,” my three year old said, staring me down with venom in her tiny voice... “I FORGIVE YOU!!!” Then she laid down and cried and honest to goodness, for a hot minute, I didn’t know what to do. The way she said “I forgive you”, made it sound like cuss words. I walked over to the bedside and leaned over. “Baby girl, do you know what forgiveness means?” She was still sniffling, her face shoved deep into her Little Mermaid pillow. “Yes,” she muttered. I really had to hear this. “It means you were wrong, and I’m tired of being mad, and now I’m going to sleep and my heart won’t have a tummy ache.” So there you have it, folks. Tonight I was taught a lesson in forgiveness by a three year old. It was a gut punch, too. And you’re dang right I climbed in that bed and loved on her. Because to be honest, MY heart had a bit of a tummy ache. I was reminded by my toddler to never go to bed in anger. Because when you do, your heart will have a tummy ache. And you know what? I’ve been alive for 35 years, and I’ve got to give it to her: She’s not wrong. #parenthood #motherhood #toddlerlife #faith

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She hugged the man and thanked him. Then she told him how much she loves this time of year. She told him she loved not only that but — wait for it — humanity. But before she had time to notice what was likely a very confused expression on his face, she noticed something else.

What did she notice? That the car he was washing was not, in fact, her car. Oh no — it was his own car. Mary Katherine says what happened immediately after this realization was a pretty big blur, but she excused herself so that she could quickly get away.

After that, she did what just about anyone would do. She burst into hysterical laughter. She wanted to leave the parking lot but says she only made it a few parking spots over. She was laughing way too hard too drive. She parked and let her laughter, and her Christmas spirit, keep on rolling.

Thankfully, Mary Katherine decided to get out her phone and record a video for Facebook live. She didn't wait until she had calmed down. She simply had to share what had transpired with her audience. As a writer and a blogger, Mary Katherine already had a bit of a following. She didn't anticipate how many people would see the video, though.

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*long post alert* Today, my husband and I are in beautiful Naples, Florida. After the month from mastectomy hell, we just needed to find one other again. You know, that whole thing where two people talk, laugh, and connect like they still plan on spending their whole lives together? That. Of course, as soon as our suitcase was loaded and we pulled out of the driveway, my heart was hit with that tug of a whisper we parents know all too well. Anybody wanna guess? You are probably already there. “You shouldn’t be leaving the kids...” “A good mom would stay...” “They’ve had as hard a month as you have...” This is the thing we call “mom guilt”, right? I mean, I used to. Now I understand that “mom guilt” doesn’t exist. Seriously. And today I want to tell y’all why. Hang with me, because this one really MATTERS. And I think it’s going to be a balm for your tired mama hearts.

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Since sharing it on Friday afternoon, Mary Katherine's "Christmas Kindness" video has had 37 million views. It's unbelievable and yet … believable! Her video is just plain relatable. So many of us have felt those warm and fuzzy holiday feelings. It's pretty easy to understand how the incident happened.

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*long post alert* Sometimes I feel like I’ve got this parenting thing under control. And other times my three year old daughter drops her pants and pees like a racehorse all over the back porch during our Memorial Day BBQ. Lately I’ve learned that my children decide to act like hellions or angels has very little to do with me. Seriously. I know this because I’m the same mama all day, every day, but which kid I get on a daily basis is just about as reliable as the weather. Will I get my Shirley Temple daughter who sings like a cherub and pats my face and tells me with her baby voice that she “lubs me more dan cupcakes”? Or will I get the holy terror who tells the deacon at church “When I get home imma rip this dress off so I can be nekkid and poop ALLLL MAH POOPIES out!” Who knows? It’s a coin toss. Will I get the son who smiles with his eyes and uses “yes ma’am” and “thank you sir” and holds my hand in the parking lot? Or will I get the unpredictable oversharer who informed his preschool teacher that sometimes he can’t sleep at night because his mama told him serial killers grab children from their beds? (I never said that. EVER. EVAAAR.) Luck of the draw, folks. Who knows which kid will show up. It’s just a lottery, I guess. Statistically, things work out this way. Some days one kid is great and the other is a nightmare. That’s manageable. Some days the math works in your favor and God smiles down upon you and both children are PBS cartoon angels. But, oh. OOOOHHHHHH some days. Some days you’ll be dragging one child by the foot through the grocery store while yelling at the other kid, “IF YOU OPEN THAT CAN OF PRINGLES I WILL THROW YOUR PUPPY IN THE TRASH CAN!” (Not realizing that the entire store thinks the puppy is a flesh and blood creature of God, as opposed to the piece of one inch tall plastic crap that it is.)

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If you haven't checked out the adorable video yet, make sure you do, because it really is sweet and incredibly funny. You can also follow Mary Katherine's adventures on her page, Mom Babble, where she documents her motherhood journey and her hilarious missteps. Fortunately, for the entire internet and Mary Katherine herself, this one was just too funny not to share.

Sarah Bregel (she/her/hers)