“When my dad gives us Christmas gifts, he always puts little ornaments, like these, on the box,” she said of the little wooden Nutcrackers. “These red balls were from when the kids were selling things for a fundraiser. They were prettier, but they look pretty good for what they’ve been through.”

Berg’s now 18-year-old son, Brad, made the plastic beaded candy cane ornament when he was in the first grade and the rocking horse ornament was from one of his teachers, she said.

“My tree isn’t decorated with fancy ornaments, it’s all ornaments from my kids - ones they made in school,” Berg said.

Before the storm, Berg had prepared her Sabine Pass home as much as she could, boxing up cherished items and setting them off the floor - where she hoped they would be safe from flood waters.

“They were in the top of my closet. When the fell, I guess they floated out,” she said of how the ornaments made the trek from her Sabine Pass home to the beach in Corpus Christi.

Cass said she understands the importance of the ornaments, as a mother, a teacher and a daughter.

“My mom still has my candy cane that I made like that one,” she said.

When the two women talked, Cass said it was harder for her than it seemed for Berg.

“It was hard, emotionally,” she said. “It just kind of hit me, everything that happened to her.”

In 2005, Berg’s house was destroyed by Hurricane Rita and in 2007, her oldest son, Ryan, was killed in Iraq. Now, once again homeless after a devastating storm, Berg said the ornaments have lifted her spirits - though she is still missing items that were dear to her - including boxes that held Ryan’s military uniforms.

Knowing more about the Bergs, Cass said she’s certain it was more than the storm that brought the ornaments to her.

“The way that bag was buried in the sand, I believe there was some higher force that lead me to the bag,” Cass said. “Honestly, I didn’t say this to her, but I felt like it could’ve been her son trying to get a message to her.”

Whatever the reason the bag of ornaments washed up to Cass’ attention, she gave credit to Brad Berg for excelling in school.

“There’s credit to her son, Brad, for doing well in school or his name wouldn’t have been in paper,” she said. “I just wish we could find everybody’s things.”

And despite the fact that it’s only October, Berg said she’s ready for Christmas.