layout - Unobtrusively add block in cart -

for module i'm working on, want add block in shopping cart screen, want unobtrusively , i'd place beneath cart content , before other blocks (coupon, shipping estimation, totals, ...).

i've managed unobtrusive part: observer listens controller_action_layout_load_before , if fullnameaction checkout_cart_index adds handle of layout update xml file:
observer:

public function showuppergifts($observer) {     $fullnameaction = $observer->getevent()->getaction()->getfullactionname();     if ($this->_isenabled &&         ($fullnameaction == 'checkout_cart_index')) {             $layoutupdate = $observer->getevent()->getlayout()->getupdate()                                 ->addhandle('my_special_handle');     } } 

and layout file:

<my_special_handle>     <reference name="content">         <block type="module/block" name="module_block" template="module/block.phtml"/>     </reference> </my_special_handle> 

with this, content of phtml file shows up, i'm not able place want.
first try use before="name.of.block" attribute, doesn't work. if use before="whatever" goes before inside checkout.cart block, , if use after="whatever" goes after everything. in short doesn't take content of before or after consideration.
looking @ xml layout files of magento's core modules, realized argument before , after appears when blocks placing after or before inside right/left columns. guess it's special columns.

so question is, can specify location of block inside content? , yes, how?
solution load block asynchronously, append div of choice result of ajax call, i'd rather in "normal" way if can.

thanks reading :)