A Thoughtful Gift

Yesterday I went shopping for a new computer, but since all PC's will have a new updated version coming out in three weeks I thought I would show a little patience and wait to buy one. In the meantime I am almost incapable of uploading my pictures, but I am working on it slowly. I did want to share the story of the beautiful gift my husband got me for my birthday however.


When we were getting married I wanted something really special to go on top of our cake. I knew I wanted a keepsake that I would cherish forever to remember the day, long after I packed away my overpriced wedding dress. I wanted the perfect cake topper, but I wanted it to last, so I thought, what about a Lladro? If you don't know what a Lladro is you are not alone. They are gorgeous porcelain figurines made in Spain, and had it not been for my friend Jenn getting one for me while she studied abroad I might have never known about them either. People always say that I am not a "clutter" person or a "knick knack" person because I don't have a ton of it in my house, but what they don't know is that I definitely have collector blood running through me. I get that from my Mom.


The May before we were married, Wayne and I went to Toronto for an mini-trip to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame (it was a birthday present) and on our way back we stopped at the duty free shop. They happened to have a bunch of Lladro's there, and at the time the American dollar was worth more than the Canadian one, so we got a bargain on this figurine.

It's called "Together Forever" and it looked beautiful on our cake. I wish I could show you a picture, but like I said my computer isn't cooperating. I have a cabinet in my kitchen that is glass and I store this figurine there, so that I can look at it everyday and think of our first day together.

When I had Zach I was hoping for a mother/child figurine, but they are sort of expensive and kind of impractical so I never asked for one. I think I mentioned I would love one once in passing to my Mom, so I shouldn't have been surprised on my 30th birthday when I opened my gift and found this:

It's called "A Mother's Love" and I will always cherish that it came from my mom with love, and that I will give it to Zach to keep when the time comes.

So this year, I wanted a car starter, and maybe a trip to the spa to get a pedicure before the big day, so I thought that would be my gift. (I ended up getting these too, just from my always-too-generous parents, and generous gifts from my sibling and mother-in-law) Wayne instead surprised me with this:

It's called "Sleep My Love" and it is beautiful. What I found most charming about this gift was the thought my hubby put into it. He told me that he wanted me to have something for Matt and I to cherish too. It also continues the story of our life together and I think he wanted to commemorate our 2nd son in an equally timeless way as our first. It's moments and sentiments like this from Wayne that give me hope that my sons will grow up with just a bit of sappiness in them. You know, the kind of softness that lets them appreciate these figurines and display them one day, rather than throw them in the basement or sell them in a garage sale. I know that for our part, Wayne and I will both always value these figures and the four lives and loves they have woven together.

Today as I looked at the cabinet in my kitchen that displays these figurines, I didn't see "dust collectors" but an image of my family told in artistic forms. As I age I learn that nothing is more valuable or beautiful in the gift than the sentiment.

Thanks Wayne...I love you and all of our boys...Lennie did mention however that he is a feeling a bit left out though, since he doesn't have a special figurine. (I'm sorry, did you just say Christmas Lennie?) :)