There is an adorable book out by Katrina Kenison titled “Mitten Strings For God” that is of particular interest to me lately. It’s wonderfully simplistic in it’s approach to making time for self and for family and cutting out all the hectic activities that make me forget as a mother that my primary job, my paramount calling life is to be a mother. Kenison’s book reminds me of the plainness of the uncomplicated life of a favorite author of mine, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I mention this book for two reasons: one, it gave me the reminder I needed that family time is quality and must be jealously guarded and two, it serves as a theme for something pure and caring that I thought is of noteworthy mention.
Recently I mentioned that a lovely woman who reads me and whose blog I visited asked if, after I left a comment on this post, I would like to have the pair of gloves I complimented. It’s this kind of stuff that makes me warm and fuzzy on the inside. After eating my weight in cupcakes lately I can, quite frankly, use some roughage in that department. (I almost want to strike through that last part of the sentence lest Google searchers find their way here searching for ways to fix their constipation and the really ornery part of me is going to let that sit.)
Back to the warm and fuzzy.
Meg, said lovely woman, sent them to me and they came in the mail today.
Of course, I had to model them and show that she also found time to knit a matching hat! Amazingly, it fit my enormous noggin!
But the best part, the simple and beautiful morsel upon which I feasted tonight was the card she enclosed in the box she mailed to me.
It was everything I said I wanted to hear. And she said it. Is there a language in this entire world that expresses better what we English speakers say when we utter the words Thank You? My heart is full and my gratitude to her in beyond simple words right now. She knitted mittens out of love of the craft and then freely and generously gifted them to me. Dearest sweet Meg, thank you.
It is in that spirit that I offer up today’s post as a contest to win a free dress from one of my favorite stores, Shabby Apple. If you haven’t visited that site here are a few samplings of some of the dresses over which I salivate (at least it’s not cupcakes!). If you click on the name of the dress in parentheses under each picture it will take you to that dress on the Shabby Apple website.
Seriously. The boots MAKE the outfit. (Rosie The Riveter)
Classy and classic and well decorated with the turquoise chunky beaded necklace. (Nantucket)
To be honest, it was THESE HOT BOOTS that caught my eye but paired with the dress? Raarrrrwww. (Tuxedo)
Don’t cry for me because my booty is amply rewarded in this dress. Cry because of the genius of the lime green shoes paired with it. (Evita)
I would have to wear my hair all wild and curly just like this for this fun, funky party dress. (Beauty Mark)
Contest rules: leave a comment on this post (which I will keep open until Friday) and answer one of the following questions.
a) What is the best gift you have ever received?
or
b) What is the best gift you have ever given?
My trusty elves will help me decide on a winner after I have chosen the best three comments. When you’re done commenting go and kiss someone in your life who needs you today the way I needed Meg’s kindness.
Comments are now closed for this contest.
When I graduated from college, I went to visit my grandfather in Arizona. My graduation gift from him was a trip to the Grand Canyon, something I had always wanted to see.
We spent two days at the Canyon, and I was a budding photographer at the time. I hauled around my camera, took improvised panoramic shots, got good pics of Gramps and myself, and had an overall great time.
That night at the hotel, I searched and searched and searched for my camera with the 10 rolls of film I had taken. It was gone. I believe I left my camera bag on the hook in the restroom at one of our stops.
Needless to say, I was crushed. I think Grandpa was as upset as I.
Fast forward 6 months. I receive a package in the mail.
My beautiful, loving, amazing grandfather went back to the Grand Canyon, retraced our footsteps, and took pictures of everything we had visited.
The pictures weren’t the best gift ever. A grandfather who would do that for his granddaughter was the best gift ever.
My best gift came to me after 18 months of waiting. I had wanted a child for too long and was starting to become bitter. And then, suddenly, it was time to get on a plane and fly for days. Only to wait, and wait, and wait some more. My faith failed and I didn’t know why I was there, waiting, unable to control the circumstances, the delays, or my emotions. I was contemplating getting back on a plane and going home when the phone rang and a voice said, “They’re in the lobby.”
I ran downstairs (9 flights) and saw her. My Daughter! She looked (and felt) familiar, like I had always known her. I stopped only to verify her name and when the nanny nodded, I grabbed her and walked away. No kidding. I stole my own child!
There’s something about the first child…I gave her a name that means “My Gift from God” and she has never stopped being my gift.
Okay, end of corny story. And it was WAY better gift than the Moen anti-scald shower package my husband got me for Christmas a couple years before that!
The best gift I’ve ever given was a year’s worth of memories for my parents. My brother and I wrote 365 of our favorite memories from childhood through adulthood on slips of parchment paper. I then folded those slips of paper, put them in a pretty box tied with a big lovely ribbbon, and labeled them “You’ve given us so many memories throughout the years; now we’re giving them back to you. Thank you for all the wonderful times.” My parents opened one memory per day for the next year. (And, I have to say, the best gift I’ve received was their reaction and the great conversations it invoked throughout the year!)
The best gift I ever rec’d was a trip to the East Coast and to NYC (and a Broadway musical!) – from my cousin Tanya – in 1999.
The best gift(s) is/are easy. On my birthday in 2003, I learned I was pregnant with my son. On Christmas day in 2004, I learned I was pregnant with my daughter. They are the two best gifts I ever got.
(That and when my man dressed up like a national park ranger… bow chicka bow wow!)
Best gift I ever received? It was Easter, Good Friday and I heard that my hubby survived an RPG attack on his vehicle and that he was saved.
Best gift I ever sent? When he was in Afghanistan, I sent him care packages that had goodies (food, treats, chocolates) and a few toys to be sort of joke-gifts… he actually really treasured them! He also shared all of his food with other soldiers, which made me feel really good. I was proud of him sharing his stash of goodies with others when it was such a limited resource there…
A second gift I guess, isn’t really a “gift” per se… it was a little note of love and support that I wrote very quickly in the airport on the day hubby left for Afghanistan. It was a last minute thing, which I snuck into his wallet. He discovered it when he arrived there, and three years later — that tattered love note stays on our mantle, folded the same way in a small container he bought to keep it as a treasure. He won’t let me touch it or lose it in any way. That means a lot to both of us I guess!
This is stretching this question to ridiculous and cheesy lengths but I think the greatest gift I was ever given was the eclectic group of friends I found in my college apartment senior year. And from there, I received a lot of little but very important gifts. From each my roommates and honorary roommates I received a lesson on life, whether they realize it or not. From Dan I received the gift of The Random. From Devon I received the gift of Personal Growth. From Katie I received the gift of Conversation. From Mallory I received the gift of Cool. From Marianne I received the gift of Self-Assurance. From May I received the gift of Adventure. From Nozomi I received the gift of Encouragement. From Paul I received the gift of Loyalty. From Tiffany I received the gift of Inspiration. Other gifts include but are not limited to: Patience, Laughter, Love, Acceptance, Spontaneity, Challenges, An Even-More-Open Mind, Good Food, Good Drink, Good Times, and A Brand New Vocabulary.
The best gift I got was from my husband, he got me a digital SLR camera. While the camera was nice and thoughtful in and of itself, the gift really showed how much he cared about me. It came at a time when I needed to find something that fed my soul. He remembered that I used to love photography but had to get rid of my old film camera several years ago. So the new camera was a wonderful surprise and has since brought me back to my love of photography and what feeds my soul. It reminds me that I have people in my life that love me and want me to be happy.
The best gift I have ever received was from my husband. He bought me a star. Most people file this gift in the “cheesy” category, however, my reasoning is different. My father passed away 10 years ago and since then, I have always looked to the stars in the sky when I needed to talk to him. The first star I see is the one I focus on and talk to. Having my husband buy a star in my father’s name was very sweet to recognize the connection to my father. My mother passed away this year, a month before I gave birth to my son. This year, I am buying my son a star in his grandmother’s name and plan to share with him as he gets older how I talk to my dad (and now my mom) when I need support.
My mom turned 70 in November. She spent most of her life in the jungles of the Indonesian part of Borneo, as a missionary. She never had much time for herself or for fancy clothes or nice things. She and my dad worked hard together until the day he died of pancreatic cancer, five years ago.
Now she’s retired, re-married, living in a nice little apartment in Florida. My sisters and I wanted to do something special for her for this momentous birthday, and we finally decided to rent her a car. I know. A car. But my mom loves cars and has always wanted someone to rent her a red convertible. Well, lest you are ever in the market for red convertibles, in SW Florida, good luck. They’re nearly impossible to find. We did manage the convertible part, but not the red part. Still, when she showed up to pick up her car, the lovely people at AVIS upgraded her to an even fancier little convertible sports car. She had the best week, tooling around the beaches and islands of SW Florida in that thing. She probably sent us three e-mails and called multiple times, thanking us so much for the wonderful gift.
Since my mom is a born again Xtian, and I’m …… not, we’ve had a rocky relationship. Renting this woman who has had so little comfort in her life, as strange as it may sound, has helped to repair our relationship. My only regret? that my dad couldn’t share the gift with her.
I think the best gift I ever got was a new car for my 35th birthday. Sure, I had to pay for it, but I drove it home on my birthday, so darnit! it’s my present.
For the sanity of our household, the GPS I gave to my husband last year. We could get lost going down the street. It has saved us.
One christmas my siblings and I did not think we were getting anything for Christmas b/c of financial reasons. We took it upon ourselves to wrap up our favorite toys and give these to each other. I tear up just thinking about it. My sister gave me this Barbie ski cabin thing that folded up like suitcase. She totally cherished this thing. One brother wrapped up a box of his legos and gave it to the other. It was so touching. Amazingly on this Christmas my parents totally surpised us and there was a tree full of stuff on Christmas morning. But honestly I treasured that Barbie ski cabin most of all.
When my husband-to-be and I first decided to get married, an engagement ring wasn’t a financial possibility. He happened to be taking a jewelry-making class at the time. Using lapis – September’s other birthstone – he made me a ring. The stone was small and rough, the setting uneven, and the band crooked and unpolished…. the most beautiful ring I have ever had the priviledge to place on my finger.
Nice bags! Who needs luggage?
My now-husband proposed three years ago, on Christmas Eve. But the best part was that he got my then-10-year old involved in the process…they hung out that day, made dinner for us all, cleaned up, and boxed up the ring together. It was awesome. No one can top that gift.
The best gift I gave? I’m not sure. People like suprising things! I hope the stuff I’ve knitted for folks over the years means something.
Last year for my birthday all three of my sisters came together in Ohio and rented a cabin in the Hocking Hills for a long weekend. No kids, no husbands, no housework – lots of games and movies and catching up and hot tubbing and cold beverages and being together. That was the best present ever.
The best gift I was given was a package from a great aunt soon after I was engaged. Inside was simple items that belonged to women in my family (my great grandmother, grandmother and great aunt). A small vase, some martini glasses and a plastic mistletoe ornament. It wasn’t really the items that mattered, it was the note that came with the items. “These are some gifts from women in your family who have been successful in love and marriage. Use the vase to hold flowers, but remember you can buy them yourself and still be happy. Drink cocktails with your friends when your marriage isn’t as well as you hoped for. Kiss and makeup under this mistletoe as it was always lucky your your Uncle Joe and I.”
My Great Aunt and Uncle were married 50 years. The mistletoe hangs in my home and I kiss my sweetie under it almost everyday.
I want the dress. I do. But I suspect “Queen of the Click” just won this one. I teared up.
One of the best gifts I’ve ever received arrived yesterday. It was a holiday card, with no return address or signature, and $100 enclosed. I have no idea who it was from, but that simple random act of kindness really touched me, and has given me the ability to help others. I’m now investing a large portion of that gift into buying diapers and formula for our local YWCA family shelter because they’re dangerously short on these items.
The best gift I’ve ever given would be the gift of forgiveness. Before we married, my husband did something stupid just months before our wedding that really hurt my feelings and made me question if he was the one I should marry. I won’t go into the long, boring details, but he did his best to win me back, and I decided to swallow my bruised pride, take a leap of trust and forgive him. When he looks at the two beautiful daughters we’ve created, he’s reminded of my gift and often tells me how grateful he is that I gave him a chance to amend his wrongs.