Monday, April 21, 2008

Heirlooms

My mother was raised as a farm girl with half a dozen brothers and one sister. There was no glitz and glam to farming and everyone had to do their share. Food and clothing where the main commodity and the rest was just gravy, if you were lucky to even get gravy.
Girly girl things like makeup and jewelery were pretty much just nonsense in my mother's mind. It was just the way she grew up. My mother decided to join the convent when tough times hit harder and evil step father's began to rule with an iron fist. It was her only option out.
She took to being a nun quite well and enjoyed the company of her fellow sisters. She was able to go to college to be a nurse all funded by the convent. She later left the convent after graduating nursing school as she chose to want to be married and have children.
I tell you all of this because my mother is a simpleton so to speak. Makeup and jewelry are just not her thing. She pretty much raised me the same way. We've just never been the girly girl type.
My father has been married to my mother for 37 years. You would think that after being married that long he would get the hint that she's just really not into jewelry. Apparently not.
2 years ago my dad decided he'd do something special for mom by designing himself a mother's day ring with my sister and I's birthstone and the boys birthstones on this heart ring. It's a pretty elaborate ring. Mom didn't dig it. She appreciated the gesture but it just wasn't her thing. Dad and mom decided it would be best for me to have it. No pressure or anything for me to like it. I admit I like the ring, it may not quite be my thing either, but it's special because dad created it and had a jeweler make it. You can guess that it was probably not cheap.
Fast forward to now. Dad somehow forgot about the ring and went on to design a broach. I haven't seen the broach yet. According to dad, he got it Valentines day and it came out not how he designed at all. So he had them fix it and their still working on it. This fine piece of jewelry was not cheap. Hopefully mom won't sign in on the blog...cause she might have a stroke. Taking it back for them to fix..not cheap either.
As you might guess..this heirloom will also be passed on to me, possibly sooner than later. I can't imagine me wearing this, but maybe someday sometime a granddaughter..or great great granddaughter of mine may possibly wear it or at least treasure it. I hope that I can somehow pass on the stories of my mother and her simple modest life through this elaborate broach, in hopes that they can appreciate where they came from, even if it's in a gaudy piece of jewelry.

4 comments:

Krista said...

Look at you and your cute new template! Seriously, you are gonna have to teach me how to do this!

What a crazy jewelry story... you'd think after that many years he would realize that she doesn't wear jewelry, let alone fancy stuff! ;)

Anonymous said...

Cute template!

My dad has designed a few things for my mom and continues to buy her jewelry. She DOESN'T wear jewelry! I think it's sweet, though, and it makes me sad that she doesn't like all the things he's bought her.

Interesting story about your mom and the convent!

Anonymous said...

I am so with you & your mom on the jewelry thing. I am not into getting flowers and/or stuffed animals either, I would almost always prefer chocolate. But does that matter to dh? No. If I get a gift it is nearly always flowers and a stuffed animal or something. Men. sigh.

I also just was forced to take some of my grandma's jewelry. Which I am hoping my kids or their kids will treasure, since I am not into it. (I sound so ungrateful. I am not, just not very into stuff.)

I love your new blog look!!! Very pretty!

MP said...

Yeah..this is my favorite look so far..I did a little sprucing up at my blog today...

I didn't know your mom was a Nun...WOW...

Your dad sounds so sweet..you should ask him to design you something I bet he would LOVE that..

My mother is 100% opposite of yours..I think she could have been a nun if it wasn't for her unhealthy love of jewelry..and me..more like your mom except for the nun part...

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