Remembering

Oh, the remembering is hard sometimes. There are so many triggers, though some have changed over the last five years. Could it really be five years since our third daughter arrived?

I have many reminders of my youngest daughter. Some are still safely packed away after our move in December...the molds of her hand and foot done by the staff at Children's Mercy, her clothes and toys that I just couldn't bear to give away. Others adorn the top of my desk...her smiling sonogram picture, a treasured drawing done from one of my favorite pictures of Kristen, a stuffed bear wearing one of Kristen's outfits. And yet others I wear close to my heart, like the photo pendant made by a sweet friend and this new piece of jewelry:

In late March, I received an email from Hallie at Everlasting Memories. She'd seen my blog and asked if I would be interested in writing a product critique for my choice of a keepsake from their selection of memorial jewelry items. I was especially taken with their photo engraved pendants (a heart-shaped one, of course). It took me some time to go through my photos of Kristen. I wanted to find just the right one. I kept coming back to one I had taken just a couple of weeks before her surgery. We were on our way to the library, and I quickly snapped it as she wiggled in her carseat. She had her Pooh Buddy, and she was smiling. Unfortunately, the photo came out a bit blurry.

A couple of years ago, a sweet lady contacted me through CMH and offered to make a drawing of my daughter. She had lost a son and was reaching out to others who had lost a beloved child. I sent her the same blurry photo, hoping she would be able to work her magic on it. And she did.

When I contacted Hallie about the photo I wanted to use, I explained about the blurry one, unsure if it would work. I sent it to her, along with a photo of the drawing, so she could check with their head engraver. The next email I received from Hallie asked if I'd like any engraving on the back and what length of chain I preferred. I responded on a Monday, just before noon. The very next day, just as we were sitting down to lunch, the doorbell rang. My necklace was already here!

  

I don't think my photos do it justice. It truly is beautiful, and I've received a number of compliments on it. One thing that struck me about it right away is the weight of the pendant. It's not heavy, but it has a nice, comfortable weight to it. I got an 18" chain, so the pendant sits right next to my heart.

The timing could not have been more perfect. The necklace arrived the week before Kristen's birthday.

Thank you for your very personal and prompt service, Hallie. Thank you, Everlasting Memories!