The Gift of Memories

How do you
give
a gift of memories?

How do you
remember
60 years of marriage...

...and share
those memories
with the generations
to follow?

Gramma Gene
will find a way!

By the way,
Brothers
Chris and Ed...

...you'd better not
read this blog
till after Christmas.

It's got secrets.

We gather today
at Zionsville...











...for our
Gramma Gene
Christmas.

We
share
gifts...

A wine
from
Argentina....

A thoughtful
book...

A Colts gnome
for Gramma...

A surprise
for Nicky!

We laugh
together...

Share
stories...

We bond
as a family...

Then comes
the most special
present of all....

Mother
hands us each
a small box...

...each box tied
with a simple
gold ribbon...

...and inside
each box
lies
a memory...

A week ago
Mom had asked me
to bring her
her jewelry box.

She carefully
opened
the lid...

...to reveal
treasures
worthy of a king.

Reverently
she drew out
each
precious
piece...

With love
she laid them
side by side
on her Zionsville table.

Each gem...

Each gold band...

...filled
with the memories
of a lifetime.

Memories
of the Dad
we lost this May.

Each gem
has a story
to tell...

How he sent Mary Nell
out to buy Mom
a diamond one Christmas
when he was
bedridden with
tuberculosis.

When he couldn't find
the perfect Christmas gift
he'd have a jeweler
make one.

He loved
buying gold.

Our memories
are interrupted
by a ring.

Brother Ed
calling from California.


Mom just beat him
at Facebook Scrabble...
...again.

Back to work...

.....choosing
one special
treasure

....for each member
of a large family.

Earrings for KC...

The diamond heart
for Charley...

Even the boys
get jewelry...

...to give to
their future
wives.

My gift
was most special
to me...

A locket
given to my Mom
by her mom...

....engraved on the back
with the monogram
of her father...

Solon Woodfin,
who died
when she was five.

Inside,
an old photo
of Mom's mom -
my beloved Me-me.

The gifts
of a lifetime...

Gift
of memories...




Gifts
of family.