It might sound strange to say that, but until you lose your hearing, you never fully understand how inexplicably precious it is. “It was an incredible gift after a huge loss,” Cat says. I would get perhaps $10 for Christmas or my birthday. Alan fought cancer for nearly four of his five years, but by September of 2012, it was time for Alan to begin hospice. The bracelet that formerly brought a bittersweet joy brings me true, constant joy now as I realize that life does go on when you keep memories alive.”. What I love about the mug … is that she recognized me as a 'Mom' -- her mom -- acknowledging that bond that she and I shared. "He has a beautiful collection of bows that I'd always admired but could never use, as these were the professional bows that were very expensive. These 10 Jane Goodall quotes can restore anyone’s faith in humanity. 2. When Alan passed in January, Elizabeth and Trey printed and framed half a dozen photos from both sessions for display at his memorial service. “And I remember every first that came after—the first time I heard my mother’s voice. Jessica, 49. One in particular had always caught my eye: an ivory- and gold-colored, 5-foot, 128-pound bow that my mother used long ago. “I always tell everyone that he had me at brownies. “Soon I began to see my mom’s gifts all the time, like when I’m surfing, which my mom encouraged me to do. And although it did not take away the pain of the loss, it gave her something to love, forming an emotional bridge to her childhood and her beloved mother. Marisa Zeppieri-Curuana, 39, has been suffering from lupus, an incurable and sometimes debilitating autoimmune disease, since 2008. Paige Arnof-Fenn, 52, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, wants it to be known that every single gift her husband has ever given her is incredibly meaningful. Hey, Jeff, how about next year taking Rachel around to the best state fairs and festivals in all 50 states? Rather, Terry’s mom’s generosity had inspired some holiday gift ideas in Terry, and it didn’t take long for Terry to figure out what she was going to do with all that fabric. Thoughtful gifting doesn’t have to mean spending extra money or concocting an elaborate rendezvous. With every stitch, I thought about all that my mom had done for me and my siblings over the course of our childhood, during which we were always battling homelessness, but Mom somehow managed to fill our lives with love and make everything okay.”. 1. this is what it’s really like to be a Hallmark holiday writer. “I named my horse Frank’s Insurance Policy, after my dad, Frank, who was an insurance salesman. “One of those digital picture frames, and it was filled with literally hundreds of photographs, even photographs from before she was born. Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter. A leather journal with a personal inscription and matching pen. “Money was very tight,” Terry recalls, but when her mom called to ask if she’d like to go shopping at the local fabric store, she couldn’t say no because she was finding herself craving some Mom-time. Because my grandfather sent it to my grandmother -- with whom I am extremely close and who will be celebrating her 100th birthday in January -- when he was out of town one Valentine's Day long, long ago.” (Here are the signs of lupus you should know.) If you’re thinking about purchasing a hearing aid, here’s what you need to know about buying hearing aids online. On Christmas Day that year, my husband surprised me with a frame, which held a typed copy of my dad’s father of the bride speech at our wedding (he watched our wedding video to get it word for word) and a photo of our father-daughter dance together. … We have three daughters now, and I’ve told them they can read the book when I’m gone.” ©2020 Verizon Media. The most meaningful presents may not come wrapped in shiny paper or frilly ribbons. The most meaningful Christmas gift I have received is angel wings for my baby sister. Image: Lauren and her grandmother, Rosalie, affectionately known to everyone as Grama Ro. That’s why it was so meaningful when she opened a package shipped straight from Kansas and saw that inside was her own baby outfit from 35 years ago: dress, bonnet, and cute little socks made out of pink Swiss Dot (a sheer cotton fabric that is embellished with small dots). “Why is it so special? Some gifts are needed. It contained a beautiful ‘old school’ Valentine's message -- one that we'd be hard-pressed to find inside a paper card these days. However, it was far more bittersweet than it might otherwise seem—because her father’s gift was intended to help her grieve the loss of Cat’s mom, who had passed away the previous spring. For Christmas several years ago, she gave me eight dozen -- yes, eight dozen -- pairs of workout socks! … on the enclosure, she inscribed the quote, 'History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.' An amazing, hand-painted birthday banner. They’re the ones that lighten your spirit, ignite your imagination, and ease your troubled mind. “We love to think of this as Alan photobombing from Heaven,” says Judy. --Aliya Brown, 8. --Darlene Batrowny. It’s your Christmas gift from me.” Terry’s eyes filled with tears as the cart began to overflow with bolts of fabric, but not because Terry was planning on making herself a pretty dress or a pair of curtains for the kitchen. However, one year, for my birthday, my parents put together this big banner, with a big hand-painted ‘Happy Birthday’ on it, and put on a bunch of photos from when we were much younger. Her selfless devotion to the welfare of animals inspired me to become an animal advocate. “When I look back, I realize that was the greatest gift a little girl could receive because it was given with love and helped me hold onto a piece of my father as I remembered him as I navigated through a very difficult experience in my life. Nowadays, not every child is fortunate enough to have both parents to nurture them. But now I don’t miss life anymore.”, Her hearing aids were more than just about hearing, however. However, time revealed something different to Jennifer. “Every night when my little boys went to bed, I would work on this queen-size quilt. 1. So it came as a huge surprise when it arrived at my house on Christmas Eve of last year. Fast forward to today. Eighteen years ago, Terry Grahl of Taylor, Michigan, was pregnant with her fourth child—and her first and only daughter. A batch of fresh-baked brownies. Marisa is the founder of LupusChick, a not-for-profit aimed at supporting and encouraging those with autoimmune disorders. Every day, they return to me a moment, a sound, a voice. Image: Melissa and Alena, with the infamous lavender mug. The first time I listened to Winter Wonderland on the radio and heard every word, rather than incoherent mumblings. He knew I loved brownies so he MADE them for me! The first time I heard my father cry as he realized I could hear my mother. “But one day, in early 2016, I steeled myself, walked into Tiffany’s and got the bracelet engraved with “Jenny” on the front, and on the back, “Love, Mom.” That’s when Jennifer realized that the bracelet wasn’t the last gift her mom would ever give her because, on just that very day, her mom had given her the gift of strength. Inside was the quilt she had sewn, shedding cathartic tears of love with each stitch, from the fabric her mother had given her as a gift. I must have mentioned how much I loved it a million times over the years, and Dad never gave much indication that he heard me, so gradually I let it go and stopped hinting about it. “Jeff’s the eternal romantic,” Rachel says. “They still work, at least most of them,” Amanda says, “which is truly amazing.” And her kids have used them as a jumping-off point, adding Crayola markers, paint, and colored pencils to their arsenal of art tools.

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