My New Journey...

I know that Christmas has came and went for this year, and I'm thankful to put this Christmas season behind me. However, I was thinking about it and I decided I wanted to share one of my gifts with you all. It was possibly one of the best Christmas gifts I have ever received. What makes it so special is that there was so much love and thought put into this gift. Before I share the gift there is a little background I want you all to know about, especially for the new readers.

On November 2nd, the day of my birthday I wrote a post about what Shawn had gotten me for my 30th birthday last year. I also posted the note that he wrote me to go along with my gift. If you would like to read the note please go here.#2-The Note. The short version of Shawn's note was Shawn telling me that he couldn't wait to see where our life's journey was going to take us and that he was so happy to be on this journey with me. He also told me that he was so happy that I was by his side on our journey. So last year for my birthday, the last year I would celebrate my birthday with Shawn he got me the Journey Diamond necklace for my gift. I don't know what I love more then note he wrote me or the necklace. I wear the necklace everyday. Below is a picture of my last birthday gift from Shawn. Ok...background is complete, now onto my Christmas gift. My brother has the best girlfriend in the entire world her name is Erika and she has been wonderful for my brother http://skiier1202.blogspot.com/ and Erika has been great to my family as well. This summer Erika's vacation was ruined twice because of events that happened in my life. Her first vacation was ruined because that was the day of Shawn's funeral. Instead of leaving for her vacation Erika came to be with our family and be there for my brother. She even made us the best cheesy potatoes ever. Her cheesey potatoes was the only thing I ate for like 4 days. Erika and Matt (my brother) then scheduled another vacation. Their vacation was going to start the week after Shawn's funeral. However, this was the day that I found out about the baby. Matt called her on the phone and told her that I was going to miscarry. Once again instead of leaving for vacation Erika got in her car and came to our house. She spent the entire weekend helping me move into my new bedroom and helping the family unload my things that I wasn't supposed to be lifting. She helped my family and my brother with two of the worst things we have ever gone through. In a nutshell she is great and we all love her.

Erika had read my blog and the note that Shawn had written me for my birthday last year. With that Erika got the idea to buy me the Journey diamond ring to match the necklace that Shawn had gotten me. From what I understand Erika talked about her idea to both my brother and sister. What I have been told Erika talked to both Matt and Katie and explained to them that she really wanted to get me this ring because she knew my journey with Shawn ended too fast and that this ring would not only match my necklace but it was also to represent the new journey that my life would be taking. Makes me tear up just thinking about it.



So Erika, my sister and brother all went in together and got me this ring for my Christmas gift. How amazing are they?! The ring is so beautiful and matches my necklace perfectly! I don't think on Christmas morning my reaction was all that great when I opened it. I knew it matched my ring, but I didn't put all the pieces together. The more I think about it I think I was just trying to get through the day so I don't think my reaction to the thoughtfulness was all there. I mean I thanked them all for my ring, but I don't think I thanked them how I should. So for Matt, Katie and Erika thank you so MUCH for my ring!!! I love it!! It really does mean a lot to me and I will always wear it and when I look at it I will remember each of you and what all 3 of you did for me during the worst time in my life. I love all three of you! Erika, thank you for being so kind and wonderful and for putting so much thought into my gift. I really do love it and love the thought you put into it. Thank you!

Below is a picture of my ring. It is AWESOME!!

Since I had my camera out to take a picture of my ring I also thought I would try one more time to take a picture of the pendant I had made after Shawn died. For those of you who don't know I had the opportunity to have an impression of Shawn's thumb print made into a pendant with Shawn's birthstone placed at the top. It was very expensive but I thought it would be something wonderful for the baby to have when they got older. This would be one thing that the baby would have of their Daddy's...they would be able to have a "piece" of him. Shortly after I had my D&C the pendant was finished and I went to pick it up. Since there is no baby I now wear it every day next to my Journey pendant. I have found that when I am stressed out or miss Shawn I will rub it between my two fingers. Oddly enough it does give me a sense of comfort. Below is the front of the pendant.

This is the back. When I ordered it I had no idea it was going to say anything on it. I got it home and looked at the front and turned it over just to see what the back looked like. I was brought to tears when I read what was printed on the back. Horribly sad, but yet so wonderful at the same time. I love it and will most likely never take it off. I will always have a touch of Shawn with me!

Thank you all who left me a comment yesterday when I had such an awful day. I found your words very uplifting and encouraging to me. Again, the thoughtfulness from "strangers" amazes me once again. If I could I would give each of you a hug!