The Gift of Family

I love my family.
I love gifts related to family.
I love talking about family.
I love family.

So, for my most recent “29th” birthday, my husband allowed me to put together this beautiful Origami Owl Living Locket. I just received it today in the mail and I’m convinced it’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten. It’s gorgeous! The best part is that it allows me to carry my family with me everywhere I go.

Each charm inside the locket represents one of my daughters.

Airplane: This little charm is for my Katya Grace. She arrived into our lives literally and suddenly off a plane from the Ukraine in 2011. She loves to travel and one of her aspirations in life is to travel and see a lot of the world. I pray that God would grant her the desires of her heart and I’m thankful that He brought her into our lives and family.

Pink Heart: This little charm is for my Kelsey Joy. She’s been my girlie girl who loves pink as much as I do – and, she’s always loved pink polka dots – truly a child after my own heart. This little heart reminds me that even though she’s not at home any more – no matter how far away she goes, she’ll always be in my heart. I pray that God would always remind her of how deeply she’s loved and how precious she is to Him…and to me.

Owl: This little charm is for my Seara Serenity. She’s my artistic and creative one and she loves owls. This sweet little owl has eyes wide open and it reminds me to pray for my little night owl who doesn’t like to sleep. I pray that God would sweeten her life, calm her dreams and give her the peace (serenity) that only He can.

Fortune Cookie: This little charm is for my Elizabeth Sarang (love). She’s my household comedian and even though she’s Korean (not Chinese) – she thought the idea of a fortune cookie was hilarious. This little funny charm reminds me to thank God for her resilience, humor and the gift of laughter she’s brought into our home.

Musical Note: This little charm is for my Kristan Faith. She’s our singer, songwriter and word-master. One of the sweetest sounds in our home is the sound of her guitar as she crafts a new song, learns to play one she loves or simply sits and strums. God uses the gift of music within her to give voice to the depths of her soul – I pray that He always meets her there and speaks dreams, purpose and life.

LOL Symbol: This little charm is for my Heather Hope. She’s definitely our little texter, jokester, social butterfly and compassionate servant. She loves to laugh, but more importantly she loves to love others – if I could assign another meaning to LOL – it would be Love Out Loud – because that’s exactly how Heather lives her life! I pray that her spirit soars as God reveals the desires of her heart.

The Key: This charm is for my sweetheart Steve Parish. He will always hold the key to my heart.

There is no way that a single piece of jewelry can ever tell the story of how much I love my family, but at least it allows me to keep them close and think about them often.