Surprises in life!

This gift was a total surprise, and very treasured.  I had a high school reunion last year and it reunited me with one of my high school friends, Annette.  I agreed to do a memory book for our reunion and it turned out to be a big job, but it was rewarding to connect with my "inner teenager" and reconnect with the "mature" versions of many of my high school friends.  As the chairperson of the reunion committee, Annette was my trusted adviser as I worked my way through the memory book project.  This project was finished a few months ago.

Imagine my surprise when, totally "out of the blue," Annette sent me a message recently telling me she'd like to know when I was going to be home because she planned to send me something.  I have to admit that I thought it might me something left over from the memory book project.

The package arrived and it was an amazing necklace Annette made from beads from Kenya with copper findings.  My little painting does not do it justice.  You need to know that the original does have copper highlights, though they don't show up in the picture.  Annette composed this necklace in a way that it always lies just right when I put it on.  I have been wearing it a lot....people enjoy seeing it and, of course, I like to tell what it is.

Thanks, Annette....how thoughtful of you to remember me in a way I will always treasure.  I treasure our renewed friendship, too!