Immortality

I've been marveling since Saturday over the hand made (with love) items in our Christmas boxes. I love bringing out Darin and my stockings and the kids asking who made them. I answer "Gramma Kestner." But then I immediately have to follow up with "My Gramma Kestner, not your Gramma Kestner, so your Great Gramma Kestner. My Dad's mom".

Something about sharing the history of a hand made crocheted ornament or knitted stocking (which everyone envies) with my children has me reflecting on all of the fabulous items I have received over the years from Gramma Jane Kestner, Gramma Jane Weber, Mom Gramma Kestner, Gramma Pond, Gramma Reynolds and Mom Gramma Dixon. They range from sheets & pillow cases to an ornate Crèche that my Gramma Jane Kestner made for my Mom Gramma Kestner and I chose as my wedding crèche to inherit. The crèche found it's new place in our home in my kitchen on my new shelf I painted and put up.

I have a knitted pillow from Great Gramma Kestner in the living room too. I love it. It gives me such feelings of comfort to have a little piece of my loved ones with me. And to me, it really is creating an immortality beyond the grave. These things will be passed down through the generations and prized above store purchased items long after the makers have met their Maker. I'm included in this circle. I love making cross stitch temples and other scenes and giving them as presents. I enjoy thinking that long after I'm gone, a little piece of me will endure on the earth.

I think that's why I've decided to write my story that I've been thinking about for years now. Not so much that it'll ever be on the New York Time's best seller's list, but that a little piece of my immortality will be passed down through my posterity. That through reading my story, they may be able to get to know me a little & discover the person that I am and want to be.