Treasures from a friend

Well, I was feeling a little sad going into this mother's day weekend, because M's parents are in California for the weekend, and my own mother is in New York, making this the first mother's day in a few years that we have NOT spent "en famille" in one way or another. It also happens to be the first mother's day that I am...well, on paper at least...a mother!
Mike has gone in for his long weekend shifts at work, and here I am, sitting alone in my studio, working on portraits...when a postman comes up the walk.
He was so quiet that my dog, napping on the couch, didn't even wake up and kick up a fuss like he usually does. When I went out to investigate, there was no package on the stoop. After some hunting, I finally found a small box hidden in our milk delivery carton.
In the little box was an even smaller box covered in lavender satin and printed with dragonflies. Inside that box....

...was just the most beautiful mother's day treasure I could have imagined! It's a bracelet covered with adoption symbols. There are Chinese symbols for love, luck and harmony, a tiny enameled American passport, a Chinese flag, a golden pig charm for QiuQiu's birth year, a panda, a "mom" badge, and many symbols for love and motherhood.

I tell you, tears are streaming down my face as I write this. I am so touched and feel so full of love and the caring thoughts of friends and fellow mamas. This is just the most beautiful gift and I will treasure it for a lifetime. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my friend Viv and her sweet daughter Kerri. OOXX My heart is full today!