The 31 Day Photo Challenge, Day 26

Thanks to It's Gravy Baby, I am taking part in a 31 Day Photo Challenge in March.  Visit her blog if you'd like to participate too, do one day or all of them, it's up to you.  Check out all my Photo Challenge posts here. 

Day 26: The best gift you’ve ever received.

I think the BEST gifts I've ever gotten are my kids.  I truly LOVE being a mom. There are totally moments that make me crazy, of course, but overall there is NOTHING I'd rather do than be a mom.

Photo credit: jdurham from morguefile.com

But the best gift that was actually like wrapped up and given to me for an occasion was a diamond pendant, I got from my mom. Sadly, I can't remember for sure, but I THINK I was my 21st birthday.  It was the stone from my mom's engagement ring from my father.  After they got divorced she had it reset into a pendant and wore it for years.  When I was old enough that she thought  was responsible enough she had the setting redone (it had worn through from years of sliding around on a chain) and gave it to me for my birthday.  It was a gift which I loved for its beauty and what it was, materialistically.  But it was also a special gift because of all the symbolic meaning.  That stone was part of something that symbolized in a small way the beginning of my life and also my mom recognizing me as truly being an adult.  I am so beyond grateful that when our house was broken into several years ago that they somehow missed this necklace in my jewelry box.  It was definitely the single most valuable item in that box but somehow they must have over looked it because it was the only thing left behind.  Unfortunately, because of that, I've had it safely put away since then as I'm paranoid now.  So I don't have a photo. But just trust me it's really pretty!

Join me and more bloggers at It's Gravy Baby to link up if you're taking part in this challenge.