November 29, 2017 – With the holiday season very much underway, I always make sure I take the time to reflect on the things that are very important and that I hold very near and dear to my heart. My family and this necklace are definitely two of those things. So today’s post with show y’all my softer side.
In Fall 2006, my family’s life was upended all because of a phone call. During that phone call, my father was informed that he would be deploying to Iraq the following week and the chances of him being able to see his family were unlikely. My father was stationed in Long Island, New York while my mother, brother, and I remained in Virginia. I was 11 years old at the time and I had no idea how to feel. I knew that the following seven months would be extremely challenging for our family but we would come out of it stronger. I knew I needed to be strong for my 6-year-old brother and put on my big girl pants to help out my mum. However, that was about all I knew. The seven months that my dad was deploy were filled with anticipation, worry, and prayers. And the overwhelming feeling of relief when we watched him step off the plane in Michigan. I have always been a Daddy’s Girl and the seven months that my hero was deployed were the hardest seven months of my life.
The summer of 2007, my dad’s first summer home, our family took a trip to New York City and one of the stops during our trip to the Big Apple was to Tiffany & Co. Thus beginning my love for all things Tiffany. I was a little 12-year-old girl who was mesmerized by all the sparkly things in one place and as a treat, my dad kindly bought that little girl a sparkly thing of her own, this necklace. For the past 10 years, this necklace has almost always been around my neck. To me, it is much more than a necklace. It’s a sense of hope, comfort, and strength. This necklace shows me that no matter where we all end up, I can accomplish all my dreams because I always have my hero close to my heart supporting me. It reminds me to worry a little less because everything will work out how it’s supposed to eventually. It taught me to hold high standards because I deserve nothing less than the best. It encourages me to step outside my comfort zone to try new things because I have my family to catch me if I fall. This necklace lets me know that I’m always safe because I have my hero looking out for me and close to my heart always.
I try my hardest to remind others to hold their family close and cherish every moment that they have together because you never know when a phone call might turn things upside down. In a military family (especially), you have to know to expect the unexpected. And during the holidays, take time to let your loved ones know how much they mean to you and hug them extra tight.
For those of you wondering, the necklace that my dad bought me from Tiffany & Co. is the Return to Tiffany Mini Double Heart Tag Pendant in Sterling Silver [link at bottom of post].
Until Next Time,
Emily Jane
Links:
SimplyEJV 