Gifts...

... in the literal sense today. I've talked a lot about the gifts that God has given me in my ability to cope with losing Eli. I've talked about the gift of friends that have held my hand through it and allowed me to talk and cry when I need to. I know that I have also talked about how a great number of these friends I have never been able to give a real, live hug to because they are spread all over the country - world really.


Well, today I was surprised by a box from that big brown truck that always seems to deliver something cool. Today it was a real, literal gift from those real friends that I am so very thankful for. They know about the garden that we are working on for Eli. Many of them read every day and secretly got together. When I grabbed the box I saw that it was from PA... and I knew that inside would be something wonderful. The mommies from R's birth board are just incredible women. So, without wasting any more time, here are the photos of the incredibly thoughtful gifts that they sent.

This garden angel is the first thing I saw when I opened the box...

Karleigh was standing with me and said "Oh mom, it looks like Baby Eli, that'll be perfect in his garden!" She then saw me crying and said "What's the matter... don't you like it? --- I'll take him!" I told her that no, I was very happy and I have very good friends.

The package also included a couple of beautiful, hand blown glass hummingbird feeders. I had just told Jim yesterday that we needed to get the food out in our old feeder. The air was full of sweet little hummingbirds yesterday. Some were zooming past and we could only hear them, some zipped past and slowed down as they stopped at the cherry plum tree and several even stopped to rest in the tree so we could see them and hear their tiny chirps.

I didn't get the best shot of this one... it stakes into the ground and has a pretty purple reservoir with a red glass flower insert.

The one hanging in the tree (and the umbrella/ant catcher goes the other way... oops!) is also blown glass with the red inserts. Each of the reservoirs are a really pretty aqua color and this one will hang above where the flowers will be planted. It is so perfect!

This is a close-up of the adorable glass inserts...

There was also a card and these beautiful hand made items. It's a key chain for Jim and a bracelet for me with stones to represent Eli's special dates. It's so nice to have something to have with us at all times and knowing that they were made especially for me warms my heart.

My heart has always known that these ladies are my friends. It's hard for some people to understand the relationship that we have but my heart is overflowing this evening. Thank you again, I don't know what else to say. I am truly touched.