I knew my sister mailed off a present for me, but I was shocked when it arrived on Monday! I recorded a quick video of me opening the box so she could see my excitement. It is always nice to do videos back and forth because we don't get a lot of time to talk on the phone or FaceTime. She lives about 3,000 miles away and I miss her dearly.
Anyway, I opened the package and found A COACH PURSE!!!!! I was floored. Speechless. It was so unexpected. It seems that my sweet sister and my thoughtful stepdad joined forces to get me a special gift this year. They know things have been pretty tough on me emotionally for a while and wanted to show their love. (The purse is a beautiful shade of pink that I wouldn't have normally bought for myself. It fits my big upper arms, has a long strap, and is big enough to hold most of my stuff but small enough that it shouldn't get too heavy. I absolutely love it!!)
Coach Classic Stripe Convertible Hobo
I love this purse, but their kindness and thoughtfulness and love mean more to me than anything. So not only did I want to show off my new (and first ever) Coach handbag, I also want to say how grateful I am to have such wonderful people in my life. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people with kind, supportive, and loving blood-related relatives who love me and encourage me no matter what. (My grandmas are sweet like that and they keep in touch, but others not so much.) My immediate family (minus my little sister) have all abandoned me for reasons out of my control.
Having a family that loves me sometimes seems so foreign because it isn't something I necessarily grew up with. I don't think I can ever find the words to express how much it moves me to know that I am loved and considered family by people that don't have to be tied to me if they don't want to. I have a saint of a husband, amazing friends, a wonderful sister-in-law and her incredible family, and my husband's family that I consider part of my own now.
I'm still trying to forge a better relationship with my little sister. We didn't grow up together at all, so it has taken more time to come to a point where we can talk about everything. I definitely look forward to many years of sharing things with her.
Then there's my sister Crissy (technically my stepsister, but we don't care about that. As far as we are concerned, she's my sister.) whom I have known since I was 12. She's been a friend, a confidante, a shoulder to cry on, a partner in crime, an ally, and most of all, a sister to me for 64% of my life. She's my best friend.
And while my stepdad and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye (to put it mildly), we have become closer over the past decade. That is something that has been extremely important to me. I don't think living with my mom was really easy on either one of us. Being able to catch up with him on the phone or go out to lunch when he is in town have been very helpful for me. I appreciate his love and kindness more than I have ever put into words, I suppose.
What was going to be a short blog post has turned into something far greater, but I don't want to start rambling too much. I guess what I am trying to acknowledge, albeit not succinctly, is that I am a lucky gal and grateful and humbled by the love of my family and friends. So Happy Birthday to me!
"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs, the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and love you no matter what."
YAAAAAAY Coach purse! (And happy early birthday, my birthday sistah. I hope yours doesn't get ganked like mine is going to.)
ReplyDeletewhat a cute purse. I love pink, it's like my favorite color. Happy Birthday, we're both Taurus
ReplyDeleteAH, NO GANKING ALLOWED! Put your foot down! That is easy for me to say this year as I don't have to share my day with anyone. I hope your birthday is way more awesome than you imagine! Happy Birthday!!
ReplyDeleteMine too! I like to say "Pink is my signature color" - the line from Steel Magnolias. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut is it "blush" or "bashful?" Hehehe.
ReplyDelete"I have chosen two shades of pink, one is much deeper than the other."
ReplyDeleteI agree with the family sentiment, some times you need to cut those who are not good to you, even if they are family. Sadly i have to do that to one sibling and there is another one I have consider doing the same...I hope one day we can all talk and make things better.
ReplyDeleteAnd YAY for the beautiful purse
Thank you! I do love my shiny new purse!
ReplyDeleteIt just plain old sucks when family has to act up. I had to let go of my mom and brother, and technically also my dad. I've tried to work out things with my mom, but she is the type of person that doesn't see any fault in anything she does. It is so heart-breaking to let them go, but not having that constant negativity in my life has been very helpful.
Re family
ReplyDeleteI'm the same
My mum died in 88 but I never lived with her
I lived with my grandparents
When my grandmother died in 1994 at 83
I basically was left with no family
It's very hard to be all alone in the world
I do have a husband and 4 beautiful daughters that are my everything good friends
My best friend I've had since I was 4 I will be 43 in August
She's my family
Love the purse
You are a lucky girl
Cherish what and who you have
Life can be complex at times xxxx
Your new liker
Gia x
Thank you, Gia. It helps to know I'm not the only one dealing with similar feelings. I'm very happy I am surrounded by people who care about me, but I still have trouble dealing with the absence of my mom and her hatred of me.
DeleteHugs to you!!