A seasoned gift

I bought the sign about three years ago. I was shopping at one of my favorite weekend markets and it caught my eye. I knew it was special, I knew it was for her. But I wasn’t ready to give it yet.

I ended up taking it to one of my houses and placing it near the entry on top of a cabinet I had hired out to have professionally painted. The sign and the cabinet looked fabulous together, almost like they were meant to be. After that house sold the two made a short trek to a new location where they showed off together again. That house just sold, too. I’m thinking it may have been the sign but I’m not 100% sure.

As we were packing up the house I grabbed the sign and put it in my personal pile. I brought it home and knew it was finally time. You all know I love the word, “time,” it truly does transform perspective. It brings peace to things that seemed daunting and overwhelming. It gives us a chance to heal and grow and see things differently.

I wrapped it up and put a fun blue ribbon around it. I thought a lot about what I wanted to say in the card. To me this gift was like a bottle of wine, it became more valuable as it aged…the meaning behind it became more clear and the heart behind it became more whole.

The sign was simple, actually. The word “home” was hand-painted and, well, that was it. When I bought it, here were the things that came to me:

-Home is where you feel comfortable and where you can be yourself.

-Home is where the heart is. The people we love the most are often found within our four walls.

-Home is where I love to be.

One of the hardest things I dealt with when I got a divorce was the fact that my favorite people were now living in two different houses. I hardly knew what to do with myself when they would leave, I was so used to having them around. But I always knew that they were loved deeply in their other home. And although it was hard to digest and comprehend at first, I understood deep down that they had hit the jackpot when it came to step-moms.

I actually always liked her. She is funny and gracious and kind. She is strikingly beautiful. And she is so good to my boys. I’m writing this 5.5 years after my divorce and those of you who know me understand the work I had to do and the work God had to do in order for me to get to this place today where I can say these words out of the sincerest place in my heart.

It was time to give her the sign. She texted a sweet Mother’s Day greeting and I responded and let her know I had a little something for her and that I would send it with my older son, Luke. (My guess is that it’s still in the back of his car, lol!) I attached a simple card:

S-

I just wanted to thank you for being such a great bonus mom to the boys and for creating a loving, caring home for them. They are very blessed to have you in their lives. Happy Mother’s Day!

-C

This sign that says “home” is a thank you to my former sister-in-law, for she and my FH (former husband) have truly given my boys a place where they are loved deeply, fully and wholly. She has provided warmth, organization, love and care to her boys and mine. I used to feel cheated, like someone had taken time with my kids that I was entitled to, but I now understand that my boys are a gift from God. He gave them a father who loves them more than anything in the world, and a step-mom who loves them like she loves her own children. It took me a long time to be able to type these words, and they truly come from a place of peace and sincerity.

God, thank you for changing my heart. Thank you for providing my boys with a wonderful dad and bonus mom. And thank you that I can embrace all of this with a gratitude that can only come from You.

If you know someone who could benefit from this post, please share. God carved out a path of intense healing for me and I would like to share it with as many people who need or want to hear.