Generations.

Tomorrow Anthony and I leave for Sacramento, CA where we will spend a few days

wrapped in the love of his family: I cannot wait.

I miss them when we're away, or they're away or both...

so different from my own nuclear family and yet still MINE:

They laugh and chime in when I talk shit during chickenfoot or Skipbo

.

They tell the stories everyone's come to memorize with a bit of extra added theatricality each time (the lightning that used to strike the tree on the side of the road is now striking the car!!)

.

They squabble and forgive quickly and efficiently

.

They knit, crochet, sew, whittle and farm

.

They LOVE, and how - that seems to be the biggest shared trait amongst both of my families-

the gift of knowing how to love.

As I was working on this marvelous tooled leather raven wing necklace today,

I thought tearfully about the moment tomorrow when

Anthony's delightful Grandma Kelly

will put her palm against my little growing bump -

three generations of love,

all in one room.

The missing piece will be Anthony's Grandpa, who passed last year

in the fall...

But I know if we all concentrate enough, we'll feel him there,

along with both sets of my grandparents

witnessing this new life from somewhere beautiful,

looking younger and healthier than they did when each left us

here

smiling their tender grandparent-ly smiles - the ones that spoke volumes

of love, loyalty and pride.

Tonight they're in my fondest contemplations, all of the generations that came before

with their struggles and triumphs,

gifts and curses.

This necklace holds these moments of memory,

wrapped in leather

found coral (Anini Beach, Hawaii)

and oxidized sterling silver.

In the Metal Shop this evening.

xoxo,

Allison