Traditions

When my kids were young I never really thought about the details of their weddings and what I might give them for this special event, probably because they were all boys for the longest time and I knew that they wouldn't care about that kind of thing.  Then Alana entered our lives and she was a girl! Suddenly I'm the mother of the groom at a bridal shower and I have no idea what to give this new girl in our family. The boys have always been happy with a new pair of basketball shorts or a t-shirt for every special occasion.  I was pretty sure that wasn't going to fly in this situation.  Thus, the wedding traditions were born out of sheer desperation.  I got the idea to have a necklace engraved with the words "Forever Moore".  Alana is not a cryer, never has been, but when she opened my gift and cried right in front of all her friends I knew that I had hit on a winner.  The effect on the other girls wasn't quite as dramatic because they all knew it was coming but I hope they like them and know that they were given in love.  I happen to not have very many crafty talents but I do know how to crochet a little so I took it upon myself to make each couple an afghan for their home.  I knew this was something that they couldn't buy and that it was homemade with lots of love so this also became a tradition.  I love seeing these blankets in their homes.  Many years ago in my ward there was a homemaking night dedicated to Family Home Evening.  Everyone knows I am all about FHE and credit it for much of my family's success so when they offered binders with organized lessons and pictures and scriptures, I thought ahead to my 7 children as adults and parents and had the foresight (a rare occasion) to buy one for each of them.  I stored them in my hope chest and when they each got married I gave them one.  Last year, for Christmas, Pat and I got all the married kids a picture of the San Diego Temple with their wedding date and the words "Forever Moore" on them.  So, when Brandon and Ashleigh got married this year that became part of their wedding packet.  Savannah will get one when she gets married.  I loved having these traditions evolve and am sad that I only have one more child to do them for but luckily I have started a couple of grandchildren traditions that can go on for much longer:)  When the kids have a baby then the mom gets a heart necklace at her baby shower and when the baby is born then she gets a birthstone charm to put on her necklace to match her baby's birth month.  She also gets a baby afghan (that really is my only crafty talent so I use it any time I can:))  I have a matching necklace with all of my grandchildren's charms on it.  I'm going to have to get another one because they are just getting started and mine is almost full.  I love that they can look forward to the gifts I'm going to give them because of the traditions we have started.  I love my family with all of my heart and I hope that they can feel some of that love through the personal gifts that I have given them as they enter into these new phases of their lives.