It IS the Thought that Counts . . .

I don't do earrings. Oh, my ears have been pierced. First time many years ago when I was the foolish age of 16. Then a second set of holes added when I was a rebellious 19. To top that off, a third hole in only my left ear, (remember "left is right and right is wrong") added by myself, around the super-duper rebellious age of 21. As soon as big button disks and huge hoops were no longer in style, I quit earrings. I also quit because I have terrible metal allergies and my ears were always weepy and swelling up like marshmallows . . . I was single, living on my own and couldn't afford the expensive stuff that would have been tolerable. I did keep a silver stud in my third hole for a few years, just because.
My sweet Jesse for his entire life, which is just over 7 years so far, has never, ever seen me wear earrings. We've never talked about body piercings, figured that is still many years off. But the cute boy brought me home a pair of earrings as a souvenir from his camping trip to Island Park. He was so excited, told me he thought I would cry when I saw them . . . just couldn't bring myself to tears, a little chuckle though. A pair of flashy, metallic orange, cottonwood leaves, with gold filled French ear wires. Did you know that the cottonwood leaf stands for happiness and generosity? Now you do, and these earrings were both happy and generous.
Not knowing if I'd actually be able to do it, I planned my Sunday wardrobe around these orange gems. Jesse kept asking me if I was going to wear them, I promised I would. Come time to leave for church I tried to wiggle the "French ear wire" through where the original holes in my ears should have been . . . there was much resistance on the backside. So I went looking for a safety pin and you know where I am going with this, I re pierced my ears, just so my baby-boy Jesse could see me wear his gift.
Dave snickered, even Jesse snickered a little. I felt ridiculous, but I wore them to church and still have them on, 6 hours later. They'll end up in my special jewelry box. I will try to make an effort to wear them on occasion, for Jesse. But other than that, my piercings shall remain empty. Now if I could just anticipate the next souvenir gift that might come home. :)