Monday, September 9, 2013

Treasures from my "Mother-in-Love"!


9/9/2013

Bonjour mes amis!

Happy Monday!  I hope you're enjoying a gorgeous day, like we are.  It's gorgeous here...

If you're inside, in the Air Conditioning!

My view out the window is a perfect sky, but it's still going to be 100 degrees outside today.  (For all my French Friends who are following along...that's almost 38 degrees Celcius!)  We are so thankful for Air Conditioning (Climatisation)!

Today, I wanted to share some little Stories about my Mother-in-Law, or as I have lovingly called her, my "Mother-in-Love".  I was her only "Daughter-in-Love", since Dr. J has two sisters, and that's what she always called me.  We had a good relationship, and enjoyed eachother's company.  She has since gone on to Heaven, but I want to share a few things she left behind for me, and the memories that go along with them.

Some years back, my Mother-in-Love started telling me that she wished I could come to her house to help her decorate...but she lived near Chicago, and I lived near Dallas. At one point during a visit, I commented to her about a beautiful Blanket box she had down in her basement.  I asked,

Why are you keeping this in the basement?
You should display such a gorgeous piece somewhere upstairs,
Where you can show it off!

She just looked at me and said, "Would you like to have this piece?"  Uhm...gulp...(I was stunned!) "I would LOVE it!"  And so, this gorgeous Blanket Box rode all the way home to Dallas with me in our Van.  For years, I displayed her, front and center, on the main wall in our Living Room in our Old house.  Now, the piece has a prominent place of honor in my Entryway, and I'm still loving this piece...because it was from her...


She loved that I loved it.  It truly is a beautiful piece, with such pretty details.  We believe it's from the 40's.  My Mother-in-Love's Father gave it to his Second Wife.  (Please disregard all the dust bunnies...I'm still organizing my house, and have been ignoring cleaning it fully until everything is in place.  Perhaps I should reconsider the order of things....hmmmm.....)


Next, my Mother-in-Love told me that she wanted to replace her everyday Dishes, and just get some white ironstone dishes that would work with anything.

"Smart idea!"

I told her, but then I started looking at her Dishes, and told her how much I liked them, and did she notice the very "in" curlicues on the plates?  Silly me, I ended up talking her into keeping these dishes.  She had inherited two sets from her Step-Mother and a Beloved Aunt, so she had oodles of them.  I always loved these dishes.


Yup!  You guessed it.  These Dishes are mine now.  After my Father-in-Love sold his home and moved a few years ago, I asked about the Dishes, and he no longer wanted them.  I inquired about my Sister-in-Loves, but all agreed that I could have them.  I just love them.

(The Green Stemware, I purchased at the Canton Flea Market, just prior to our year in France, but doesn't the stemmed glass look awesome with my beloved Dishes?)

The stamp on the back of the plates...'cause I've always got my eyes open for more...


When I returned from our year in France, and we unpacked boxes, I was so happy to see and use these Dishes again...


And, the other weekend, when the Diamond Duo came for the weekend, my own "Daughter-in-Love" looked lovingly at the dishes, as she set the table, and sighed, "Oh, the green dishes!"  She just made my day.  I love that she loves them just like I do!  (It helps that we're both partial to green!)


I am so privileged to have received these family heirloom pieces, but the most sentimental gift I received from my Mother-in-Love, I received during the last week of her life.  My Mother-in-Love passed away in 2004 of Renal Cancer.  She only lived three months from the time of her diagnosis, but while we visited with her in the Hospital, and shared memories, she told me that she wanted me to have something that was really special to her...

Stemmed Sherbet Dishes that belonged to her Mother!


After she passed away, I received eight of these, all in perfect condition.  They were so special to her, because her own Mother died when my Mother-in-Love was just Seven Years Old.  She treasure these dishes all the years after her Mother died.


And I am pleased to treasure them now.  It is quite an honor for me to own these.

I'm sure you have a story or two to tell about something special you own.  I'm just here today, being sentimental about these things, because after being away from them for a year, I'm pleased to enjoy them once again!

Have a "Jewel" of a Day!
Jan

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