Iowa Hearts

I received a surprise birthday package in the mail yesterday. I was completely caught off guard. It was from my cousin Amy and my Aunt Sue. With some help from my Mom and my Aunt Hess - They put together a wonderful birthday surprise for me. Even when I saw the return address - I did not even think that it was something for my birthday - I just wondered what it could be. These wonderful women that have had such an influence on my life - truly touched my heart - as they always do. I doesn't matter if I am with them - or two thousand miles away - they are always a part of me. After ripping off the outside packaging - this was on the outside of the box. This is a picture that we took last summer when I was in Iowa. We had made bracelets out of pop tops and all had them on this day that we went shopping and stopped at a coffee shop in Mason City - where we took this picture. What was taken as just a quick snapshot of our bracelets - has turned out to be one of my favorite pictures.

Taking the lid off the box - I found these. This has to be my favorite thing in the package. These will not be put away. I will find a place where I can see them every day. Simple candy boxes with the candy removed and their photos placed inside. They make me smile and cry at the same time.
Each little present was individually wrapped and numbered. I guess maybe I should have waited to open them I still have a few days until I am officially 50 - but once I got started, it was just too much fun to wait. Wizard of Oz . . . Halloween . . . Burt's Bees (I love Burt's Bee stuff) . . .buttons and wands. All the things that I like.
This mushroom is to remind me of my dad. He used to hunt morel mushrooms. (Do you actually hunt a mushroom? - anyway, he used to be quite good at finding them in the woods.) I can't say I ever tasted one myself - although I remember him bringing quite a few home. This one was hand carved by a friend of my cousins.
Amy does know me and what I like - so there was PINK stuff. Pink ornaments . . . pink ribbon . . . a pink and green lint roller!! - how cute is that! The large heart is made out of felt squares - way cute! There is a hankie sort of blending in with everything that belonged to my Grandma - she always used cloth hankies. I used to iron them for her when I was little. I was just talking to my friend Gwen about this last week. She and my mom would sprinkle their clothes with water (using a pop bottle with a metal sprinkler stuck in top) - then roll them up and put them in the drawer of the refrigerator before they ironed them. I know I am sort of going off in my memories here - but that is why when I opened up the hankie I got tears in my eyes - memories of my Grandma.
I believe I have some fabric that would make up into a cute bag - that this button would look great on.

SMILE!

There is a bag of candy in this picture from my Aunt Hess. When I was little and I would go stay with her, we would go to this little general store in Mitchell, Iowa and I would get to pick out penny candy. It seems like I used to pick out 10 pieces. Just 10 cents . . . but the memories again are priceless. I think I used to like the little brown paper bag back then - just as much as the candy.
Kubicek is my maiden name. (My dad cut these out.)
From Kubicek - to Smith. I haven't been asked how to spell my name too often the last 27 years - compared to the first 23. (I guess that would make me 50!)

And there is more . . . because 50 is not really what you would call a small number. (I am not letting that bother me though - I swear.) Although it is sort of a milestone birthday - and it has been on my mind probably more than any other birthday.

I am loving this magnet. How cute is he! I will think of Amy and her lattes every time I see it.

I know this post is sort of long. But if you can see the little hanger on the top of this photo - I guess I can justify rambling on about my fun package. It reads - "it's all about me!" - Something Amy and I always laugh about. Actually I am just really feeling sentimental. The small doily was made by my Grandma and the hand buttons (she used to collect hands) - were sewn on one of her jackets. The carved heart box contains a paper heart that reads - "Hugs from Aunt Hess" and under that are tiny slips of paper with the word "hugs" on each one. All these simple little things are so special.

I realized that one of the gifts is not in these picures. My Aunt Sue made the cutest buttons flowers - and I had stuck them in a vase before getting out my camera. I will post a picture of them tomorrow.

I have lived away from Iowa and my family longer than I lived there with them - but my heart will always be there - with these wonderful ladies.

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." ~Desmond Tutu