On Sunday we received a package from Tony 's mom, it had a couple of cards in it, along with some socks for him. Anyways, I was on the patio and he gave me a card from his mom for me. It was a nice card with a small owls head pin in the envelope. Jennifer was really big into owls, and I have a key chain, one that use to be hers, it's a whole owl, covered in rhinestones, and I now have it on my key's. When I went inside, Tony was sitting on the couch crying, with something clutched in his hand. (We had had two tear drop pendants made, with Jennifer's ashes in them, that we had picked out, as this was something I had to have, when we had made all the arrangements for her memorial.) Tony had given his to his mom the day of Jennifer's services.
In the card she had written that she hated to part with Jennifer, but she said Tony needed her more. Clutched in his hand was the chain with the pendant on it. He just kept crying, as he quickly slid it over his head, asking me if I had read the card yet.
I truly believe that Jennifer had a hand in this, as he had said , a few times, that he wished he had not given it away. This was usually said when he was having a particularly rough day/night. I had even gone so far as to ask him, if he wanted to have her urn unsealed, so we could have another pendant made. He was very opposed to this idea, the few times I brought it up. So I just let the subject drop. So now suddenly his mom felt an urgent need to give it back to him, even though she truly didn't want to part with it. I know Jennifer had something to do with this happening...she knows that he needs it. So I believe that Jennifer put it on to his mom's heart to do this for him.
Then on Monday, Barb called me, (she is my sister-in-law, and I love her very much! She has always been more like a sister, and a best friend to me, than an in-law) telling me that when she opened the newspaper, (she works for the Baltimore Sun, as a photographer) on Monday morning and she saw a picture in it that Jennifer had taken, about three years earlier. Every year Jennifer would go to visit with her Auntie Barb, and she would go on assignments with Barb for the paper, and Barb would let her take some pictures, I think with one of Barb's extra cameras. She loved going out there and spending time with Barb, she knew most of the photographers, and was great friends with them. When she would come home, she would tell me about all the fun she had with them. She developed deep friendships with a few of them, over the years. Anyways, she said that an editor had gone into the photo archives and picked the best photo under that subject and that's what they printed with the story....well the photo the editor chose was one that Jennifer had taken. Under the picture is Jennifer's full name for the byline. Barb called to tell me about it and.sent us the newspaper (actually she sent two whole newspapers and also one single page of the story.
Such a little thing, but as soon as I saw it I started crying. The picture was of the Blue Angels flying in a four plane formation, and it was so good. I stared at the photo, then had to take my glasses off to wipe at my tears so I could read the byline. And there was Jennifer's full name. I was so proud of her, but she wasn't here for us to share that together with. Tony said that was Jennifer's mother's day present to me. And Barb's friend and Jennifer's friend as well said that she was saying hello to her.
Such a little thing yet it touched many lives. Jennifer you make me proud and I love and miss you so very much.
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