Pearls and Ponies
in Giggles on June 16, 2023
I think I’m finally coming up for air.
Sort of.
My oldest kiddo got married exactly two weeks ago today.
The wedding was absolutely beautiful, charming, and truly perfect. The bride, my new daughter-in-law (or daughter-in-LOVE) looked like the quintessential Disney princess. She had something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. If you look closely at this picture, you’ll see an heirloom set of pearls gracing Adeline’s neck. Those are her Nana’s; that she wore on her wedding day, some fifty years earlier.
Pearls.
There is something so classic and so classy about a strand of pearls. Pearls, to me, represent a timeless entity. Pearls, in the wild, take years to form. First, the mollusk has to reach a maturity of about three years before it can even entertain the idea of producing a pearl. Then, the actual process of growing this gem can take anywhere from six months to four years!
Pearls represent longevity.
Perseverance.
And a luxuriant inconsistent consistency.
I believe that is the reason pearls encircle the necks of so many brides. And so many mothers of the bride…and so many mothers of the groom, and so on and so forth.
Believe it or not, I do not own a strand of pearls. Therefore, on Ethan’s wedding day, I bucked against tradition, and wore a diamond drop necklace.
A necklace I’ve had for years, it is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry, but I wouldn’t exactly call it customary for the mother-of-the-groom to wear.
Diamonds, unlike pearls, are a bit more versatile. They can dress up an outfit, or dress it down. They can whisper against your skin, or they can speak volumes above anything else in the room. Diamonds are wild and unpredictable.
Truth be told, I was conflicted about whether or not I was even going to wear jewelry. As evident by the photo above, I chose the diamonds. However, if I’m being completely honest, I half expected (probably more than half expected) my loving husband to present me with a new strand of pearls before the wedding. After all, it is a time-honored tradition for husbands to gift their wives something special and meaningful when their first child gets married.
Now. After gushing about the beauty, delicacy, and tradition of pearls—the boldness, wildness, and unpredictability of diamonds—why in this wide world would I include PONIES in today’s title?
As it turns out, my husband did present me with a gift to celebrate our child’s wedding. A gift, he says, that is representative of me and ALLL of my sparkling personalities. A gift as unrestrained as I am. A gift that I have literally longed for for over thirty years. A gift that is as wild as a diamond, yet as precious a pearl.
He bought me a pony…
Sort of.
Say hello to my new Mustang!
I’ve wanted a convertible Mustang since I was fifteen years old. As a teenager, that was merely a pipe dream. As a young twenty-something it was supremely impractical, as I quickly had a need for a vehicle that could house three car seats, strollers, and significant COSTCO runs.
But now.
Now, I’ve moved past practicality. I have no need for car seats—yet. Now, I can cruise the highways and by-ways with the wind in my hair and my music up LOUD.
Now, I have my Pony.
Over the last two weeks, I’ve been trying to adjust to my new role. Motherhood (parenthood) is a never-ending game of LIFE and CHANCE and even, SORRY. I am now a mother-in-law. My baby boy is not mine any longer. In fact, by this time next week, he will be completely on his own, in a completely different state, hundreds of miles away from me. I have equipped him as best as I know how. Hopefully I taught him how to be kind, loving, compassionate, and steady. His father taught him how to be a man, a provider, a partner, a friend, and a protector.
While I am preparing myself for the hardest transition I have yet faced as a mother, Ethan is also transitioning. I know he will excel in his new role. I know he will be an amazing husband. I know his new bride will compliment him and challenge him. How? She too, is as timeless a pearl, yet as wild and unpredictable as a diamond; and she is worth far more than either.
The only thing left for us to do is: Let that Pony run…
One final thought: If I haven’t overloaded y’all with pictures, and you think you can handle one last tear-jerker…try clicking on this link. It is the last ninety seconds of the Mother-Son dance from the wedding. Here’s hoping the link works: https://youtu.be/YAKg3houxSE