My Favorite Gift

Now I have to preface this by saying the best gifts in my life are people, my daughters, husband and family... But this is about a physical gift. If you've ever read the 5 love languages, mine is gift-giving... For me it is NEVER about monetary value, but instead about thoughtfulness and meaning. I love gifts that I can tell someone thought of me. Well this Christmas I didn't get anyone a meaningful gift. I only went shopping 2 days (yes I took the girls to the mall by myself!! once ;) and so everyone pretty much got giftcards this year...Not to thoughtful but about all I could manage this year. Now I have to say my mom is an amazing gift giver. She always finds "the gift" that you will LOVE and a ton of others that you will say "I've always wanted that" and they are so thoughtful. But this year I was given a gift I will always treasure and that actually made me cry (I'm not really a cryer)

My sister in law, Laura, came into Christmas and said she had made me my gift this year. Well Laura is very crafty, but most of her projects entail defacing propery ;) in her home and building it back better!! She is very creative but I was stumped as to what she would have made me... So after the great stockings we opened, Laura brings out my gift (of course tied to protests that I might not like it and don't have to hang it..etc.)

My Angels:

From First Christmas

Is this not amazing!!!! I absolutely love it and smile everytime I look at it. Laura thank you for a gift that says so much and means the world to me. She painted this!!!! I didn't even know she could paint!!! So this was my favorite gift this Christmas and maybe of all time...