Look at that ROCK around my Neck!

Can you see it in my Profile pic? I can see that hunk o' Amethyst hangin' there cause I know that's what it is. The rest of y'all may need to click on the profile pic tp see it.

That bauble was the wedding present the Dearly Beloved gave me shortly after we exchanged vows. I had considered the stone for my wedding ring, but decided it was too gaudy, even for ME to wear on my hand. The Dearly Beloved could tell I had fallen in love with the stone, though. He took Terri [the lady from whom we were buying the stones for my wedding ring] and told her to have the goldsmith make a pendant out of that stone and to add some emeralds, if he couldmake them "look appropriate" with the way my wedding ring would look.

My wedding ring is an square cut emerald [>1/4ct, but <1/2>

Now after the ceremony, and all the hugs and handshakes and kisses from all fam and friends there, I was ready to cut into that chocolate cake with the chocolate dipped strawberries on top. That's the wonderful thing about a wedding that's not the first: you get to wear a dress that's made out of any color you want [mine was green with a "holly" panel in the front];the groom gets to wear a suit instead of a tux, with any kind of tie he chooses [DB wore a Texas Flag tie]; you get to have a flavor of cake you actually LIKE; and you get to have your Daughter as your Maid of Honor and your Son gets to give you away.

The hostess of the wedding said I had to wait to cut the cake and get into the champagne. She said the Dearly Beloved wanted to do something else first. He walked over and had me hold my hands out cupped together. He deposited this little pink suede bag into my hands. Now my sisters knew what was coming. The hostess had shown it to them the night before . But I hadn't a clue! So when I untied the drawstring and opened the bag, all I saw was some gold. That was the chain. I drew that out of the bag. Dangling from the end of the chain was the pendant.

I gasped! Then I looked at the Dearly Beloved, smiled and then I started to cry. I realized what he had done. He had read my mind and given me something I wanted without me asking for it.

Everyone complimented me on it, of course. I mean look at it! It's gorgeous. But probably the best, most sincerest compliment of that day, or any day since December 31, 2002 came from my older grand. I had her in my lap later in the day. She was fingering the pendant and chain and said, "You know I have a new necklace, too," and she fingered her little fake pearl necklace. I complimented her on it. "Maybe we could trade necklaces," she suggested. "Well, that's a good idea, A. But Granda' just gave me this necklace. I probly better keep it for a while, just so I don't hurt his feelings." She nodded her head in agreement, "yeah, we wouldn't want him to feel bad." She hopped down and went off to find her Mom.

While she was the first, A has not been the last to try and talk me out of this necklace. I have promised two young ladies that they can wear it as their "Something Borrowed" when they get married. But someday the necklace, ring, bracelet and earrings [that my sisters gave me on my wedding day] will go to the Grands. So A may get the necklace after all, if she lets her little Sister have her pick of the rest of the jewelry.