diamond in the rough

Please excuse the cliche title – it’s worth it, I promise.

Yesterday we celebrated Percy’s 1st birthday with family and friends; a small gathering at my parent’s house complete with butterfly cakes, homemade sausage rolls and a fruit platter. It was lovely – a gaggle of kids running around the garden, parents chatting, balloons popping. I even managed, for the first time in my birthday-party-organising career, to stay relatively level-headed. It was completely stress-free! A welcome relief considering the intensity of the past few weeks.

The next few weeks are brimming, too. Daniel and I have never had this much going on before (says the grateful freelancers) but right now we’re in the midst of a professional downpour. It’s fine until you factor in the whole finding a house scenario, packing, moving and day-to-day life with three children.

We’re tired, too. And at the risk of rabbiting on about the weather, I’m going to say that this humidity/Indian summer/endless summer/climate-change-is-real summer has left us all fed-up and weary. Just look at my fringe! This is not ideal fringe weather! And breastfeeding a wriggling one-year-old in this weather? Sweaty, to say the least.

To top off the intensity of the past few weeks, I also lost a diamond from my engagement ring (which was once Daniel’s Grandmother’s eternity ring). I noticed it was gone a fortnight ago when we returned from the beach and I was convinced it was in the ocean, gone forever. Of course I was devastated – a family heirloom is not the same if part of it needs to be replaced.

But last night, as I was dressing Percy after his evening shower, there was a glimmer of hope. I started thinking about the work that needed to be done, how tired I felt, the fact that we still needed to find a house, the paperwork I needed to organise for our mortgage, the upcoming school week…and just as I was about to burst into tears I look down and see a diamond on the floorboards – sparkling.

It was just sitting there, between the doorframe and the firewood basket, in the exact spot I had swept and vacuumed at least ten times since I lost it. In that moment it felt like Grandma Bell was telling me it was all going to be ok. The work will get done, I’ll get some good sleep soon, we’ll find a house just right for us, it’s all good.

Breathing easier now.

 

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Showing 15 comments
  • aluminiumgirl
    Reply

    I lost my grandmother's rose gold wedding ring, on our wedding day, on a gravel path, on dusk. But my bridal party and photographers searched for it with no lock. But just as night fell, I looked down to find it sitting just so, waiting for me. Unbelievable, how things can turn out! Hope you can find gentleness in the coming busyness.

    • Jodi
      Reply

      What a beautiful wedding present x

  • Megan W
    Reply

    Happy birthday Percy! Definitely a message from the other side. Jodie would you mind sharing where you got your dress? I've been looking for something similar. Thanks.

    • Jodi
      Reply

      Definitely! The dress is the Ana Dress from Fabrik – it's so flattering! x

  • Cassie Webster
    Reply

    What a lovely post, Jodi. And Percy's birthday sounded just perfect xx

  • Jude T
    Reply

    Mum lost her wedding ring gardening – until it grew up entwined in a tomato plant. Good luck house hunting x

  • Manon Doran
    Reply

    Beautiful post, brings a smile and watery eyes all at once. Bonne Fête Percy.

  • kf
    Reply

    What a nice post, it's always reassuring when you are almost at overwhelm and something like that happens. Good luck with the next few weeks.

  • mon_and_mia
    Reply

    What a relief! My mum lost the large green sapphire from her engagement ring after a day spent tending to the vegetable gardens on their 2 acre property. She of course assumed it was lost forever & was heartbroken. A few weeks later she was sitting at her desk in her study & felt something under her foot. It was the missing sapphire! Yes-everything will be ok.

  • M
    Reply

    Good job Grandma Bell, how lovely that all faith was restored x

  • Clara
    Reply

    I send you all my positive thoughts and a bit of fresh air from the artic winter, (Québec more precisely) my best for your house hunting. You have a beautuful family)))

  • Cynthia
    Reply

    Angel Bell was definitely sending you a message! And "mortgage" sounds like "buying". Can't wait to follow the next chapter in your story!

  • pambythesea
    Reply

    Happy birthday Percy! I just celebrated Cecil's first birthday party yesterday (he is born on March 9 like Percy!), and we also just bought a house on Thursday! Since our sons share a birthday, I'm sure our house buying will mean that you will find the right place very soon as well. It's logic!

  • Bron Maxabella
    Reply

    Happy birthday, Percy AND oh my goodness, I know exactly how you feel about your ring. Just after Max was born, I lost my engagement ring. I looked high and low for weeks and it did not show up. I was absolutely devastated. About seven months after I lost it, it was found inside Max's car seat. Everything just seemed right with the world. x

  • katiecrackernuts
    Reply

    What a lovely story and a reminder that the right things present themselves at exactly the right time.

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