A Plethora of Pandora

I received the horse head bead from my best friend after visiting her in Arizona this past winter.  I really like it because we have a lot of history with horses between us.  She was very thoughtful when picking out this bead because when we were younger we used to dream of owning our own horses.  We thought how much fun it would be to have one in our backyard that we could ride anytime that we wanted.  I didn’t think I would spend anytime indoors if I owned one and would enjoy doing all the chores associated with owning a horse.  I even made my parents a list of the chores associated with owning a horse and told them I would enjoy doing them all after I got home from school each day. I also had picked out a name for my horse.  I told my friend I would call it Powder, because I wanted a white horse.  My friend told me she would call hers Dusty because she dreamed of having a brown horse.   I was extremely disappointed when I found out my dad would never buy me a horse.  He told me, “Horses aren’t good for anything.”  He was a farmer with dairy cows.  Cows gave milk and he was able to make a living from this, but he said,  “Horses only need to be fed, which costs money and there is no money being made from this large animal.”  I begged to differ because I thought I would find a lot of friendship in a pet horse and would find a lot of enjoyment also because it would be fun to ride it.  But he would not understand or hear my request.  They didn’t realize that I would be the one to take care of the pony and they wouldn’t have to do a thing.  My friend also did not have any luck in persuading her parents to buy her a pony.  She tried the same tactics I did.  We probably should have thought of some other way to persuade them but it was too late.  Our parents had already made their decision and it was definitely no.  So we thought we would have to continue playing with our Barbie ponies and when we got older we would purchase a horse stable together and could ride the ponies whenever we wanted.  Of course at that time we also said that our parents would not be able to see the horses because they didn’t like them.  Our dream never did come true, but the horse charm on my bracelet will remind me of this time when all we thought we ever wanted was a pet pony.

When I returned from my much needed trip away from I home, my boyfriend surprised me with a romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant.  We went there on our first date together many months ago.  While we were there he pulled a ring out of his pocket and surprised me with a proposal.  I couldn’t believe it!  I thought a ring would be coming in the future but didn’t know it would be this soon.  He said he realized he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me when I was gone for the week on vacation.  He said he missed me so much and did not want to lose me.  I was so excited to think about spending the rest of my life with him and also the beautiful ring he picked out.  It was a one karat princess cut platinum ring with a little bit of 14 karat gold on the sides of the diamond.  It was so sparkly and a ring I probably would have picked out myself.  It was definitely my style.  He knew me so well it was frightening.  He also presented me with the clear oval lights bead for my Pandora charm bracelet.  He wanted this night to be truly special and memorable.  Everyone in the restaurant clapped and cheered after they heard me say in a whisper, “Yes.”  I could hardly talk because he had caught me off guard and usually I am never at a loss for words.  I think he was even surprised that I only gave him a one word answer and did not make a long speech while I had many peoples attention.  I even had a tear running down my cheek.  He said the bead reminded him of the engagement ring and thought I should have both of these gems.  The bead and my ring will always be a great way to remember this lovely evening out on the town and how I was so unsuspecting.  I should have thought something was up when his hands were shaking on the steering wheel and how he said he forgot something and had to go back to his house. I asked him what he forgot and he could not give me a straight answer.  He only said you will find out later and I let it go at that and didn’t question him any further.  I am guessing that this is what he forgot.

My boyfriend also gave me the blue compass bead later that evening before he took me home.  When he was choosing the right bead to give me for this occasion he could not decide between the oval lights bead and this bead.  He said this bead represented our journey coming up together and that no matter where we were we would always find our way back to each other.  Whether it be a trip we were on or we were just on the other side of town.  He said the bead would remind me he would be there always if I needed him.  Of course another reason he bought this bead was because it had a baby blue gem in it.  This was his favorite color to see me wear, so I am sure that was also a reason for his decision.  I told him there was no need to get me a ring and both of these beads.  But he is such a generous person, and he said, “This is just a glimpse of the way the rest of our lives will be in the future.”  He also said if something means a lot to me it also means that much to him.

Later that evening, we were talking about how we would tell our family and friends the good news about our engagement.  We decided to have a small party and we would announce it there.  So we had a get together at my house and again my boyfriend surprised me.  This time he had asked our friends and family, without my knowing, to give me a charm for my charm bracelet representing something in our lives if they wanted to.  He told them it would sort of be for a late birthday gift for me.  He thought it would be a great way to remember the night we told everyone about our engagement and our future wedding plans.  My friends were ecstatic when they found out we were getting married and that they would all play a part in our special day.  We cannot wait to have our friends and family witness our special day with us.  We don’t think we will have a large family but have heard that same comment from other friends.  The wedding always seems to be larger than you think it will be.  So we will see what happens and where our budget leads us.

The first charm I opened was from my parents.  They gave me the hanging cross bead.  I guess they had known we were engaged.  My boyfriend had asked my dad if it would be all right if he asked me to marry him a few nights ago.  Of course he said, “Yes.” because they truly like him and he fits in so well with the rest of my family.  My boyfriend enjoys hunting, fishing and playing cards like a lot of the other people in my family.   So they knew what this party was for, even though the others invited did not.  The cross represents my faith, which I have grown up with, and it also represents my fiancée’s religion, which is also deeply rooted in him.  He grew up Catholic and plans to keep it that way.  We both believe in the same thing and I think this will definitely play a part in making our marriage even stronger and be one that will last forever. 

My boyfriend’s parents, my future in-laws, gave me the hanging note charm.  They know that music plays a special role in my life.  I have always enjoyed singing in church choir and in high school chorus.  I have even sung for different weddings with my favorite song being, “Ave Maria.”  I guess it is my favorite song and the one I have most requested to sing.  I hadn’t really thought about it much, but maybe I will sing a song for my future husband at our wedding.  I don’t know if I would be too emotional on that day though.  Maybe I will pick a song that I have never sung before and one that would truly be “our song.”  Or I could sing a beautiful song at our reception.  There are so many decisions we will have to make to make this day special.  I also enjoy playing the piano since I started taking lessons when I was only eight years old.  I started playing a little on our organ and then later we were able to have a piano which I liked to play.  I tried to play the flute also but had to quit when I got braces, because there was no way I could continue.  I think my lips would have gotten too cut up.  So I stuck with singing and playing the piano and nothing more.

The next charm I received was from a good friend of mine.  She gave me the four leaf clover, which represents several things in our lives.  When we were younger we used to be in 4-H together and the emblem representing this club is the four leaf clover.  The four leaves each represented something else in 4-H.  The first was head, then heart, hands and community.  We were in this club for about ten years and learned many things about ourselves and others.  We used to have so much fun at all the different get togethers, picnics and softball tournaments.  The other thing this charm represents to her probably is her marriage to an man from Ireland.  I was a bridesmaid in their wedding last summer and I look forward to my girlfriend being the same in mine.  His parents still live in Ireland and he has the Irish accent.  I don’t think that is something you easily lose.

Another charm I received was from another couple who were friends of ours.  We have known them for two years since we lived here.  They live just down the street from me which we didn’t find out until after we became friends.  She happened to have been in the same Pilates class as me at the YMCA and our friendship blossomed from there. They bought me my birthstone charm because our birthdays are only two days apart.  We have made it a tradition to spend our birthdays together doing something we both like.  This year we went to the Mall of America and shopped and rode the roller coasters.  We had so much fun and decided next year we will probably do the same thing, but maybe our significant others can come also.  I don’t know if my fiancée will ride the roller coasters, but otherwise he can watch.  He always says these rides make him sick to his stomach.  I don’t think I would like to make him sick.  Now I have this bead to not only remind me of my birthday, but also my good friends and our tradition we started.

I can’t believe I have all of these beads.  I thought it would take me years to fill my Pandora charm bracelet, but in reality it looks like I could fill my bracelet very soon.  I may have to start collecting beads for a Pandora necklace.