Well Lil...the extra contribution was a gift for you for making us all so proud of your hard studies and brand new teaching endeavor...

I had this tiny silver/enameled trinket box that reminded me of you ever since I found out that you made jewelry. The colors in the enamel were so pretty and delicate and just begged for someone to love it and keep something precious in it...and I had nothing of that nature cause I wear most all of my stuff...so I knew it'd be perfect to "wrap" a really cool pair of earrings in that. I picked them up while out shopping aimlessly one day...and I knew when I saw them that they were the reason I had to go out shopping...to let you know how happy I was for you and your new and exciting career! They were a bit hippified (word?...is now!), but the sentiment was there for all to see when/if you wore them. In a vertical chain...was a tiny peace sign/heart/smilie face (peace, love and happiness) fashioned from gold on a loop instead of a stud.

So sorry you won't receive them this trip (I might go get another pair)...but I am mostly sorry you won't get the box they nestled in. It was so damn pretty!

*HUGE SIGH*

OK...well...no use crying over spilled milk (so they say).

Let's figure out another way!

Oh...and do you all want to know what was in the box till it was lost in transit? DAMN! Wish I had of thought to take a pic of my contribution before I sent it. Hmmmmm...maybe I have it in a background scene of one of my other pics and I could blow it up to show it. Oh Gawd...this is gonna be quite a hunt! LOL!

__________________
Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~