The Magic of a Family Heirloom

Yesterday, Will and I celebrated our 12th year wedding anniversary.

A few months before we married, I went to a wedding shop in the Bronx with my mom, where my parents gifted us a personalized cake server set. Since then, we’ve used it to cut cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, and even on a random afternoon when I suddenly decide to bake.

A set I believe will be with our family for generations.

I hope this encourages you to notice the small, joyful things around your home. Often we move through days thinking they’re ordinary and find it hard to truly appreciate them. This piece brings back memories of our wedding, and instead of tucking it away, I make a point of using it several times a year.

And even though my mom never met my daughter, Abigail, we’ve celebrated every one of Abigail’s birthdays with that special cake server set, letting a bit of my mom’s beautiful energy live on and grow with our family and the girls each year. It’s a reminder to seek out something to enjoy on an ordinary day — it helps make it easier to focus on the good, even when life brings challenges.

Before I go, I wanted to share something from a lovely lifestyle book called Joie, by Ajiri Aki. Joie means joy in French, and in the introduction she tells a story about her late mother and a treasured China collection. Without giving too much away, the book is a reminder not to keep waiting for a perfect future moment, but to notice and savor the beauty of the present — this very moment.

Until next time,

Sandy