Like many women in Texas, I love me some  James Avery. When I was 11 I got my first piece of James Avery jewelry, a silver “dangle” ring with a hot-air balloon charm. I also got a dangle ring with a dinosaur (I think it was a Kentosaurus) because I thought it was cool, not because I had any real fascination with dinosaurs. The rings were gifts from my father, two of the three gifts that I can remember getting from him before he left. Unfortunately, those rings were later stolen from my Athletics locker in high school.

And then I got my charm bracelet. My late husband, Mark, got me the bracelet knowing that he was set for gift buying for several years as he would just have to get me a charm and I’d be happy. Collecting charms for my bracelet has been slow. I didn’t want charms just for the sake of their cuteness (I’m talking to you, Kentosaurus), I wanted charms that were meaningful. You can track my adult life with my bracelet.

The Flower pot & Garden Seeds were from my cousin, Heather, when I was in a phase where I was planting tons of containers with flowers in front of our apartment. Also, I just really like flowers.

Two peas in a pod and the two little girls with the flower are for Heather and me. We’re technically cousins, but closer than a lot of sisters.

The dog dish was for our sweet dog, Brittany. She died just before Tobin was born, and I’d had her since way before Nicholas was born. I love having a reminder of my first “baby”.

The lady bug is from Mark and came from my insistence that lady bugs are lucky.

The teapot is from my Aunt Karen because I was, briefly, collecting tea pots. Even though that collection lasted for, like three seconds, I love the fat little tea pot on my bracelet.

The two little boys with the dog cracks me up. Mark got me that charm because he thought it was a boy, a girl and a dog (which is what our family was before we had Nicholas). He got it and had it put on the bracelet and didn’t know it was two boys until I asked him why he chose it. I decided to keep it on the bracelet in solidarity with my gay friends whose families really were two boys and a dog.

The popcorn is from my friend, Christie, who was my first awesome boss. She had some challenging pregnancies and births and was out of work for a while. She gave me the charm as a thanks for helping with the work load while she was out of the office. And it’s popcorn because I’m a huge movie person.

The Dragonflyis from Heather as a thank-you for helping put on her baby shower for Bronwyn’s arrival.

The heart with the dove I got for myself. Just because I liked the symbolism.

The Rocking Horse is for my Nicholas and went on the bracelet just after he was born.

The heart with the “M” I got just after Mark died.

The Owl was given to me by my friend, Lauren, who is under the impression that I’m wise. I also love it because my school mascot was the Scrappin’ Owls.

The Deep In the Heart of Texas charm is for William and me. We both love Texas, and we were married in the Texas Hill Country which is just about where the heart is positioned. This charm was part of my Mother’s Day gift from William.

The Onsie is for my Tobin and was the other part of my Mother’s Day gift from William.

I have another charm, the Love charm, that isn’t on the bracelet. William got it for me for our anniversary this year, but I kept it to wear on a necklace. By my heart.

So, that’s my life according to my charm bracelet. Do you have any super sentimental jewelry? A piece that tells a story about you?