Wedding Shower Wednesday: Basket of Candles

Dear Em,
On the day of my wedding shower I was given one of the most precious gifts I've ever been given. My best friend, your Auntie Jayme, gave me a basket of candles. But, it wasn't just any basket of candles.

Jayme had beautifully decorated the basket with white flowers & leaves. Inside was nine sets of candles, two beautiful candle holders,  & a roll of paper. When I opened the roll, I read aloud a sweet poem to the many ladies at my shower.

"A basket of candles

That come in a pair,

Of all different colors

For you two to share.

The white ones burn first

They're wrapped in white lace,

To celebrate the first night

In your new chosen place.

The mauve pair is shorter

But not any thinner,

To burn when serving

Your first company dinner.

There are candles to burn

Xmas Eve before bed,

Your first Xmas together

That's why they are red.

The navy blue candles are for your

First married fight.

Use them when making up

That very night.

The pink candles will set the mood

And pave the way,

For your very first married

Valentine's Day.

Now when your first year of

Marriage is through,

The cream anniversary candles

Will light for you two.

And sooner or later

We hope that maybe,

You will burn the yellow ones

For the birth of your baby.

And just when you thought

You could put them away,

Take the light blue ones out

For your 5th Anniversary Day.

Now just one pair left

For year 25,

The silver pair

To keep your love alive.

May the two of you be happy

Burn the candles just as I said,

But please don't forget-

Blow them out before bed."

As I read the words, pictures of our future together raced through my head. I thought about excited Christmas mornings we would have sitting next to a lit up tree. I thought about rewatching our wedding video as we celebrated another year of love. I thought about passionate fights & make-up snuggles. I thought about the very first glimpse we would have of our newborn child. I thought about all of these possible future moments & couldn't wait to have them with your daddy.

Now we store all of our candles in my precious basket. So many of these blissful moments have already passed us by, & we burned a pair of candles to celebrate the beauty of it all. Now I enjoy giving this special gift to new brides, in hopes their candles burn during special moments (it's not exactly easy to find the same candles in all those colors).

Do you know what my very favorite candle to burn was? The yellow one of course.

I love you so,

Mommy