A Birthday Surprise!

I’m still processing this one, honestly.

A longtime friend, whom I met through this incredible online world we’ve created, told me he’d been working on something for my birthday. What showed up at my door was an entire box of handmade items that clearly took hours — hours — of his time to create.

Let me start with the cutting boards. Two of them. One has an eagle and flag burned into the wood — absolutely stunning detail. The other has a wildlife scene that honestly looks like it belongs in a cabin somewhere. The craftsmanship on these is just… I keep running my fingers over the detail. You can feel the care that went into every line.

Then there’s the kitchen knife. He made a kitchen knife. The handle is zebra wood, and it fits in my hand like it was made for me specifically. I’ve never owned anything quite like it. It’s the kind of thing you display because it’s too beautiful to just shove in a drawer, but it’s also too functional to not use every single day.

And the trinkets — he made these little pieces out of molds. Some have paw prints, some are hearts, and there are these little bowls with lids that are perfect for succulents or jewelry or just a small catch-all on a shelf. I’ve already found spots for all of them around the house, and every time I look at one, I think about the fact that someone sat down and made it by hand. For me.

But here’s the part that really got me.

There’s one more piece — a beautiful wood piece with a picture of Whiskey burned into it. I’m not talking about a generic dog silhouette. It’s my dog. Our Whiskey. He got her image right and burned it into the wood, and it is absolutely gorgeous. It went straight onto our wall with all our family pictures and memories, and it fits right in like it’s always been there.

And then — he didn’t just send things for my birthday. He sent Whiskey — our golden retriever — two toys of her own. A Scooby-Doo plush and this big goose that we immediately named Lucy-Goosey. Whiskey fell in love with both of them on the spot. Of course, it didn’t take her long to amputate one of Lucy’s wings. We managed to sew it up just in time to save her, so Lucy-Goosey is currently recovering and doing well, all things considered. Whiskey has no remorse. She’s already eyeing the other wing.

I just — I don’t even know how to properly say thank you for something like this. The fact that someone would put this much time, effort, and thought into making things by hand for me AND my girl? That’s not just generosity. That’s someone who really pays attention, who cares about the details.

So to Tyjon who made all of this — thank you. From the bottom of my heart. You made my birthday unforgettable, and Whiskey says thank you too (she’s currently curled up with Scooby, so I’d say she’s pretty grateful).

You guys are the best. I don’t say that enough, but you really, truly are. 💙