The Giving Tree

"Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy."

“... and she loved a boy very, very much -- even more than she loved herself.”

“And the boy loved the tree.......very much. And the tree was happy.”

Shel Silverstein - The Giving Tree

Gene went in this week and cut out the portion of the stencil that has the tree from the cover of The Giving Tree for our stone.  I can only imagine how difficult it was for him to do.  It will be on our stone for as long as the beautiful black African granite lasts.  Gene took some pictures of the stone with the stencil on top of it...looked like a stained glass window sort of.  The footings will be poured (or may have already been done last week).  They will start the cutting process in the machine this week.  I am excited, scared, nervous, anxious to see it.  It will be so final.  That is where we will be when we join Owen.  I can't wait to see the final product.  I am confident it will be beautiful!

I'm just so glad that the stone cutter, Charlie, allowed us (Gene really) to be this creative.  He's only allowed this one other time in his 60+ years of stone cutting.  Charlie offered some tips on it, too.  Gene pulled in a copy of the book when he was cutting it and he asked if Gene was going to put the apple...that is where Owen's name is.  Then Gene showed Charlie the drawings he did of the little boy that he had contemplated putting on the stone.  I think he was impressed because it was all hand drawn and proportionate.  Charlie even personalized another portion of it for us.  Where we put our wedding date on the stone, he allowed us to change the wording to say "Happily Married".  Sort of an inside joke if you know Gene.  :)  Gene may be able to get a job as a stone cutter.

Here is what he drew/painted in Owen's nursery.  He's actually finished in the top leaves since, but we haven't taken any more pictures since then.