99.5 WYCD, Detroit's Best Country Music!

A Labor of Love

Hi it's Jyl Forsyth and I just have to share with you my most favorite Christmas present. It is nothing less than a LABOR OF LOVE from my mom.

Eight months ago, she started making my 2 brothers and me a scrapbook for Christmas. I'd call her and say "Hi Mom, what's up?" Normally, she's always got something to say......but she'd be "Oh nothing".....OR......."I'm busy and I can't talk now"........I kept thinking "Geez, what's up with mom?" It just wasn't like her not to want to chit chat with me. She's my best friend and we talk everyday. Then I'd go to visit her....and she'd run upstairs and close the bedroom doors and tell me to stay out! Her behavior was definitely a bit strange to say the least.

Well, on Christmas Day she could NOT wait for us to open our presents and I soon found out why. Bless her heart, she spent the last 8 months creating us these ama zing scrapbooks of our lives. Starting with my Great Grandparents on both my mom and dad's side through today. The scrapbook is so beautiful and I get tears in my eyes every time I look at it. I honestly want to have you all over to show you the work that went into this from my mom so that my brothers and I could each have pictures of our ancestors and memories of our lives to cherish forever.

My dad has been very very sick the past few months, in fact he was in the hospital for Christmas, but he called Christmas day and told me how much I was going to love what I was getting this year. When someone takes the time to make you a gift from their heart it is so special. My mom has always been a giving wonderful mom, but this was the most meaningful gift my brothers and I could have ever gotten. Since you and I have shared so much of our lives over the past 15 years, I just felt compelled to share this with you too.

Blogs are for sharing our lives with each other. Please, if someone has made a gift that touched your heart or your life in a huge way, share it with us. We'd love to hear your special story too.

01/08/2008 8:34AM

A Labor of Love from my mom

Tell me about a favorite gift that touched your heart. . . (might even give someone a special idea!)

01/08/2008 12:34PM

Cool Gift!

Jyl My mom did the same thing for all four of us kids a couple years ago. What a great treasure. I know that I will be showing my Grand children that book one day. Speaking of which, I recieved the best Christmas Gift ever, while we were down in Tennessee visiting my daughter and son in law over the holiday. They told us we were going to be grandparents!! We only have a grand dog at the moment ( he is a really cool grand dog) so this is going to be a great blessing. May have to reloocate to Tennessee come July! Sorry to hear your dad has been ill. Hope he is doing better. When my dad was ill a few years back I really enjoyed hearing John Berry's "40 Again". It reminded me of all the wonderful memories we shared as I was growing up. Will keep your dad in our prayers. If you and your husband can get a Wednesday night off in February, John will be at the Ark in Ann Arbor on the 26th. Would be great to see you there. Take Care, Dan

01/09/2008 9:23AM

Scrapbook

My Grandma made my brother and I a scrapbook years ago. We received them after she passed away. She made sure to use all of the acid free items so it would last forever. It is a great reminder of the past. Lisa - Waterford

01/09/2008 6:48PM

The best gift I ever received from my mom

was something similar. Back about three years ago, she wrote down her life story for me and my kids, typed it up, put it in a binder and gave each of her kids and grandkids a copy. She was born in the mid 30's during World War II in Yugoslavia, grew up virtually penniless and was able to have a very successful life after immigrating to Michigan in the mid 50's. She is an amazing woman. The fact that she took the time and effort to do that for me and my siblings and my kids means so much to me. It was definitely one of best gifts ever. Kim in Richmond :-)

01/09/2008 7:28PM

Hi it's Donna...... Jylly

I'm at U or M right now and it's lunch time. I can't believe your mom did that for you Eddie and Bobby. Next time I'm in town I'll have to come over and see it. I wanted to share my favorite gift with you and your listners because it's from YOU. You made me a stained glass lantern for Christmas a few years ago, and to this day, that is my most meaningful and favorite gift. You are such a great artist and through the years I've seen you make so many beautiful things. I will forever cherish my cala lily lantern. Miss you Jylly. Donnie

01/10/2008 9:32AM

Special Gift

Our Mom is in a assisted living home. Every day the staff has functions going on trying to inhance her memory after 2 years of not knowing us boom she was back. Mom is now participating at all of the different events. For the Christmas party Santa usually bounds through the door and gives us all a candy cane. This season we not only received the candy but a scrapbook of Mom from the time we moved her there to date. What an incredible gift to receive as we have a sister out of state so she is not able to visit Mom daily, this gift is more than words could express. Carol

01/10/2008 7:29PM

Granddaughter

Great gift. I always said the best gifts are the ones hand made with love. My son, his wife and there beautiful daughter Makayla made me a coffee mug with Makayla's name, the year and her feet prints. Grandma's coffee has never tasted better. I will cherish it forever. Deborah

01/10/2008 9:48PM

Hi Jyl

I love your blogs. They are always so interesting. I'd love to see the scrapbook your mom made. Could you bring it to Motor City Casino on Monday? My sister and I are stopping by to see you. Love Cindi

01/11/2008 4:09PM

Hi it's Jyl...thank you

for sharing your wonderful gifts of love. Even a letter from someone qualifies for me. When someone takes the time to do something with their time it's just special. As far as bringing my scrapbook to the Motor City Casino on Monday, it is very very heavy and I could never carry it that far plus it's a smoking venue and I don't want it to get smokey smelling. Call me and maybe we can work something out. I am bringing it to 99.5 next week to show Linda Lee. She's in it so of course she wants to see it. haha! Linda is the sister I never had. love you all. Take Care. Jyl

01/12/2008 8:18AM

I'm a "Jylie Bird" Lover too!

I am SO excited to see Jyl's scrapbook that her Mommy made for her! I love Jyl's Mom too.......it is obvious where Jyl gets her "loving personality" from...the "apple never falls far from the tree! The Forsyth family are all so special! Love you tooJylie Bird....Your Sister From Another Mother", Linda Lee

01/14/2008 1:29AM

awww thank you Linda.

The book is back at my moms for a few touch ups that she needed to add, then I'll bring it in. My brothers wife was over tonight and we were looking at it...."again!"...and she pointed you out and said how "pretty you are!"...I said YEP, that's MyLinda. Beautiful inside and out. My mom and dad both said HI and send their love to you, the Big Indian and Gina. love Jylly

01/16/2008 5:28PM

I love homemade gifts too

They mean the most. I know how much time and money goes into scrapbooking. I've been attempting for a couple of years to make them for my kids. I give your mom alot of credit for completeing the task. It looks like she did a beautiful job. God bless you Jyl. we all love you. Tina

01/18/2008 11:03AM

Yep, I got one too...

but mine was a few years back, my daughter made one for me - kind of a mom's brag book. Last year for my birthday she put together a scrapbook page of sorts & put it into a frame, me, her & grandma. Love those kinds of gifts! tg

01/20/2008 11:03PM

I can tell your mom put

a lot of work into your scrap book Jyl. And to think she made one for each of your brothers. I like how she used two colors and did the cut out word inscriptions too. The detail is what makes them such works of art. I have been in the planning stages for my kids for a year now. I want to do what your mom did and have it ready for Christmas 2008. I've been pricing out all the materials and can tell it's not going to be an inexpensive endeavor either. But it's so worth the investment in LOVE!! I know my kids will love it as much as you did....and the 99.5 listeners too. I love reading these blogs! Your mom is a huge inspiration to me.....if she did it...so can I. Thank you Jyls mom. Wish me Luck .....Shirl

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