The Gift That Keeps On Giving

I'm getting married. Whew. There, I said it. I find that with all the time we're putting into planning the actual wedding, I haven't thought much about getting married.Add to that the kicking and thrashing I've done against having a registry and I sound like a spoiled child. I know, I know, but we thought that since we're blessed with jobs, an apartment, and surely enough stuff for two people, the last thing we want is *more* stuff. We registered for our honeymoon, and let me tell you, that did not go over well. Apparently you're supposed to have a bridal shower so people can buy you things you "need" and you can't expect people to show up to a party without gifts. Tangible, bought-from-Target-has-a-matching-placemat gift. Apsht.ANYWAYS - whether I can wrap my head around "upgrading" my "stuff" because we're "starting our lives together" or not, I'm not gonna lie - I was freakin' delighted that the above showed up on my doorstep.Score one for my grandma. She plucked the green tea kettle right off my registry and promptly sent it along with a note that said "Tea for two" before other guests even received their shower invitation. I can't tell you how awesome this is - that my first shower gift happens to be one of the most coveted on my registry and that my Grandma, who instilled in me a love of tea and elephants and Scrabble, is the one who gifted it.It makes me think about traditions and family and all those awesome things that getting married should bring up (as opposed to panic about who to invite or sadness over not being able to afford a live band).Growing up, my grandma (mom's mom) babysat us a lot. And we had this pink plastic tea set. She'd fill the teapot with warm Lipton, and the little milk carafe and sugar bowl for us too. Then we'd each fill up our tiny teacups, mostly with sugar, and pretend we were sophisticated people. At least I did. Pretty sure my sister was tending to her stuffed animals and my brother was trying his hardest not to break anything so Grandma didn't "holler" (her word, not mine).I was her first grandchild and she spoiled me. Today was no different."Hi Grandma. Thanks! Yours was the first gift to arrive. I love it.""Oh, well. That's good. I was the first one there when you were born too because I was down in my office and the nurses called me".And as I told her about how we struggled with the honeymoon registry being "acceptable" and that I was happy she liked both our Kohls registry and the honeymoon one, she said, "Well, it's just very different, your generation from mine. Still, you'll have some of these items for a long time and when you use them you'll think 'so-and-so gave us that'."She's right. Now every time I boil water in my green kettle, I'll think of her.