This was a project from my Print Design class where we had to design a booklet utilizing 5 items. I ended up choosing 5 gifts from my fiance, Eryc

1. GIFTS FROM ERYC

2. E
ryc got this large stuffed turtle for me on a whim. It was a
bit early when we were dating. We had just eaten at Cracker
Barrel and were looking around the store of the restaurant.
I had come across this big stuffed turtle among the items for
sale. Knowing I like turtles, Eryc asked me, “Do you like it?” I said
yes, but walked away not buying it. I began looking around at other
merchandise in the gift shop, not wanting to spend any money. Eryc
looked around some too, but I eventually saw him wander around
back to the turtle. I saw him grab it, take it to the register and buy it.
The woman at the checkout quickly put the large stuffed animal in
a big brown paper bag. Once we were exiting the restaurant, Eryc
pulled out the turtle from the paper bag, gleefully announcing, “I
got this for you!” I smiled wide and grabbed the big green turtle.
“Awwww, thank you!” I responded, first hugging the turtle and then
giving Eryc a big hug. “I’ll call him Terry! Terry the Turtle!” I gave
Eryc another hug. Since then, this turtle had been in my on-campus
apartment back when I stayed at Riverwalk. It helped me sleep
through many nights there. Now, it’s back at my tiny house cabin,
alwaysreadyforagoodsnuggle.Terrywillalwaysserveasareminder
for how much Eryc loves me and cares about me. It will always hold
that dear memory of Eryc “sneakily” buying it for me at the Cracker
Barrel. It was the first of many turtle-related gifts Eryc got for me.
M
y fiance Eryc surprised me with this “just because”
gift. One day, Eryc was picking me up in his car to
go do something together, probably a date night.
“Hey, can you open the glove box and get me the
registration, please?” he asked me. I opened up the glove box, and
I saw a blu-ray of The Quiet Place; we had just recently seen it in
theaters. On top of the blu-ray case was this little brown turtle
figurine. “Ohhhhhh!” I exclaimed, grabbing the gifts out
from the glove box. “Those are for you,” Eryc said with
a big smile. I picked up the turtle and saw that its shell
hinges open and closed. “You can put something
small in there to store,” Eryc said. “Like a ring,”
he added. “That’s so neat!” I responded, looking
it over, in and out. I still use it to this day,
always thinking about Eryc when I do.

3. O
nce Eryc and I had been together for a bit (enough
to have an anniversary), he had gotten me this
fountain pen for me. One year during the
pandemic, it was October, which meant
that our anniversary of us dating was coming up.
I had gotten really into fountain pens as part
of my pandemic-related hobbies. I had been
looking at this pretty BENU (a Russian
company) fountain pen, thinking “If I
could have just one fancy, sparkly,
special fountain pen, it would be
that one.” With our anniversary
coming up, Eryc ventured
asking me what I’d like
as an anniversary gift.
I knew exactly what
I wanted. “I’d like
Ag a i n ,
early in our dating
timetogether,Erychadgottenmethissquishystrawberryfidget.Eryc
knew I enjoyed fidget items and used them a lot, and he also knew
that I didn’t have one of the squishy kinds of fidgets but that I wanted
one. Eryc was out and about one day and came across this chocolate-
dipped squishy strawberry fidget. Also knowing I love strawberries
and chocolate, he immediately got it, with the
intention of giving it to me. I remember how he
showed me got it for me. He took a few pictures
of it in his car. There was one photo where he was
jokingly taking a bite out of the big strawberry.
Every time I fidget with it, I remember Eryc.
this green BENU ‘Scepter’
fountain pen, extra fine,” I
told him, sending him the exact
item listing for it. He said okay, and
ordered it. The fountain pen came in to
Eryc, and he opened up the package. Since I
already knew what my gift was, he would show
it to me teasingly on our video calls. “I have your
anniversary gift,” he said jokingly, waving it around,
playing with it. The green BENU “Scepter” fountain
pen is a beautiful piece of work, with so many intricacies.

4. B
y far, the best gift of all
Eryc has given me is his commitment
to get married, symbolized by my engagement
ring.Itwasdeepintothelockdownofthepandemic
when Eryc asked me to marry him. It would be a month or two between
when we could see each other. All that time in between seeing each other, it was
then that he decided and realized that he didn’t want to be without me. I always missed
him too during that lockdown time in the pandemic. When Eryc asked me to marry him, I
cried many tears of joy, I love him so much. After he had asked the question, it was then that we
tackled the engagement ring itself. I picked it out with him. I had a lot of fun shopping around for
the perfect ring. All in all, it was a fun process that we did together. Once the ring and diamond
were decided on, layaway began, where Eryc made the payments on it until it was fully paid
up. Once the ring was procured, it was time to tell the parents. Eryc did the traditional thing
and talked to my dad, getting his blessing. It was then on Valentine’s Day that Eryc
gave me the ring, and it became official, with all of my family knowing that we
were engaged. Since then, my engagement ring has been a very beautiful
and significant symbol of our love and commitment to each other.
Every time I wear it, it’s a constant reminder of Eryc’s
and I’s love for each other.

5. Gifts from Eryc
© 2022 Kitley DeFelice