James Necklace

Gold filled pendant with CZ stones.

Made in the USA.

Created in collaboration with Amanda Morris.

We had a a birth diagnosis of Down syndrome with James after an emergency induction. Along with finding out he has DS, we learned he had an AVSD. We were told it was minor and he wouldn’t need surgery until he was 3-5 years old. While we were wrapping our heads around this diagnosis and his heart issues, we fell in love with our sweet boy with the biggest smile. In fact, he has a smile that brings countless people joy.

Things escalated quickly with his heart and he ended up needing surgery just before he was 6 months old. There was complications and he ended up having a second open heart surgery. He spent almost a month in the hospital and had another short stay after Christmas. During these times he was all smiles. Every nurse was excited to see him and would say the previous nurse told them how happy he was.

When we were trying to come up with an idea for the James necklace, I wanted something that symbolizes joy. In some religions, honey is a good omen. It brings luck and joy. And these are things James has brought to us and to everyone he meets. Bees bring the honey together into a honeycomb, so it also represents unity. We’ve been fortunate to meet so many new people along this journey. I can’t wait to share this beautiful piece as something to represent James, our heart warrior with the biggest smile!