A Lost Blue Denim Jumper and Building Mountains

Years ago, I borrowed a cute pregnant jumper from my friend Diana. It was the early 90s, and we were both homeschooling moms, so if you guessed that it was a denim jumper, you would be correct. What I especially liked about it was that it had enough room to accommodate a growing belly, but wasn't one of those tent dresses that was so popular. Seriously. Some of those pregnant dresses were like wearing actual tents! So, anyway, this was an unassuming denim jumper that I just loved and wore a lot while I was pregnant with Jordan.

The jumper found its way to the back of my closet during the last month of my pregnancy because as accommodating as it was for my growing belly, Jordan grew so much that this sweet jumper just couldn't keep up and a pretty, soft pink jumper of the tent variety soon took its place. Some months after Jordan was born, Diana found out she was pregnant, so she called asking if I could return the jumper.

Thinking I could just go to my closet and pull it out, I told her I would bring it right over. (She lived across the street.) It wasn't there. I was mortified!! The only thing that I could think of is that the jumper had been mistakenly placed in my give away box and would have made it to Goodwill. Shoot.

I called Diana, and apologized profusely, telling her I would buy her a new jumper. She stopped me in mid-sentence and said a phrase that has had staying power in my life. "You are more important to me than a silly jumper."

Talk about a relationship builder! This sounds so cliche', but that phrase was implanted in my mind that day and has often come to the fore front when dealing with broken antique plates, chairs or ruined ceilings. I have to admit, though, I have often fought the urge to throw out the phrase, " I can't have anything nice!" (and have on many occasions). The times I have said, "You are more important to me than _______", were the times that relationships were strengthened. I remember just how loved and important I felt that day, and I know that the impact that phrase has had when I have remembered to say it has been positive.

Our words are so powerful that they can build or destroy. When I am irritated, it's especially important that I take pause and choose my words carefully. I really want to build mountains - I don't want to strip mine my relationships.

I did find that blue jumper. Funny thing. It was in the back of Terry's closet. Go figure.

On to Another Project!

I have wanted to make a quilt for a long time, but recently I found some fabric that I just loved. It's so whimsical and a bit retro!! I bought a bunch of fabric without really knowing what I was doing. I didn't have a pattern, have never quilted, but thought, "Eh...what's the worst that can happen?" No one would really have to know; unless I blogged about it. So, if I fail, there will be a chance of laughter. 

I will keep you posted on the progress of the quilt. So far, I have the top almost done. I believe I want to add some borders. I have it in my mind, and have even dreamt about how I would create this quilt. So, we'll see how it works.

It all started when I saw this wheel of fabric sitting on the fabric store's shelves. Perfect for what had been twirling around in my mind the last few weeks!! I sewed these strips together. There were enough in each wheel to get three blocks of strips sewn! I bought two wheels so I would have enough to have six rectangles of stripes! Very cute idea. Very cute.

Here I have one rectangle block put together. They measure about 15 1/2 inches wide and, well...somewhere around two feet or so long. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to lay it all out. I had Alyssa and Kimi sitting in the living room watching a movie while I was placing blocks all around the living room floor! Fun Times!!

I bought several packages of these pieces of fabrics. I think they're something similar to fat quarters, but I'm not sure. I still take offense to the name of the fat quarters. Really? They can't help it!

And here is one strip done. I will show you the other strips later. They are actually all stacked under this top one. This will no doubt be a busy quilt, but I like it. I'm looking forward to seeing it done! I am also looking forward to sharing my end product with you!!

Be blessed!

I love you more!

My cousin Julie passed away yesterday, and my mind is full. When someone I know and love dies, part of my grieving process is to reminisce about good things in my life. And like the saying goes, the good things in my life aren't things.

I spent the morning with my mom and dad because even though I am 48 years old, to be honest, when I hurt, the first place I go is home to my mom and dad. We spent time talking and laughing and remembering stories, and  when I got ready to leave, I told my mom that I loved her. She smiled and called over her shoulder as she was walking to her door, "I love you more!" God, what a gift you've given me!

In my family we say, "I love you." A lot. And we hug. A lot.

It's been that way my whole life. In fact, as I look back, I find it kind of funny that I was almost an adult before I realized that there were a lot of people who just weren't like us. There were some people - even in our extended families - who weren't natural huggies and probably weren't all that keen on having a little dark-headed-snot-nosed-kid hugging them but were too polite to say anything.

Our tradition includes hugging when you see someone for the first time that day, and then hugging before that person leaves. Lots of times there are hugs just for good measure. Some people, I'm sure, might think that hugging that much might lead to hugs becoming routine. Maybe. But I've got to tell you, there are just some epic hugs that are what love is all about.

Like the time I failed my swimming test because I was too afraid to dive off the 'tower' and swim in the 10 foot. My dad found me hiding in my closet and didn't say too much. He asked if I tried. I said yes. And then he asked me if I wanted to go fishing. When I climbed out of the closet, he wrapped his strong arms around me and told me that as long as I tried, he was alright with me and I had nothing to be ashamed of.

Or the times my mom hugged my pregnant belly and told my babies that Grammy loved them and that she couldn't wait to see them.
And the time I was holding it together at the hospital until I saw my dad and he grabbed a hold of me and I was able to cling to him and be his child in incredible pain as we said goodbye to Ben.

Oh, and the time I surprised my family by coming home from college a week earlier than planned. I saw my little brothers playing basketball and when they saw me, they dropped their game and came runnning to greet me. They lifted me up and twirled me around!

And my sister, on my wedding day before I walked down the aisle. She whispered for me to take it all in and I did. I remember the fragrance of the roses and the candles and the beautiful music and my handsome groom waiting for me.

I could go on and on and on and probably will in my mind. Memories are just swirling around today like nobody's business. If I thought that Julie could hear me, I would tell her again that I loved her, and that she was a part of so many lovely memories from my childhood and that I am so thankful to have had her in my life. And I would hug her if I could.

Cause that's what we do.

Hot. Hot. Hot.

I think I"m getting old. I  say that because I remember hearing old people say things like, "When we were kids, we didn't have color tv and we got along just fine." Or, "When we were kids, we had to walk where ever we went, and we were just fine."

Today, though, as I read all the heat advisory warnings and I glanced at the thermometer, I had to stop and think, "When did 90s become too hot?" And then it happened. I started thinking back to when I was a kid. We didn't have air conditioning back then. (We still don't, although my parents do NOW!) Really, very few people did. Businesses around town weren't climate controlled and walking around town you'd see windows open, people on their porches and kids on their bikes. A drive around the square would bring you to all the Old Timers sitting on the benches and talking up a storm. And we were just fine! Oh, dear.

I remember in the dog days of summer - when it didn't even cool down at night - my brothers and sister and I would sleep out on the back patio - until that pincher bug grabbed Nise, but that's another story. We'd all four lie on cement and sleep under the stars, but not until we had exhausted all conversation. Amazing how siblings can chatter.

So tonight, it's warm. But there is a lovely breeze and looking out across the field, I see the intermittent glowing of lightning bugs, and I am thankful. And I miss Denise, Darin and Matt tonight....cause there are stars, and lightning bugs and I think the DDT got rid of all the pincher bugs.

Small Town Livin' (written a year ago)

When all this cancer stuff started in April, my husband and I decided that we would wait to tell people until we were sure what was going on. My work buddies and I were at the Mexican restaurant in town, and I spotted a lovely woman I know who is battling breast cancer. I went over to say 'hey,' and I blurted out to her that I might have cancer. What the heck! Anyway, she hugged me and kissed the top of my head when she got ready to leave, and she told me she would be thinking of me.

Fast forward this little roller coaster we've been on for the last couple of months. My parents were at my house eating dinner with us, when we noticed Madeline drive up. She came to the door and explained that she had been worried about me and decided to try to find me!! I was speechless. And I felt extremely loved.

I think one of the benefits of living in a small town (and maybe one of its curses) is that just going through life, you get to know people in a way that would be impossible in a city. Thank you, Madeline, for loving me and showing me how much you care!

I Am Tired.

I've thought today that I should change the name of my blog to I Am Tired. I most certainly am very, very tired. And relieved.

This week has been pretty exciting in my life. We had tornadoes on Tuesday, literally all around us. It was a charged kind of night in more ways than one. On the way home from work, I learned that there were tornado warnings everywhere. There had been a tornado outside of Greenfield and it was heading east. We're East of Greenfield. The sky was ominous to say the least.

My heart stayed in my throat for most of the evening. Jordan is in Creston and there were two tornadoes that touched down there. Alyssa, Ross and Abe were in town in three separate places. Aly and Abe finally made it home before Storm Number Two hit, carrying huge hail! Actually they were walking to our house when all of a sudden huge balls of ice started falling from the sky! You should have seen our yard COVERED by golf-ball sized hail.
 Incredible.                          

Thankfully, no one sustained injuries. Many of our neighbors and friends have lost some property and live stock, but our neighbors are safe.

I am hoping to have a night very soon during which there are no storms, no lightning, no thunder and no radios going off warning of impending danger.

Cause. I. Am. Tired. 

Worms, Dogs and Sundays.

I thought some of my worms had died. Today, I spent some time stirring the almost wormless trays and cleaning out the stinking water basin, and I found that the worms had migrated up to the top tray! I still think we might have lost a few due to the compost getting too wet. I guess there is a learning curve to creating a worm farm. Terry used some of the 'worm tea' on his tomatoes! (We'll see if it's as magical and 'they' say it is!)

I'm hoping stirring up the trays and getting them not so wet and compact will be good for the worms. They have certainly eaten a lot of stuff! I'm a little disappointed in how slow they decompose stuff, though. If I didn't live with a household of carnivores, we'd have to have four or five worm farms to keep up with all our veggies waste! Hopefully we'll get in a groove with it. I was able to free up one of the trays, so that seems like it is good news. That and it doesn't stink. Well, the 'tea' stinks, but the rest of the compost smells like dirt. Which is offensive to some, I suppose. I like it.

Poor Molly. She is dejected. I have misplaced my shedding brush and she looks horrid. She has all this matted fur under her top coat, so today I almost shaved the back end of her and then washed her good. She looks kind of like a goofy poodle only goofier because she ISN'T a poodle. Poor dog. I'm hoping to find that brush soon! She has probably gone and found something stinky to roll in (like the 'worm tea' Terry put out on his tomatoes). That would be just like her. Lovely.

Today has been nice. I've puttered and I'll scrub a couple of rooms, but for the most part, I'm having a nice restful Sunday. Tonight all my kids are going to be here for supper. Yes. They all live back at home, but we rarely see everyone together. Tonight is LASAGNE!!! (I know how to get my boys to come home. lol)