Renewed Hope!

After the heartbreak of last week's baby Bluebird loss, there is abundant hope that we have another family in the not too distant future. Mom and dad have been back checking out the nesting box! 

Speaking of nesting birds, at long last I have gotten this one quilted and the finishing binding on this four block folkart wallhanging; this is the result of a Sue Nickels workshop that I took years ago at MidAtlantic Quilt Festival up in Hampton, VA.  I was inspired to get it done after touring the Southern Quilts exhibit at the National Quilt Museum and being enamored with the historic applique quilts there earlier this year. 

Not only is it finished, but it's hanging, at long last, in our home; I always HOPED I'd see this day. Don't we all start every new project with high hopes and determination ~ only to lose steam? 

I need to teach myself the importance of being a little ol' ant and hanging on to those high hopes! 😊

We hosted our former neighbors for the weekend, we had a glorious time catching up (it's been years);  the late nights took their toll, I needed naps for two days in a row after their departure! Back in August of 1985 we bought a newly constructed home right next door to these fine folks. For ten years we lived side by side, we raised our children together and Janis and I walked together every single morning after we loaded the kiddos on the school bus; those were golden days. A good neighbor is a found treasure and we certainly were the beneficiaries of that, to the fullest. We moved away in 1995 and, after a few more years, retirement saw them selling their home and moving to Oklahoma. You may remember, in September of last year, I requested prayer for Janis in this blog post. Thanks be to God, she is now totally free and clear of cancer! Her healing is complete and she has been released from further treatment for her lymphoma. She never lost hope for one moment but, rather, as a role model of immense faith, persevered and triumphed over this dread disease; and she did it with a joyful heart! I have always marveled at her strong spirit and unshakeable faith, one that has been demonstrated as long as I have known her. She gives all the thanks and glory to God; and is grateful for your faithful prayers and for her doctors, nurses and drug therapies that all, ultimately, come from Him, creator of all things!

And so, we go on, with HOPE in our hearts for every. single. blessing; both great and small.

Life is Good!

Monday, Wash Day!

You remember the old chore for each day-of-the-week philosophy adhered to by our grandmothers? It was so popular it was even stitched onto dishtowels. Monday is Wash Day. Well, maybe not here. Not today. Last week, also on Monday, our trusty washer konked out. Mr. Goodneedle quickly attended to the problem. Armed with tools to disassemble the machine and a volt-meter in hand to test electrical components he diagnosed the problem as the pump and ordered a replacement. The new pump went in a few days later, all was well; we were back in clean clothes. I was ready to move on. Apparently "old trusty" (we've had this front-loader since 2002) had other ideas! So, this morning, I am doing a humungous load of wet towels; (dishwasher malfunction from last evening-- another story for another day) when I hear a LOUD bang (think gunshot) followed by an ear-piercing squeal, I ran to the laundry room. When I opened the door the room was filled with smoke. I grabbed the power cord and unplugged it. I redirected the fan from drying underneath the dishwasher to redirecting the smoke from the laundry area. Hey, when it rains it pours! I figured it was time to go back to our discussion from last week as to when it would be time to replace rather than repair. But, undaunted, Mr. Goodneedle appeared to ask for a replay of the noises that took down the washer once again. "I wonder if it could be the drive belt?", he asked. "Did the smoke smell like rubber or electrical?" he asked. I didn't know that my sniffer was qualified to differentiate between the two. The back of the washer came off and a broken, shredded drive belt was resurrected from the recesses if the machine.

As luck would have it, we happened to have a spare drive belt! Who has happens to have one of those??  Apparently we do, we're back in business-- once again!

Life is Good!

Really and truly it is. On this Thanksgiving week I am truly thankful for a husband who can fix things; actually, for a husband that will happily and uncomplainingly put fixing things above everything else. We recently lost a dear friend, he died suddenly. I constantly think of his wife and wonder, even out loud, what I would do without my husband. I cannot even imagine. 

Join me. Count your blessings and take your chores one day at a time.

Monday- Wash day.

Tuesday- Ironing day.

Wednesday- Sewing day.

Thursday- Market day.

Friday- Cleaning day.

Saturday- Baking Day.

Sunday- A day of rest.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Run, Run, As Fast As You Can...

November started out as a promising one, my plans for daily sequential thankfulness posts were sadly and profoundly interrupted by the death of my precious mother-in-law. Now here we are, on the last day of November. Time waits for no one, especially this blogger. I will close out the month with one, last catch-up post, one that is punctuated with moments of pure grace; as my life over the past week has been. Please accept my gratitude for all of your kind thoughts and words in response to my last post; indeed, my mother-in-law was a treasure. Last Wednesday, following her memorial service, the family gathered at Mom's home one final time to share food and reflect on her life, "the one that made all of our lives better because she was a part of them", these are my daughter-in-law's words, I couldn't ever describe Mom more appropriately. This photo, left, of Mason, was taken in Mom's back yard that afternoon. This is but one of those God-given moments of grace. For this glorious moment in time, I am grateful.

Mom was an organist. The one thing the grandchildren have always loved, over the years, and now the great-grandchildren after them, is to sit on the organ bench and play; here are three of them doing just that. One last concert, one more grace moment; and a snapshot to cherish the memory.

One more gathering in Mom's living room, the site of every holiday gathering for as long as I can remember. We remain grateful for all who could be with us last week, Mom's loving spirit blessed us and bound us together in affection and appreciation for each other. Those moments of grace kept on happening: free and undeserved gifts manifested in countless blessings, one after another. Thanksgiving happened, it remains a blur, generous amounts of food arrived here and was all skillfully prepared and served, dozens were fed. Slowly, one by one, the leave-taking of each friend and family member happened. Today it's just us again; all too suddenly, November is over. 

We won't be "just us" for very long though. It's time to make new memories: we will have all four grandchildren in two days for a cousins weekend.  I have already begun the preparations for a house building extravaganza. 

There are many activities planned for the little ones, bring on December, we're getting ready for Christmas! Time may fly but I have taken a deep breath, counted my blessings along the way, and with God's help and a grateful heart I am ready to get back in the race. "Run, run, as fast as  you can-- you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!"

Life is Good!

On this, the thirtieth day of November, 

I remain thankful to God for a life

punctuated with moments of pure grace.

Little Loves

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you'll indulge me with a few of my little loves on this day. First, here's Lynnleigh... we had the privilege of spending a few hours with her yesterday morning while Mommy visited the dentist.  She went back to her room and came out with these on, her "Stompeez" slippers; a gift from Christmas. The slippers are equipped with a little pump "ball" inside the heel which, when stepped upon, will cause the ears to flip up. She doesn't weigh enough to get any ear action going, and she's oblivious.  No worries, they're pink; she's big on pink... oh, and green. In fact every color is either pink or green; that's true, just ask her!
Here's a second little love; another addition to my growing collection of 6" quilt blocks. I'm especially fond of this one because the background fabric is from my very first quilt made in 1983. I have a little bit left, only a very small amount, but just enough to  pull it out and use a bit here and there every now and then and think about that very first quilt class, my instructor (who remains a close friend to this day) and all the happiness, joy and friendships that quilting has brought over the years.

And one more little love for today... my oldest grandson, Mason.

Mason and his daddy recently treated me to a Carolina Hurricanes 

game; we had a terrific time, making memories to last a lifetime.

What are your little loves?

Wishing you a day full of them... and big ones too!

Life is Good!