With Love and Best Wishes

At long last I can share what I've been keeping under wraps for months! Our Pastor and his fiancée were married on Saturday, it was a glorious day filled to overflowing with love and happiness. Earlier in the year I thought it might be a great gift from the congregation to present them with a quilt full of best wishes on their wedding day. Every part of this project was top secret! The bride had shared with me her favorite colors; we were off and running. I took two friends with me to shop for fabric and using this pattern from Lella Boutique,  set to work. It took me a few weeks to get all of the blocks ready and stabilized with freezer paper, but by April they were good to go!

I made 35 blocks, (an extra row) instead of the 30 called for, as our Pastor is 6'8"! Armed with Pigma pens, I invited the congregation to come and sign a block, at their convenience, on three consecutive Saturday afternoons. We also took blocks to the shut-ins so that they could participate as well! Everyone was so excited about the idea, the insides of the hearts were filled with loving well-wishes, scripture verses, advice and signatures. 

There ended up being a few blank hearts that I filled with some personalized embroidery to commemorate their big day!

Ready for loading onto the long arm.

It was quilted with a modified Clamshell which covered nicely, mimicked the curve of a heart and didn't obscure the signatures at all. 

Before we knew it the big day had arrived! Their quilt of love and best wishes was secretly placed in the bride's dressing room last Friday afternoon. I believe they were pleased with the gift. Someone involved in the wedding moved it to the Fellowship Hall before the ceremony began, it was a great conversation piece as I noticed people huddling around the quilt display looking for their names and reading what everyone else had written. This is truly a gift from many hearts; one quilt that bears the love and best wishes of a grateful congregation, that's a LOT for a quilt to do but it does its job beautifully! As for our little church, we couldn't be happier and, along with this quilt, wish the happy couple a lifetime of love and God's blessings!

💗

"With Love and Best Wishes" ~ 68" X 92"

Life is Good!

May 24, 1975

Forty five years ago we said " I do";  and today, I'm blessed to be dancing with the same partner. I'm thankful every day for this man, for our shared faith and commitment to God and His church, for families that have supported us along the way, for two healthy, loving children with families of their own, and for a lifetime of shared memories. Thanks be to God!

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." -1 Corinthinians 13:4-8

Life is Good!

Forty-Four

May 24, 1975

Forty-four years. Two children. Four grandchildren. Ten homes in three countries. 

Thanks be to God for each and every blessing: for the incalculable number of special moments,

exciting adventures and treasured memories bestowed upon us as we've built our lives together.

Forty-four wonderful years have passed in what seems like the blink of an eye. 

Yes, "I do"; and I would absolutely do it all over again! 

💕

From this morning's most timely devotion, Ephesians 5:2:

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, 

a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God".

Life is Good!

Room To Grow

This is but one of many little dish gardens that sweetly sat on the tables at our son and daughter-in-law's wedding reception. The dish gardens were given to friends and family members to take home after the wedding reception was over, that was back in May of 2008, nine and a half years ago. Since then there has been growth, lots of it: over time our son and daughter in law bought a home and spread their roots. In 2010 their son was born and in 2013, their daughter; more growth, their family has changed a lot since that day back in 2008.  Given room, love and the right conditions, growth will happen. I remember a pastor friend telling me many years ago that change is growth and growth is life. Well, that is most certainly true, and especially in the case of this little plant. One of the dish gardens from that wedding reception nine and a half years ago went to my good friend, Quiltkeemosabe. A few weeks ago she asked me if I would like this plant. You see, it is a surviving Palm plant from one of those original dish gardens; it had outgrown its space at her home, she was looking to tame her jungle. "Yes", I said; "I would love it". And so, it has come to live at our home now. It is a floor plant today and it's been given room to grow and spread its roots in my husband's study.

Given room, love and the right conditions, growth will occur.

Once there was a little palm plant, it didn't understand the word "can't". 

It spread its roots, its limbs stretched too. 

It did the only thing it knew to do, because it was cared for through and through,

it GREW! 

What are you cultivating in your life today? 

What needs room, and love, to stretch and grow?  

Life is Good!

Sunflower Love

A sneak preview... I finished the quilting on "Sunflower Love" (the wedding siggie quilt) yesterday afternoon. I combined my free motion quilting with a pantograph design for the borders. I hope my son and daughter-in-law will be pleased. Now, a sleeve for the back, a label, piping and binding... did I use the word "finished" in the first sentence?

Life is Good!

The Wedding, And... A Winner!

I'm sharing a few of my favorite photos from our son's wedding on the 17th. (They're all "clickable"). It was a completely glorious day in every way! Take a look and see if you don't agree that this is one happy couple! In order: the groom and my husband, the groom with my husband and me, the groom and THE CAR(!), a family shot before the ceremony with us, his sister and brother-in-law
(and our soon-to-be grandson!),

and the rest with his beautiful bride...Life is Good!

The winner of my 400th post drawing is
none other than: Karen Dianne Lee!
KD-- I know you're busy Livin' Life at Leehaven, but
please contact me via e-mail with a mailing address
and your unique gift will be on it's way to you!
Thanks to everyone who entered!
I'll have another blog-iversary giveaway in July.

A Tale Of Two Portraits

Four years ago our daughter was married and we had her bridal portrait framed to hang on the wall in our dining room. It hangs on the right side of a large triple window that looks out from the front of our house. My plan has always been to have a similar type portrait flanking the window on the left side; someday, whenever our son married, of his lovely bride. Years have passed, whenever we spend time eating in the dining room the question always comes up from someone seated at our table regarding that blank expanse of wall. I always have had the same answer: "when Kyle gets married we'll hang a portrait there". When he became engaged his fiancée asked me if I had any one special request before the wedding. "Yes", only one; "a portrait for our dining room wall". My son looked shocked. "Huh?" he asked, "I thought you wanted a picture of ME for that space!" Now it was my turn to be surprised and confused. He went on with his explanation of how he had always thought when referring to another portrait when he married that it would be one of HIM! We had a good laugh over that and I still laugh thinking about him thinking that. My new daughter-in-law was gracious in honoring my request. We now have a matched set of portraits flanking that window. Two charming girls, each with their own personality and style reflected, mounted up in identical frames.

Life is Good!

One, For Now...

One photo, for now... the newlyweds leaving the reception in our classic '64 Olds. It was a wonderful, memorable day. This picture is worth 1,000 words. Life IS Good!

Today's The Day!

For my dear son and his bride,
on this, your Wedding Day:

Love grows deeper, stronger,
and more beautiful
when it is planted by God
...Kept in His Will
...Nourished by His Word
and warmed by the sunshine
of His ever-abiding presence.
May you always walk together
in the happy ways of love
Trusting in the grace of God
To lead you from above.

Life is Good!

Checking In

The guests begin arriving today... here at The Strawberry Patch and at local hotels; the sheets are freshly pressed, the towels fluffed. I'm getting my hair fixed and my nails done, fingers and toes! The speeches and toasts have been written. The rehearsal is scheduled for twelve hours from now. The gifts are wrapped. The flowers are being arranged and the cakes are being baked today. He's really going to do it; my baby's getting married! It's not only guests checking in today, reality is too. Wasn't he a toddler only yesterday?

Life is Good!

Bud

I had a meeting on Tuesday with our florist for the wedding. His name is Bud. He is such a precious man, like everyone's father or grandfather, or the ones you wish you had! He is 82, and an institution in this town. He is deeply proud of his family and speaks about his children and grandchildren with reverent admiration. This wasn't our first meeting regarding the upcoming wedding, he greeted me with his notes from our previous time together, we carefully went over each and every item one by one and he checked them off with a worn-out pencil. He never seems rushed or hurried, and although I know better I could easily be convinced that I was his only client. He inquired about procuring a key to our church, he'd searched his key drawer and wasn't able to locate one to our sanctuary. It seems that he holds a key to almost every one of the church doors in town! I assured him that I'd be there to meet him at the front door at the appointed time. I'm smiling now, reflecting on that innocent request. We don't hand out church keys, to anyone. It hasn't always been that way. Things have changed, the world is a different place now; from a security stand-point for a downtown church. It makes my heart heavy to even think about the fact that we've just now appointed a security task committee to look at enhanced safety options in and around the church property for staff, for members, for events. The very reality of the need for this step assaults me. He was a cheerful and understanding when I turned him down regarding his request for a key. He remembers the way things used to be, he retreats there for a moment and smiles a distant smile. I find myself wanting to retreat to that time and place, too! He patted me on the arm; "it's going to be such a pretty wedding", he assured me, "Bud will see to that!" Indeed, he will, I have no absolutely doubts whatsoever!

Life is Good!

Mother's Day and TO DO Lists...

Mother's Day came and went in a flurry of activity here. It was a celebration of motherhood heightened only by excited anticipation of the "wedding-to-come" on Saturday! Pictured here is the mommy-to-be "modeling" a new outfit from the almost bride and groom. Isn't it just the cutest? Hannes chose a new purse for me for Mother's Day; reminding everyone who sees it what his mother's definite breed of choice is, seriously, could there be any other? (And, by the way, doesn't he look pleased and proud of his purchase?) Things are shifting firmly into wedding gear at Chez Goodneedle, I have "to do" lists that measure a mile long. I will most certainly be on blog-land hiatus for a spell from here on in; I'll return with wedding pictures next week and an upcoming giveaway to commemorate passing the 400th post milestone. Y'all come back! Y'hear?

Life is Good!

Dress Update

The dilemma has been resolved; I have a dress to wear, and a spare*! Talbots to the rescue. Thanks to one and all for your suggestions, and your empathy, I will now
happily attend our son's wedding, fully clothed;
in a dress I feel really good about wearing!

(* although I wouldn't be caught dead in it.)

Life is Good!




30. Sit on your ego.

Do Not Worry

Matthew 6: 31

"So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?'
or`What shall we drink?' or
`What shall we wear?'

It's right there, in the book of Matthew. I shouldn't worry about what I wear, I know that. But, it's my son's wedding! It's taking place in less than a month; and this morning, here I am, without a dress to wear to his wedding. It all started innocently enough. I went to the bridal shop, months ago with my future daughter in law and my daughter. The bride was veil shopping. One thing led to another and I chose a few dresses to try on. I found one that I liked, and ordered it. The model dress that I tried on didn't fit, but the owner used some dressmaker clamps to cinch it in and took my measurements. I ordered it from a fabric swatch the size of a postage stamp and quickly crossed the chore off my 'to do' list. I didn't give the dress another thought until last month when the shop owner called to say they were having problems with shipments from the manufacturer of my chosen dress and they wanted me to be aware that it could come in close to the wire, if at all. I had a chance to back out and get my deposit back. I didn't take it. I decided to wait it out, after all, I just loved that dress! The bridal shop owner called this week. My dress came in. Hallelujah! I went by yesterday for a fitting. My dress was hanging in the center of the store, in a place of prominence. I didn't love it when I saw it, in fact, quite the opposite was true, I was hoping that it was someone else's dress. It wasn't. I tried it on, willing myself to fall in love again. That didn't happen, in fact I felt sick when I saw myself in the dressing room mirrors, reflected three ways. The dress fit fine but looked all wrong. I felt old, heavy and, well... exposed! Not exactly the feeling one desires to have on the day their baby is getting married. The shop owner was ready with pins to mark the hem and I dutifully stepped up on the platform, all the while my head was spinning with thoughts of ripping the dress off and fleeing from the store before anyone else came into the shop. I'm going to call the owner first thing this morning and tell him to stop the alteration process. I'm not going to wear that dress, I can't. I need to regroup, and stop worrying, I need to remind myself that the clock is ticking and that there are hundreds of other dresses out there waiting to be bought, one of them is perfect for me. I need to remind myself that happiness abounds and it's only a dress! I need to remind myself that:

Life is Good!
How do I sell something on e-bay?

27. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

Weekend Wonders

It was a weekend of wonders. The kind of moments that stay in a Mom's heart, ordinary to the outside world, but treasured pieces of time to cherish forever. Engagement photos. A bridal shower for the soon to be newlyweds. An expectant daughter who is blossoming in her pregnancy. Easter. It was hard for me to contain and process this much joy all at the same time. In conclusion, a few photos from our Easter table where the highlight of the goody-bags were the fuzzy, furry Pez dispensers!

...And from the shower, our 'bride to be' trying to convince her friends and family that sunflowers really aren't too big to carry down the aisle!Life is Good!

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key
buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.