Wedding Vows

Weddings like births are new beginnings, a fresh start, and hope for the future.

My niece got married this weekend in a lovely service. As I listened to the minister I was inspired to be a better wife myself. I sort of revisited the vows I made and inwardly determined to do a better job of living up to them.

My sister-in-law, who just lost her husband, is a great example of living out her vows. As she cared for her precious husband in sickness she did so with such a sweet patience and dedicated determination. It is a beautiful thing to see love begin to bloom, but it is also beautiful to see love that endures to the end and beyond.

Finishing Up a Little Sewing

I have finished a few sewing projects that have been in the works for a while. I usually start three projects before finishing one, not a habit that I recommend!

First off is a dress that I made for Scooter. It is from an old pattern that I have used several times. The dress can be worn with or without the pinafore. Scooter just loves this puppy print fabric, and Angel Eyes asked if I could make her one like it. The pattern is a single size one, so I doubt I'll be able to pull that off.

The next project I completed was a baby quilt for little Thumper. I quilted it on my mom's very nice machine. Hers is a new model Cadillac and mine, which I was perfectly content with until I sewed on hers, is a 30 year old VW. It still gets me where I need to go, but the ride is not nearly as luxurious.

The pattern I used was called "Just Can't Cut it". I wish I had put more contrast into it. It's a little too monochromatic for my taste, but my daughter loves it, and that makes me happy. I ended up making it a lap quilt size so she could use it longer. I hope Thumper likes pink as much as the other girls do!

The last project was a little bonnet for Thumper. It matches her quilt and is still a little too big. It won't be long until it fits her nicely though, and it still manages to keep the wind off of her ears.

Isn't she a doll?

Joy and Sorrow

Things are constantly changing everywhere, we have especially experienced it here in the last several days. Our emotions have run the gamut as there have been several losses all around us, tornadoes and floods have affected those we love, and health issues, accidents, and death have also left their mark on our family and friends these last few weeks. So many people we love have experienced deep pain, and we too feel that pain for them as well as for ourselves. However, just as death has caused anguish, in the same span of time new life has brought great joy to our family.

We are so happy that we have another precious grand-daughter. I have decided to give her the blog name Thumper since she has an extra heartbeat. Of course this has given us quite a scare, but the cardiologist has assured us that this will rectify itself over the next six months. We are so thankful for the grace God has shown our family again! I am amazed over and over at how God created the human body with an incredible ability to heal its self in many situations! Of course, I know that His hand is in any healing whether it is through natural process of the body He created, or through medicine, or through a miraculous movement of His Spirit.

At this time when birth and death have overlapped in our family I'm reminded of the verse in Romans 12:15^"Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

Happy Mother's day

Happy Mother's Day to the best Mom in the world! I can't believe the grace God showed by allowing me to be your child! You are an amazingly, incredible mother, always putting others first, sharing the love of God and inspiring those around you to be they best they can be. You have believed in me, encouraged me, prayed for me, and loved me, and I am truly honored to be your daughter!

Procrastination

Okay, I'm coming to terms with the knowledge that I am a part-time blogger. I get so caught up living my life sometimes that I neglect to blog about it.

This time I really have been thinking about it, but can't put into words what I want to share so I've been doing what I'm really great at...procrastinating! I know, it's an ugly word, but I'm afraid it fits me well.

I went on an amazing mission trip to the Appalachian Mountains. There is so much I would like to share, but somehow it is just too much to express, either verbally or in writing. I took a journal and planned to write things each day, but in the evening when things quieted down I just couldn't express myself.

Hopefully soon the words will come and I can come back and share a little of the what I encountered and learned, but right now I still am processing it myself.