Our oldest son's mommy in law recently lost her mommy and we spent yesterday afternoon and evening at a memorial for her mommy, Ruby. A large group went and hung out at the casino because it was something that Ruby liked to do. My son's other family are fabulous people and we feel very fortunate to know them and very happy that he met and married his wife. We couldn't have asked for a better extended family for him and by association for us! We love her family!
The other thing I'm thinking a lot about is my maternal grandma since she is the one who got me started so many years ago quilting, but I ALWAYS think of her when I sew and a lot of times even when I'm not doing the thing she loved so much and spent so many hours of her life doing. My grandma and I were very close.
I'm also thinking a lot about my Dad with our first grandson about to be here.
When my paternal grandpa was in the hospital about to pass from this earth our oldest had just been born and was just teeny. I have a picture somewhere of Mike, myself, my Dad, my paternal grandmother and her mother in a picture at my Grandpa's wake. Anyway, while my grandpa was in the V.A. hospital he got two small quilts from one of the comfort charities that delivered quilts to terminal patients. He gave them to my Dad and told him to make sure his 'first great grandson' got them, that was my Mikey. We used those quilts until they were in tatters, I'm not sure where they ended up, likely they were in some stuff that got left or lost when I moved out of my parent's house.
When my Dad was in the hospital getting ready to pass from this earth he also received a small quilt from a quilting charity. He told the lady that gave it to him while I was standing there that he was going to make sure that his first great grandchild got that quilt because it was kind of a family tradition. He gave me the quilt after it had been on the foot of his hospital bed for a couple of days, he knew his time was short and he wanted to take care of things while he could still think around the drugs they were giving him. He told me he wanted Mike to have that quilt.
Mike has been holding on to that quilt for 7 years. When we went over for the baby shower they had Korben's room all set up and that quilt was hanging on the side of the crib. I don't know if Mike knew how close I was to losing it when I saw that. I didn't want my make-up to run with a house full of his friends and LaRae's family all around so I saved it until we got home.
I guess the gist is that I love making quilts because they have played such a huge part in my life and that part has always meant "family". As hubby will attest, I am a naturally impatient person. If I can't figure something out within about 5 minutes then I'm done and someone else can figure it out for me. The only thing I have patience for is quilting and sewing. If I can't figure something quilty out, I can sit for hours until I do figure it out, and I won't go look on the internet to see how someone else figured it out, I have to do it myself. Anyway, that's why I am so big into my hobby and fabric obsession. It reminds me of happy times with my grandma and to me it means love and family all rolled into one.
Selfish Sewing Update:
Working on the flying geese for the churn dash quilt that's made out of almost exclusively Global Bazaar and Kona Pepper.
Also... Korben a couple of weeks ago in a 3-D ultrasound! :D
2 comments:
Korben is a cutie already! I know you can't wait to meet him in person. I do a lot of reflecting from time to time... good reflecting is good for the soul.
That is a wonderful story and terrific tradition. I'm sure they were wonderful men and are watching down from heaven.
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