BLESSINGS

I believe that the year 2012 was the most difficult of my life as much as my health was concerned.  In  April, they discovered a sebacious cell skin cancer on my eyelid.  That was so traumatic, but after surgery it was all removed and you can never tell that it was ever there!  I had a great eye surgeon performing the surgery and I am so grateful for Dr. Yannis of the surgery group in Chattanooga, TN.

I have always for the past few years had back problems, and that finally caught up with me late summer of 2012 and I had to quit my job and was in severe pain.  Thankfully, I have a great neurosurgeon, Dr. Kern, who performed to major surgeries on my back in late January.  The surgery was so successful that I am almost back to normal now!  I give credit to the fine surgeons but most of all I give credit to my Lord Jesus Christ and all the prayers of hundreds of people who prayed for me and many sent good wishes and calls and cards! 

According to my back surgeon, I should be as good as new in a little more time.  I am so thankful for all the good wishes and prayers.  And I can never say enough about my wonderful family, especially my three wonderful daughters, Valerie, Brenda, and Karen who have been so supportive in every way.  I can't list all that they have done for me, as it was just about everything I could have needed.  And they are still right by my side at any time I need them.

I thank all the blogging friends, and Valerie's Facebook friends who have been praying and checking on me all the time.  I am blessed.

I am now released to drive!  Thank the Lord!  It is hard to have to rely on others to take me where I need to go.  I feel so free!

Now, to the future!

 I have a beautiful quilt top cut out and half of it sewn.  I plan to have it finished very soon, because I have requests for two more just like it when this one is finished.  I started cutting on this quilt quite some time ago and stopped working on it to do the Trip Around the World quilt for my granddaughter, Jami and her husband, Evan for their wedding gift.  Then, I got down with my back problem, so since I have now had two major surgeries, I am doing great!!! (Thanks to all the prayers and good thoughts from all of you!)  .......So now I am ready to finish this one, it is also that type of quilt, only 5" blocks instead of 2".  This one is called Empire Trip Around the World.  I really love it and hope to finish it by the time this month is over.

Love and good wishes to you all!

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!

 

It has been over a year since I last posted on my blog!  I thank everyone for their patience with me.  I will not go into the reason for my neglect of everyone, and the neglect of my blog, but to put it in a sentence, my health has not been good for the past 11 months.  Many of you know my problems with my health thru my daughter Valerie's blog.

I just want to thank everyone for their many prayers, cards, and good wishes.  I am now recovering from two major surgeries and I am hoping to get back into doing the things that I always enjoyed.  I am praising the Lord for my recovery!

Thanks again, and I hope to do a blog this next day or two to get started back on a normal basis.

Love to all my friends and family!

Jami's Wedding Quilt

For the past 5 months, I have been working hard on a quilt for Jami and Evan for their wedding.  It was hard to work on it much, since I was working full time on my job, but I am now only working 2 days a week, and can finally do many of the things I have wanted to do for so long.

 It started with this quilt book.

My friend, Laverne and I were looking at the book, and she decided she would make this quilt for her granddaughter.  So, since my granddaughter Jami had just announced her engagement in October of 2011, I decided to do the same.  We went together and picked out the fabric, identical fabrics for her quilt and mine also.

 Soooo,,,,we met at her brother's lake house for a weekend,

Rising early each morning with coffee and wonderful breakfasts, and the sunrise on the lake, we began our work.

 And cut and cut and cut and sewed strips and sewed strips and sewed strips....

 And when the weekend was over, we took our strips home and cut and cut and cut into NEW strips, then started putting them together................

The whole quilt is put together on the diagonal!  What a challenge!

It took me until March 1st to get my quilt top finished.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  Laverne's is almost finished also. 

Two happy granddaughters!

(Two happy grandmothers to get them done!)

Catching up--Weddings

 Matt and Jessica's Christmas wedding.

 I think the shoes had to go after awhile.  LOL

Aren't they beautiful!  Lovely wedding, and SO IN LOVE!

During that past few months, I have had two of my precious grandchildren to get married! What a joy it has been to see these wonderful grandchildren start their lives with the ones they love!

Matt and his cousin Jami were born within 3 weeks of each other, and have always been close.  Matt's wedding was just before Christmas day, and Jami's wedding was on Feb. 18th of this year.
I have not yet received the professional pictures from Jami's wedding, so I am including some that were taken by my grandson on my camera.  It was a very sweet wedding, very informal, but that is what they wanted.  They want to save their money to go to Paris, France  in the fall.

 This was made in a photographers studio with the bridesmaids and with her brother Rob, who gave her away.  The studio was so "60's" style.  It was a loft studio in an old building with the brick walls, etc.  Very impressive.

The bride and groom with her Mother (my daughter), and the groom with his parents.  His parents are missionaries and this is the third wedding they have come back for in the past 6 months for their sons.

There was a parade in the street in front of the church and after the wedding, Jami and Evan ran out and joined the parade for a moment for fun.

Joining the parade after the wedding.

 Evan's Dad performed the ceremony.

Such a sweet precious couple! So in love!
Congratulations to Matt and Jessica and Jami and Evan!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOTHER!

Valentine's day is so special to me because my dear Mother was born on this day many many years ago.   She was born into a family of many brothers and sisters to a father and mother who loved each other deeply.  Her father was a school teacher and her Mother a homemaker.  She was always so proud of her family.  She was the light of my life and all those in our family.  Every year, my brother brings me a Valentine box of candy to commemorate Mama's birthday.  Thank you, my dear brother, Harold.

Angel Trumpet!

I have petted my Angel Trumpet plant for two years.  Last year there were hundreds of blooms on it, and the frost came before they bloomed out.  This year, they are blooming on time!  I am so in love with this plant!

What a Summer!

I apologize for being on a blogging break for so long!  I have tried to view my favorite blogs from time to time, but I have to say that it has been few and far between.
I have not had a good summer, due to health reasons.  I am much improved and hope to get back into the world of blogging!
Since I my last blog, I did attempt a summer vacation to St. Augustine, FL, one of my favorite places.  While there, I had a muscle spasm in my neck and shoulder and was basically disabled the whole time there.  After coming home and several weeks of physical therapy, I am finally over that problem.  Thank the Lord! 

Remember the little one who came into our family January 1 of this year?   (see him  HERE as a newborn!)
See him below at 8 and a half months........what is this?  Is he texting?

Isn't he a cutie!  He prefers the computer and cellphones to play with.  I am so amazed!

It won't be long now until my granddaughter, MayMay has her baby which will be my 6th great-grandchild! See news about her on my daughter, Valerie's blog.  I am so excited!  We don't know if her baby is a boy or girl yet!  How much fun to guess!

We are finally getting some rain today for the first time in weeks!  It appears tropical storm Lee is passing thru.

I am working on the Empire Quilt Around the World that I cut out in May of this year.  I am hoping to make some good progress on it this week.

Thanks to everyone for your sweet emails and comments.  It is good to know my friends did not forget me!