10/21/83

Thirty one years ago tomorrow I had a baby boy. It was an amazing day, followed by 11,322 (and counting) more. To say I was naive as a new Mother is an understatement.  Lordy, I was downright clueless.  But love will carry you through and miracles will bless the journey.

This guy has a heart of gold. Sure,  I may be biased. But in this case I'm also right. He gives the best hugs...and I'm pretty sure I taught him that.  He loves to hunt.  Now, he never met my Dad, but certainly his love of hunting crossed generations from his Grandpa.   

A few things about him I'm certain he'd like me to share.  He was always the first one awake in the morning.  So much so we claimed he had early ears.  Our ears were never thrilled about that. For a time he slept in his boots because he thought they were so cool. He lives to hunt and camp. He loves the Kansas City Chiefs, he would do anything for you and loves his Momma's cooking.  Smart boy, huh?

I had no idea on the first day, in those first moments, how deeply I would love him.  How do you compound those feelings over 31 years?  Anyone who knows me knows I am mathematically challenged.  Thankfully, my love is not affected by this disability. 

If my bank account said I was a wealthy woman I would buy all sorts of gifts to honor his birthday.  If we lived in the same city I'd bake and cook his favorite meal.  As it is my checkbook will never hold the depth of my love and I won't have the pleasure of hugging and feeding him on his 31st.  

But, and there is always a but, I will love him and celebrate him.  Today, more than yesterday. Tomorrow, more than today. When I count my blessings he will be on the top of the list.

Happy Birthday Craig Joseph. And many, many more.  

Love, 

Mom

Pieces, Patches and Pointers

When I was a city girl I quilted.  I belonged to a group, had a huge stash of fabric.  We encouraged each other, some might say enabled one another. Funny how life, and hobbies change.   

Years ago, when I turned 40. I asked for fabric to make a quilt in honor of that milestone birthday.  So maybe it wasn't all that many years ago, but it feels like another lifetime.  It was another lifetime.  I was recently divorced and discovering new roads to travel.

Besides sewing I began my journey with dogs.  I got one, adopted another, and another, and began fostering.  The rest as they say is history.  Of all the dogs that have passed through here only one has chewed holes in my quilts.  Rolling eyes because this behavior is his only bad habit.  Of course he chewed a hole in my birthday quilt.

It shouldn't have been such a chore to patch a blanket made of, you guessed it, pieces of fabric.  What's a couple more pieces anyway? It's rather symbolic. Woman pieces quilt, dog nibbles, woman patches quilt.  We evolve and when necessary we re-evolve.  We piece, we patch and we move on.

I have to tell you it was harder to patch that quilt than to make it.  I love that I did, and I love the dog who ate it.  I have another special quilt that he ate too, so I'm doing the mental preparation to fix it.  

Someday those quilts will hold more value in my heart because of the patches and the dog who sampled them.  He was sneaky about it, never once caught him in the act. He stole a piece of my heart in much the same way.

So in my city girl country life it seems right to get out needle & thread and do some sewing.  I'm adding layers of memories to a life rich with dog fur, fabric and love.