Moving Along

Spring is easing into Summer and I'm wondering where the time has gone!!  Over the last couple of weeks, I've been walking with a close-aged friend, and we lament about our "lost years."  Wasn't I 30 just a few minutes ago?  Now that my youngest is officially a teenager (Will turned 13 in April), I've decided that teenagers suck all the years right outta ya!!  LOL   Since I've lost about 12 years -- which is, incidentally, the exact number of teenager years I've endured through three children (nearly 7 years with Emily, 4.5 with Sam and Will's 1st) -- I think it's entirely reasonable to accuse them of sucking up all my time!!  LOL

We've had a good couple of months.  We vacationed at the beautiful Edisto Island, SC, earlier this month with a couple of days spent in Charleston.
I took lots of books to read and some handwork, too!  The first I've worked on in nearly a year.

Applique...the center block of a pieced quilt that's been on my UFO list for a while.

And Tumbling Blocks...I'm up to about 115 completed 2" blocks...which means I only have about 479-ish more to complete!! :-)  So far it's a charm quilt with no fabrics repeating. I love the look of it, and English paper piecing makes it portable.  Bonnie Hunter's 1" hexies----uh uh! No Way!! :-D  These I can do without making my eyes feel any older than they are!!




We had some additions to the family...all now distributed to other homes. Mr. Stripey -- actually a Mrs! LOL -- was my favorite and she's safely ensconced with my sister, bravely intimidating her passel of dogs!!  She's every bit the tiger she favors!! :-D


Finally, we noted the first anniversary of Sam's passing.  His memorial stone was set, coincidentally, on the day, May 23rd.  The sillouette is actually of Sam; he would love that we captured him in motion, a fitting tribute to be sure.  His epitaph is the summary of his life: "Living to know Him, dying to make Him known." 

Moving on is difficult...One of the hardest parts of grief is noting that Sam will remain forever 17 and our ages and projects and lives will go forward without him.

But life is designed that way.  I once heard a pastor talk about the 23rd Psalm.  Sheep, he said, are always on the move.  They don't linger in one spot over long. And as long as they follow the Shepherd, they are provided for, comforted, healed...even through the valley of the shadow of death.

My cup overflows!!

 

 

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.



Sam's roses, planted just days before he died.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³ he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, 
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Blessings!!





Many, many thanks to those of you who have checked on me from time to time over the last couple of months!!! You'll never know how much and richly you have blessed me!! May God bless you 100-fold!!