Something started...

The children are all in their beds (Please let them be asleep!) Big Daddy will be returning from Israel in only 3 more sleeps (I can't wait!) and I have almost made it through THIS day.
My sisters and I all journeyed to the oncologist office today with our mom. Journeyed, because we knew what was going to be told to us and it was a long way to go.

From here to there,

from October until today...

from diagnosis to where we are now.

It feels like another life ago, October 2010, an easier time--- maybe without the technicolor of the good times right now, but definitely without the depth of sorrow that these days hold. My mom has a very rare and freak type of cancer that is not being affected by any of the chemicals they are pumping in to her body. It keeps growing and spreading. It has grown through her chemotherapy AND her radiation treatments. It is in her lungs now and the doctor's words today were "Best case scenario is a year, and that is for 10% of patients". THUD

October feels like another life ago. I look to the future and don't really know how this is all going to settle out. I just realized in that office today that there are no guarantees--- we can look out a week, and then when we get there, we can look out another week, that is it. She seems not too bad right now. She has a cute, curly, short hair-do and a tan, but she is soooo tired and her left arm and hand are numb. I have to help her buckle her seatbelt and adjust her pants' waistband for her. How bad is it going to get? How fast is it going to be? Will she be this way for a longer time or shorter time? There is no formula for me to apply to this problem, no pattern, I can figure out and then adjust to. Rationally, I am there, I get it. Emotionally, it is my mom's existence that we are talking about and I am NOT there yet.

So I started my summer series sampler this week-- Each block has very specific parameters, cutting instructions, clear tutorials--- My only job is to cut my favorite fabrics and sew them back together. To start something, make something new from pieces-- that is about all I can handle right now.

I appreciate your prayers for her. My mom's name is Amira.

JMB

14 years... 14 years and 3 kids later!

Cake... this year we did it up right and got us a nice little cake.
The kids loved it and we did too (we are only twitching a tiny bit from the sugar onslaught.) But yes, we have made it through 14 years of marriage, not too shabby. This year I believe we dubbed the "Year of Survival", mostly due to the trials of work, cancer, and three crazy kids. That is OK, that is good-- better the year of survival than the "Year of going down in flames". I am so thankful that I have such a good man to go through this life with. That we can look at each other as child after child comes down with "the worst flu EVER" and laugh and pray that we don't get it too-- and then just be thankful that only one of us was sick at a time. That there is still enough in our partnership to get us through those emotionally bare times-- when one person yields, even if they don't want to. I know that every morning I will wake up and look at the morning hair of my kids' Daddy--- what a fabulous Daddy he is-- and that I will wake and look at the face of my very best friend.

Thanks for always seeing the very best in me! Happy Anniversary-- I will still love you when we are older and grayer. You are the one for me. :)

JMB

Current incarnation...

My humble contribution to the EMQG Solids Challenge. I say humble, not because of the way I feel about MY quilt, but because there is SO much talent in this group of quilters, so much, and many of them don't even know it. (that is right guys, you are FANTASTIC!) I was sewing and sewing these eggy-ovals the week that I was in Bend, hand applique does take longer than I remembered-- BUT it gets faster the more that you do! Katie challenged me to finish it by our next meeting, I am thinking that is doable-- GO, GO GADGET!

JMB

P.S.

There is another Sisters' Quilt Show post here... and man, there will be more.

July 10, 2011

The rain (YES, there is rain here in Oregon!) (come on sky! It is July... oh well, at least I don't have to water the garden and my lettuce is still tender and delicious.) this weekend is making me think of last week.... hmmmmmm

A picture of us all and my attempts at capturing the kids.... I had to just be thankful that no one fell off the mountain and that I did not have a heart attack because the was little to no railing around this summit. We had a fun day and I didn't faint. Good times!

JMB

I am still thinking about this...

I am still thinking about this quilt... the swirl in the circle, all those autumn-y browns and oranges, the fussy cutting. This may not be a quilt I could make, but I think that I am in love.

Thanks Kathy for showing me.

JMB

P.S.

The bare beginnings of the Sisters' pics are here.

Virtual quilt buddies... the reality...

What a fun day! Our real names maybe Kristin, Tonya, and Jessica.... but we like to go by Stitchin' Hands, Lazy Gal, and jmbmommy (this of course is me, so I am not going to link you, you are already here.) We started quilting together about 4 years ago online. I have been so inspired by each of these women and I have grown as a quilter because of these women. I am so happy that we all were in the same place at the same time, it is about time.

If you see any of on the streets of Sisters tomorrow. Please say "Hi", tell us if you prefer chocolate treats or lemon iced cupcakes and explain to us EITHER your favorite Dr (Dr. Who.) OR why Firefly had to get cancelled. (I am still wondering this... still.) I am excited about the show tomorrow... interested to see the PMQG display (maybe I will pick their brains a bit.) but excited to see all of the quilts!!

JMB

wow!

Check out this for more pictures... but I am in love!

JMB

Rollin' with my homies...

Red-White- and Blue for a Happy Fourth of July!

We rolled into Sisters' yesterday... I got my Quilter's Affair bag and now we are really and truly in vacation mode!! Hooray! I will be around this week with the goings on... quilt stuff will be over here. Have a beautiful day we will be checking out the Drake Park festivities!

JMB