I Think I Have a Teenager

Because when I said " Oh, you look cute! Let me take your picture!" I got this. If he's anything like I was, I am in deep, deep trouble.

Little Girl Sewing

Sorry about the night time pictures- the top picture has two pale pink fleece lined coats. The fabric is an Amy Butler design. The bottom one is more my style- whack-o polka dots in multiple scales. I know the family better for that one, and know that the mom shares my color sensabilities. Sewing for little girls id FUN!!! Boys, well, not so much, and mine have long since passed into the land of jeans and sweatshirts. I think I will make more of these, but I may have to resort to giving them to charity, because I only know three toddler girls and they now all have a fleece lined jacket.

The kids are off school for two wonderful weeks. We are planning to do....nothing. Late sleeping, visits to the beach, some kind of nature/ hiking thing, and nothing else. Maybe up to the mountains for a snow day.

A Conversation

I had a conversation at work today that blew my mind. I was talking to a family member of a patient, and she recounted a- the medical error- medical error that now defined this patient's life. She was giving me comfort, as I hadn't been able to start an IV on this young man, and she said this:
" When the doctor called me, and told me what had happened, and I ran back to the hospital, well I saw that nurse who made the mistake, I saw her and I saw her tears, and I knew that this was all in G-d's hands. I went to her, and hugged her, and said I would pray for her. ANyone can make a mistake. Anyone. We just do the best we can."

I was touched beyond belief. I have chills thinking of it. I don't know if I could have shown the love and forgivness she had shown, but I hope I could have.

Christmas-NOT

Well, I was just reading Bonnie's lament that she is in charge of all the Christmas decorating at her house, and dozens of commenters agreed. We don't decorate for Christmas. Firstly, we are not Christian, so it's not our holiday. There are Jewish holidays that people decorate, some, for, but nothing like what the Christians seem to do. In anycase, I don't decorate for any of the Jewish holidays that I could decorate for.

I don't think that this is because I don't enjoy holidays, because I do. But, decoration doesn't seem to add meaning for me. I keep the stuff the kids make, and try to remember to stick it to the walls during the appropriate season, but that is about it. I will have to check in with the kids in twenty years and see if they found their mother's lazy- faire ( snort) approach to be somehow lacking. I do like cooking or buying seasonal foods, like latkes and hamentacshen. I don't like even the idea of having boxes of stuff that I have to keep track of and haul in and out during the year.

I think much of this comes from a very conscious decision I made as a young adult, and that was to Not Freak Out About Every Little Thing. Those of you who know Me in real life know that I have a ways to go on this goal. But basically, I saw a lot of women in and out of my family spend a lot of emotion on making things just so. I see it with brides, I see it with young mothers, I see it ( a lot) with my own mother, and you know, it doesn't make the people around them happy. I would rather that my kids remember that we had lots of art supplies ( that they are allowed to use ) than that my house was clean enough to do emergency surgery in. I would rather my friends never worried about shoes on or shoes off when they come by, just so they come by. ( I am a nut about the use of coasters, but I married into that.) I hope that every day I improve in that regard.

I know that my exposure to death and suffering as a nurse has made me very aware that Stuff is not important. Stuff can be fun, entertaining, useful, or comforting, but at the end of the day it is you and your deity , and the people around you. Rich or poor, we all come here with the same thing and we all leave empty handed.

But Christmas cookies? That I am completely on board for. One hundred and ten percent for the seasonal baked goods. Pass the milk.

Amy Butler Bags

Two bags from the Birdie Sling pattern. I have trouble following pattern directions. I think it is because I think have better ideas! That said, this pattern was very worthy of the price of admission. The shape is lovely, and the bag is very nice to use. Big, but not too big. Easy to find things, but nothing falls out when I slam on the brakes and the bag tumbles off the front seat. I did not sew a dividing line down the middle of the large pocket, so it fits a knitting pattern very nicely.The first fabric is Marimekko, the second from IKEA. The lining is a sheet from IKEA- they are nice cotton fabric, and come in good colors. Very cheap, too. I just tear the hems off to square up the fabric, wash and dry hot, and press.

Thanks for the kind words on the quilt. I wasn't clear- I left the failed wave blocks out of the quilt. I used plain squares, instead. The failed blocks will show up again, of course. They are just filed away in my parts department, biding their time. I love the parts department.