A Good Week

 Its been more than a week since I posted. Sorry, just going about life doing my thing.

These are the LOVE flowers MyMike gave me for Valentine's. I saw that title "love flowers" on Stacy Julian's facebook page and had to smile. That is exactly what they are. His way of saying I love you without spending a fortune which is good. (I have a number of other things that money is earmarked for.) I made him filet mignon with homemade steak fries, and he loved it. We're not that hard to please.

We went to a "Marriage Myths" workshop on Thursday night which was wonderful. Even though we've been married almost 25 years there are still things we think in our heads sometimes that doesn't create joy in marriage. This reminded us of the realities and the process of progress that marriage really is, and we both enjoyed it immensely. In fact, the room was packed, so I think a lot of people benefited from good, free marriage counseling. MyMike came right home and started helping his son with the dishes that hadn't taken place while we were gone. I love that about him, he works hard and pinches in when he knows other people are at their limits. He and my dad did the dishes on Sunday too when it was my turn and I had made a big mess making our Sunday dinner. And the good news, these flowers are still looking good more than a week later. Love!

 I put away my Cricut and pulled out my sewing machine last week. This is a quilt I started several years ago  and this is the year I'm going to finish it. Its a sampler quilt of 20 blocks. This is block 15, the Bear's Paw. It wasn't that hard. I think I'm less intimidated by the whole quilting process knowing my mom is just down the street, although I did all of this without her. Just the knowing is apparently enough for me.

 This is block 16. In this block I learned how to applique the handle by hand.

 I know its not the perfect curve, but you know, I'm learning. I am actually happy with how the hand appliqueing went. I have no idea if this is how you're supposed to do it, but I read the directions, they weren't a hundred percent clear, so this was my best interpretation.

 On a less pleasant note, since last Friday my sleeping has been miserable. It got so I was dreading just going to bed. So, after three days of that, I took advantage of the President's Day sales to get a new mattress and box springs. It just got delivered today. Its a foam mattress with a gel core which is supposed to be less hot than traditional foam mattresses and yet its still plenty firm. Mattresses have come a long ways since I bought my last one eleven years ago. I was told nowadays even the coil ones are adding foam to them they are just so much better, but this one has no coils, just 11 inches of foam. I am so praying tonight I get a good night's sleep. My sofa won't miss me!

 Since Monday mom and dad have been staying in our guest room while their wood floors are being refinished. So excited to see them all finished tomorrow. Its been fun having every meal with them and just being together most of the time. Here Mygirl takes a break from her homeschooling for a little Rummikub with Grandma.

 I finished the top of the table runner for the quilt guild challenge last week. It was more fun to sew up than I thought. I was thinking at first, I have to sew 18 times 4 plus 12 times 2 little 2 inch squares together? I'm going to be so sick of squares, but as it came together I got more and more excited to see how it was all going to look when it was finished. Mom says that's how you know you've been bit with the quilting bug. Anyhow, it only took me 3 hours and now I've got to start putting the middle and back on it then bind it and quilt it. Maybe I'll start that this afternoon, maybe tomorrow.  None of these projects are urgent but I'm enjoying them nevertheless. Even though these aren't the colors of my house they look surprisingly good with the poppies in my dining room. I might use this for a summer runner for my dining room table or I might donate it for the guild to sell at their fall festival. We'll see how it all turns out. 

One of the best parts of the week has been the email received from my son from his first week out in the field as a real missionary. He had some challenges in the CTM and was reassigned from Belem to Sao Paulo North, (not sure if that's temporary or not) but after hearing about the miraculous and amazing experiences he had there after just five days it would seem that this is exactly where he is supposed to be. I am so grateful he is in the Lord's hands when he is so far from me. However, all the rest of my children have been sick with one thing or another, so there certainly were ups and downs this week. Fortunately they are all recovering now.  Overall its been a good week and after a good night's sleep tomorrow is going to be even better!