Back Burner - Revisited

This weekend, my Dad and Stepmother took the kids to the beach. My husband and I were hoping to get away ourselves, but our plans fell through. So, I took that opportunity (plus the fact that it's raining all weekend) to clean off my "back burner."

I pulled out the Curious George quilt I'm making for my 5 year old. I was hoping to get quite a bit done. I've taken a machine quilting class, which gave me many ideas for ways to quilt. The design I chose was 1 inch blocks. So, I pinned the 3 layers (topper, batting and backing) together and started sewing lines 1 inch apart. At about the 9th line, I decided to take a look. The topper was no longer in line with the backing. It seemed to be sliding. Since I don't want this rectangular quilt to end up a trapezoid shape, I've decided what I need to do is rip out all of the sewing (except for 2 rows, which don't seem to be affected) and use spray adhesive to keep the layers together better. This has been such a test of my fine motor skills. I look at all of the thread that I've ripped out and can't help but feel it wasted. Well, it's a learning experience. Hopefully the spray adhesive will work and the quilt will end up the correct shape. I've also decided to try to create 2 inch squares on the Curious George panels because I was afraid the 1 inch square would be too busy and detract from the artwork on the panels. This may result in rectangles in some parts of the quilt (like the borders). Hey, it'll be different. The most important thing is that my son won't care how it's quilted. All he'll know and remember is that his mother made him something special and that's really all that matters to me.

Jump To Me

I drive a Ford F250 diesel truck. My original mode of transportation was a "Soccer Mom" van. This was of course before the gas prices sky-rocketed. Now that the cost of diesel is enormously expensive (compared to what it once was) and my work is much closer than my husband's I've been driving the gas guzzler (as I affectionately call it).

This truck is so huge! I literally have to get in completely to strap my younger 2 children in the truck. By the time I've gotten them in the truck and sit in the driver's seat, I'm much too tired to even start driving to wherever it is I needed to go. Perhaps I'm just out of shape. No, I blame the truck! Did I tell you it's huge?

When my young children get out of the truck, they've started playing this game with me. After they strap out, they say "I want to jump to you." Although this goes against every mother-protecting instinct I have for them, I indulge them and say with outstretched arms "Ok, jump to me." They spend another couple of seconds making sure I'm standing just right: arms outstretched the right length and whole body a certain distance away. Then when I'm in the perfect spot, they stretch out their arms, close their eyes, smile broadly and then jump to me with all of their might, never flinching. I admit to saying a quick prayer as they are making sure I'm where they want me to be prior to the jump, but each and every time I catch them.

Watching my children do this with such complete trust and faith in my catching abilities reminds me of how I think I should be and perhaps we all should be with God and our faith. Many times God says to us "Ok, jump to Me" and we hesitate or don't do it at all. May we trust God in the same way our children trust us. Stretch out your arms, close your eyes, smile broadly and jump with all of your might to our God who never fails to catch us.