My fourth grade friend

Is not a fourth grader at all. Rather, she is the one friend that has stuck close by me since fourth grade.

I'll will explain the purpose of this picture farther down in the post. But I just had to include it because at how happy Levi is at nothing. Just me...he was smiling just because he could see me. Ahh...to be a mother. Nothing is greater!

 We spent the night at each other's houses...every weekend. We rented the same movie...most weekends. (Hint..."Who are you mister? Why are you doing this to me?" If you know that quote...then you know the movie we watched over and over and over and over. Haha! Not proud of it. Not denying it. Just stating the facts.)  I was with her when she was her mother's biggest support during her successful battle with cancer. To God be the glory. She was with me during my battles with self-image in high school and college. We have been each other's sanity some weeks. Getting together as often as once a week when everyone is healthy...just to make sure us stay-at-home-moms have some real conversations.

We know just about all there is to know about each other. And we still love each other. =) We accept weaknesses...and utilize strengths. We share the same love and adoration for the one and only God. We have laughed until we cried. We are excited for the other's success. And we are the first to weep at the other's tragedy. To call her a friend just doesn't seem like a strong enough word. She is more like a sister to me. Family is given to you. But some family...you have to adopt because you just know that God placed them in your life to be a vital part of it.

Angela Mitchell is that friend. She is a very talented quilt/crafter. She has a wonderful eye for fabrics that work well together. She has made a rag quilt for all four of my children. Each one meant so much to me because I know it took more than just money to create. Time. Effort. Energy. Sacrifice. And I hope that my kids will keep them forever to be used by their children. She has an awesome site on etsy called Raggedy Owl. She has made many quilts for family and close friends. In addition to the quilts that she has custom made at shoppers requests...and mailed to vairous parts of the WORLD. I am constantly impressed with the new things she comes up with. Each one almost seeming to out-do the last. But I had no idea what was to come....

We had been trying to get together for over a month. My son's sickness kept us apart because we didn't want the germs to be spread. Then one thing after another kept getting in the way. Finally this past Tuesday, God just worked everything out. I was able to take the kids to her house to visit...FINALLY! She had a box of scrap-booking stuff to give to me...and a cup of hot Chai ready for drinking...so I was even more excited to be there. I was going through the goodies...and she pushed another box infront of me. This one closed. I opened it, expecting to see more scrapin' stuff.

Instead, I saw the most awesome quilt I have ever seen in person. I watched this quilt evolve on her blog. When she finally posted pictures of the finished project...I knew I had to comment on it. I have seen almost everything that she has made. And I have liked all of them. But this one...I loved. It was beautiful...and I couldn't wait to let her know that she had done a wonderful job with it!! I had no idea when I read that she was going to give it to a 'family member'...that she was writing about me. Honestly...NO IDEA!



The front of my Kaleidoscope Quilt

To say that I was shocked would be an understatement. Speechless. I didn't have the words to say how touched I was that she spent that much time, effort, money,etc...on me. Just because. No occasion. Just because.


The back. As I said in my comment on her blog....the back of quilts are ususally like..ehhh..not too exciting. But I absolutely love this one. Love the eggplant. (Purple is a fave of mine!) Love the design idea in the middle with some of the fabrics from the front. Love how the blue looks with all the other colors!



And this one. Look closely. Can you see it? She quilted my name in the corner. v a n e s a. I showed my son who is in Kindergarten. And he almost acted like he felt bad that he had to be the one to tell me...but he said..."Mom. That doesn't say your name." Haha...he has yet to learn cursive. Lol! No matter how many times I showed him, he just couldn't see it. And frankly, I don't think he believes me. =)

I wanted to take a few pics of the kids with my quilt. (They are way cuter than me. Lol!) But this is probably the last time that all three of these 'children' will be this close to my quilt again. Haha. They are all too sloppy! =)

If you have ever seen the movie...'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' ...you will understand why my daughter has her cheeks all puffed up like that to give her brother a kiss. It is her favorite way to show affection...especially to her daddy. So cute!



So sweet! And, no bedhead! =)

This gift brightened my whole week. I used it today for the first time. (Since I finally had a couch to sit on. We are the middle of a huge construction project...our house. And we have had bedrooms in the dining room. Trim in the kitchen. And kids sleeping in the living room. I couldn't take pictures of my new treasure...until I had a place clean enough, worthy enough to lay it. Haha!!

I was having a rough couple of days. As I have said....when I figure out how satan is getting to me. I fight back. So, he, being the creator of lies and deceit, has come up with new ways to get to me. Ways that are new to me. He has been lying way longer than I have been living...so he is good. But God, HE is greater. He is stronger. He has more knowledge of how to beat satan at his own game. He has insight. He has revelation. He has compassion.

God brightened my spirit with this gift. I know He made it happen exactly when I needed uplifting. Then, I came home to another friend with an awesome word of encouragement. Thanks Bekah. I love when God gives just a hint of His love when we are forgetting it. Dwell in Him. Forget failures. Forget weakness. Forget shame. Forget discomfort. Just be embraced by God.