Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Reflecting

Today, no updates on Ann, nor my latest junk finds, etc.  Today some thanks for things that I have.

Yesterday, was a really great day for me in a lot of ways.  I've been sicker than a dog with the flu for over the past week.  That can make you have a giant pity party sometimes.  I never get sick (or so rarely I don't even notice it) so in all my long hours of resting, I've thought of how lucky I really am.  Yesterday proved it.

Yesterday was DD's 12th birthday.  I am lucky that I have her - things were really dubious during my prenancy with her - lots of hospital stays, toxemia, etc.  But I have her and she's an absolute delight to have - a trial at times as all 'tween girls can be, but she's smart, sweet, talented and my love bug.


I made her the requested meal - frijitas (there was cake too, but didn't take a pic):



And tried to find a gift for her that's as different from a gift that you would normally give a 12 year old.  She got the requisite boots, camera she asked for, but she is also quite the little scientist and explorer.  She constantly brings in frogs from our garden, only to be told she has to let them go the next day.  Well, I found these for her at a Hallmark Store of all places.  She was thrilled!



Yes, frogs.  Two mini African frogs that live in their own Eco-Friendly environment.  She should be watching these for the next three to five years!   They went upstairs with her last night so she could make sure that they slept well.  Such a sweety!  Happy Birthday, my darling girl!!

A package arrived in the mail on Monday night.  We had high winds and rain and our power went off.  Right before I left to take my DD to dance (that was a struggle), a package arrived, but I didn't have time to open it.  The power was off until after we went to bed, so the package didn't get opened until Tuesday morning.


I didn't order anything, so what could it be?  Well, it was a package from Jolene.  When I found my first scissor frog, a dear voice, someone who I didn't know at all, commented on my blog and told me that she would make me a fob.  Time went by - little did I know that Jolene was busily working on it.  She posted hints on her blog, but I didn't know that was to eventually be mine.  She has posted pictures on her blog, which are much better than mine, so please take a look.  But not only did she send me a fob, she sent me Christmas in a box.


Inside of the black purse were these goodies:



A cute Halloween plaque (it's already hanging Jolene) and two beautiful pieces of homespun fabric.  My pictures don't do justice to how pretty these are. 




In the next package was the cutest Halloween chart (and excuse the bad pictures - it was cloudy and awful when I took them) with the fabric, floss and buttons from Just Another Button Company, a notepad and recipe cards AND THE MOST DARLING SCISSOR FOB WITH THE FANTASTIC OWL SCISSORS ATTACHED!!!!!!!  Be still my heart!  Not to seem dramatic or anything, but there were some tears coming out of my eyes at this point and they definitely were not caused by my illness.   Here's a couple better pictures:



Jolene said that this was her first attempt at making a fob.  Well, she could have fooled me, BIG TIME!  She did a wonderful job and there are tiny seed beads all around the edges.  Again, her blog has much better pictures than mine.  I so love it.  I told her that I was absolutely speechless!

The third package included some yummies for the tummy and a sweet owl necklace.



After I had composed myself and wiped my eyes, you just know that my new fob had to take it's rightful place among the scissors:


Jolene, sneaky person that she is, had been posting hints on her blog for a while.  Was I swift enough to pick up the clues?  Of course not.  I loved watching her over one progress on this PS design and thinking that she was a much better person than me.  Jolene, it is wonderful and I'm going to treasure the fob and everything forever. 

So those are a couple things that have truly made me feel lucky.  My beautiful daughter and the goodness and kindness of strangers - people whose lives you only see through their blogs, but who you realize have some ties to you in some way.  For their kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness.  How lucky I am to  have not only "met" Jolene, but every single person who has left me a comment or whose blog I have enjoyed - they have all been such an inspiration and it's a real delight to see into your world.    Thank you again Jolene, and thank you everyone for your wonderful comments.   I am truly lucky to "know" all of you.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Deb, what a wonderful, heartfelt post. You're an inspiration - to have been (still are?) feeling so poorly but chose to focus on all the things you are blessed with.

Your daughter is just beautiful - I have a neice the same age, it's a fun but difficult age - I would not want to be twelve again for anything, maybe 25, tho. :-)

Jolene is an absolute treasure and she has such a generous spirit.

valerie said...

Happy birthday to your beautiful daughter! I love the little frog aquarium you bought her. They are cute. I saw the post on Jolene's blog about the fob but wow, look at all those wonderful goodies. Her fob is fabulous and how great does it look hanging in your scissor frog. Awesome little gift. Hope you feel better Deb! Hang in there...

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

That Catie is such a cutie! I just love her (always have) so please give her a big hug for me!

That Jolene is one sweet gal, isn't she? What a beautiful package you got. I can't think of someone who deserves it more!

Debs said...

Cari said it first--YOU are the inspiration! You make others feel so happy to know you. Your love shines out from every word you type. A fabulous package for a fabulous and lovely woman. Enjoy your goodies and your lovely daughter. I had to wait for my son to have a daughter before I got that 'daughter' thing. You are truly a lucky woman.
hugs
Debs

Alice said...

I always believed that mother's should also receive a gift when its their children's birthdays. Happy belated birthday wishes to DD and I hope you got a big hug for being the fantastic mother that you are. : ) I am glad to hear you are a tad better from the flu. No fun at all to be so sick.
I also follow Jolene's blog and she is a real sweety pie. Lovely gifts from the heart. I am also a big owl fan and everything is just gorgeous!! Love the way it hangs in the frog. We all adore you Deb and you had better believe it. ; )
Hugs
Alice

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

I saw this darling on Jolene's blog this a.m. and I must say...GORGEOUS! Gorgeous! I happen to think you are pretty fantastic yourself so you are a wonderful addition to the stitchy bloggy family!

Happiest 12th Birthday to your sweet Babe...my Sweet Babe will be 12 on Dec. 11..... :)

Gabi said...

Happy birthday to your beautiful daughter.
And congrats on receiving such a great package. The fob she made is such a beauty and the scissors are adorable too. So is the rest of it

Cari said...

OH Deb, what a wonderful post! Your daughter is just that...DD....darling daughter!

And the scissor fob..how cute is that? It has certainly been my blessing to know you and Jolene through our blogs. How much fun is that?

Have a great week! HUGS

Margaret said...

Deb, so sorry you've been sick. Happy birthday to your daughter! She's a pretty one -- I love how thrilled she was by the froggies. :D Lovely fob from Jolene -- how sweet is that that she made that for you and sent such a wonderful package to you. Some people are just special, aren't they?

Ivory Spring said...

Debbie,

I am glad you are feeling better! Your daughter is such a beautiful child!!

And what the perfect "pick-me-up" you got from Jolene!

Another great post!

Cathy B said...

Hi Deb -- I really enjoyed reading this post. It made me feel warm and fuzzy!

Hope you are feeling better. Happy birthday to your lovely daughter! What a wonderful gift from Jolene -- enjoy!

Ranae said...

Happy birthday! to the lovely young lady. What a unique gift.
Ahhh! nice surpirse package from Jolene, fun? eh.
I do hope you are feeling much better.
Us mothers just don't have time to get sick now, do we?
We are the lucky ones, to read such an awesome blog.

JOLENE said...

If only I had known it was your daughter's birthday I would have sent her a little goodie, too. Such a cute photo of your darling "baby" girl. You are so fortunate to have her. I wish (just about every day) that I was blessed with a daughter, but I guess I will have to wait for a daughter-in law and granddaughter some day to have one. I have so many things I would love to share with a daughter. I was so happy to hear how much you loved your fob, you are such a lovely lady and so deserving of it. I am happy to have found you through your wonderful blog and I love reading your posts and seeing all the beautiful stitching you are working on. I hope you are feeling much better, we are on the road to recovery together as I have been sick also. Thank you Deb, for warming my heart through your words of praise. You made my day also.

Giovanna said...

Many Happy Returns to your lovely daughter! And great package from Jolene, good for you!

Cindy F. said...

Happy belated birthday to your dd!!!
Love her frog gift! Sounds perfect!

So glad to hear you're feeling better and wow!! You received some beautiful gifts!

Loraine said...

What a wonderful post! Jolene is such a doll. What a thoughtful gift. I felt the same way when you sent me the patterns in the mail. I will cherish you always.
Happy belated B-Day to your sweet daughter. She is so cute. Did I mention I have a 12 year old son?
Hope you are feeling better. So many people I know are down with the flu. I'm praying I won't get it!
Hugs, and some chicken noodle soup.

tintocktap said...

What a wonderful parcel from Jolene - very special!

And belated birthday wishes to your DD - hope she had a wonderful day and that the frogs are still doing well!

Angela said...

Your DD shares hwer birthday with my son.

What a generous gift and such a beautiful fob and pair of scissors.

Jan said...

OH what lovely and thoughtful gifts for you to receive!! Good for Jolene, she spoiled the spoiler!! That is a most darling fob indeed, and the other goodies are such fun!! Enjoy, dear Debbie!!

Jan said...

Forgot to mention, I love the pic of your daughter, and wish her a belated birthday from me, k?

Berit said...

What lovely halloween/fall gifties!! Gasp! I just can't get over how good PS designs look stitched up and finished! I have to admit that I just don't think much of them as charted (either too countrified or "bland" for my taste) or model photographed, but when I see bloggers' stitches and finishes of them I am simply floored by how utterly gorgeous they are! You'd think I'd LEARN by now that I like them!

My first (and currently only) PS chart is Pins and Needles (bought so that I could make the scissors' case). I did an exchange for a nice girl who is really into "sewing" AND PS, so I thought, "Of course, a small from that PS chart! Let me tell you--when I picked up the floss specified by the chart, I thought, "Damn if those colours don't look GOOD toghether!" When I started stitching, it looked so good on the (32 count natural) linen and was such light 'n easy fun stitch that I stayed up almost all night and finished all the stitching!

Next on my radar is "When witches go Riding", which I was again, heretofore blasé towards (I DO love Halloween, but there are so many, and it has a lot of dense stitching, so...), but then the other day I saw it at the LNS all stitched up on 28 count cappuccino linen with a conversion to overdyed fibers! Love at first sight! I tell you I DREAMED about that piece that night!!

Well, unfortunately, the LNS would be out of the chart and a few of the threads, but they expect them next week. (*sending prayers heavenward--Please Not Longer!!*) It's to be expected--it IS October and apparently I am not the only one struck by cupid's arrow! :P

The third design is a tie in my affections: I've been eyeing Fox & Grapes ever since I saw Edgar's pinkeep finish--love those red foxes! With the other one vying for my attention being that new woodland animals one which includes--you guessed it--a red fox!

Well, as lovely as these stitchy things are, I think your daughter takes the prize for being lovelier. It is so nice to see mothers really enjoying and caring for their daughters. :) And, also, glad that you are getting over that flu bug!!

Berit

(P.S. I'll never know why I "blog" in other peoples' comment sections, but that just seems to be what I do!!)

Faye said...

Loved reading your post today! I sure do hope you are feeling better by now....body aches are the worst!! Cute daughter and I know you see her growing up fast! Now, heres hoping your weekend is better than your week and you have strength to get back to floss and linen!~ Faye

Siobhán said...

Deb, your daughter is a beauty! You are very blessed. :)

The stuff from Jolene... wow. You must have been over the moon, what a thoughtful, heart felt gift. You deserve it!