tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85094231210374444152024-03-13T14:36:00.990-07:00QuiltDazePonderings of a woman whose cup runneth over!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-84696423228243917432010-02-12T10:57:00.000-08:002010-02-12T10:57:02.715-08:00Snow!Snow in Alabama? It is a rare occurrence, but nevertheless exactly what we have today. It began at 7:00 a.m. and has not stopped (it is now 12:45 p.m.). We are expecting around 6 inches, and believe me, that is BIG snow for Alabama. The city has pretty much shut down ... except my office, and a few others. Of 60 or so employees, there are only about six of us still here. If we leave we have to take vacation time, and I am too stubborn to do that. I hope I don't regret it later. I am sitting by a window and watching the snow fall; it is breathtakingly beautiful! How can anyone experience nature and not believe in God? Today He is showing out in the deep south, and we are loving it! It is Friday, so it will be a weekend of Santa Fe soup in the crock pot, hot chocolate, chick flicks, quilting, and of course, church on Sunday. It just doesn't get any better than that this time of year. I saw a picture on WSFA.com of a snowman driving a John Deere tractor; too cute! More on the snow later!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-59846894197702261262009-10-26T20:10:00.000-07:002009-10-26T20:14:10.047-07:00About.com: Breast Cancer article published todayhttp://breastcancer.about.com/od/truesurvivors/ss/life-lessons_11.htmDianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-40971824799887089862009-10-11T12:26:00.000-07:002009-10-11T12:49:27.103-07:00Gut TalksI recently spent a wonderful evening with a very dear friend. At the time that I know she usually likes to end her day's activities and get ready for bed, I started preparing to leave and she surprised me by saying, "Oh please don't go just yet; we are having such a good gut talk." Gut talk? I had never heard that term, but she went on to elaborate about how she can spend time with many people, one on one, but with very few people has she reached a level of relationship where it is possible to have a thoroughly comfortable "gut talk." Interesting term... gut talk... my definition being (and I believe hers as well)... a conversation between parties where nothing is held back, true feelings are expressed on any given subject, with both parties feeling totally comfortable and at ease with the conversation. My friend went on to name a few people with whom I know she has a deep friendship, but she revealed that she could not engage in a gut talk with them. One specific example she gave indicated that over the course of a long period of time, they are "just beginning to reach the outer fringes of a possible gut talk." After thinking about various people who are important in my life and putting my relationship with them to the "gut talk test," I have concluded that my friend was right. There are very few people who could pass the test with me; in fact she may be about the only one. So... we continued our "gut talk" for another hour and a wonderful hour it was indeed!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-34676700053209225252009-10-11T11:56:00.000-07:002009-10-11T12:50:09.920-07:00First LovesThirty-four years ago, a boy I went to high school with asked me to "go steady" with him and gave me his high school ring. This was the beginning of a four year steady relationship and my first true love. Since then, we have both gone our separate ways, married other people, had children, and made lives for ourselves in different states from each other. I have only seen him, maybe twice... from a distance, since we parted ways, and I haven't thought about him in years. Last night, out of the blue, I dreamed about him. It was one of those long and detailed dreams that feel like it's not a dream at all when you are in it. I rarely have dreams that I remember more than five minutes after awakening. When I do remember one, I can almost always pinpoint some recent conversation, something I read or saw on TV, etc, that awakened a memory in my sub-conscience that led to the dream. This time I can think of absolutely nothing that led to the dream. Regardless of the cause of the dream, it made me start thinking about first loves. I have always heard that you never forget your first love. For me that has been true. Although I rarely ever think of him, he has always been there, way back in my sub-conscience... not necessarily because of who he was or anything specific about him, but because he was the first person I ever loved in a romantic way. I believe that the experience of first love is such an important part of the process of finding out who we are as individuals. We learn so much about ourselves from the experience, and it helps shape who we become. And just like our first children, we often cut our teeth on this experience and learn from the mistakes we make with it. He was such a sweet and genuinely good guy; I really hate that he was the experience I had to learn from through my bumbling mistakes in learning how to love and be loved. There is a little piece of my heart that always has, and always will, belong only to him. I would like to think that somewhere, somehow, he knows that, and maybe there is a little piece of his heart that still belongs to me. However, life goes on, for better or worse, and here I am, 34 years later and amazed sometimes that I can even remember my first love.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-24681872813475695802009-10-04T11:54:00.000-07:002009-10-04T11:58:56.709-07:00Sometimes Friends Come From the Most Unexpected Placeshttp://www.friendship-by-mail.com/elaines-inspirational-encouraging-cards-and-letters-made-a-difference-in-dianes-life.html<br /><br />Written in 2008:<br /> <br /> Elaine's Inspirational, Encouraging Cards and Letters... <br />Made a Difference in Diane's Life!<br />by Diane Foresee <br />(Montgomery, Alabama) <br /><br />After I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, my sister gave my name to many of her friends and acquaintances and asked them to pray for me. <br /><br />One of those friends, Elaine, was a retired school teacher whom she had previously worked with. I can't remember exactly when I started receiving letters and notes from Elaine. <br /><br />Throughout my ordeal with battling cancer off and on over the last seven years, she has sent 2-3 encouraging notes to me every week. Some were one-liners reminding me that I was loved and some were longer, but they were all filled with encouragement and positive thoughts. <br /><br />Eventually, as I got better, I began writing back. We have developed a genuine and sincere friendship over the years and now exchange letters, cards, birthday and Christmas gifts, and unexpected little surprises. <br /><br />I have never seen a picture of her and have never heard her voice, but I would recognize her loopy and happy handwriting anywhere and consider her one of my best friends in the world. <br /><br />I have been so awed by the positive effect her kindness has had on my health and how meaningful what she passes off as "no big deal" has been to me. She has inspired me to resolve to do "little" things every chance I get to encourage others in all types of situations. <br /><br />After all, Elaine has taught me without realizing it that there are really no such things as "little things," for the smallest acts of encouragement and kindness are "huge" to the recipient. <br /><br />I now have an incurable form of breast cancer and am sometimes discouraged by the fact that I see things I want to do, but just can't do them anymore. But one thing I "can" do is pass on Elaine's tradition of encouraging through handwritten notes, and I am doing that every chance I get.<br /><br /><br />WENDY'S TWO CENTS: Beautiful story... letters from stranger, no photos, is just what pals are all about.. sharing and caring through life together! Thanks so much for sharing this, Diane! <br /><br />Click here to read or post comments. <br /><br />Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?<br />Simply click here to return to My Special Pen Friend. <br /><br /><br />Share this page:Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-32331518123214731242009-09-17T12:21:00.000-07:002009-09-17T12:22:23.852-07:00TwilightI always have been a sucker for a good love story, and one of the best I have read is the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyers. I never imagined that I, a mature middle aged woman, would or even "could" enjoy a story about vampires and werewolves. That is normally not even close to my style. However, the real story is the love that Edward has for Bella. How can anyone resist a young man who is polite, compassionate, respectful, has old fashioned ideals and manners, is morally good, and on top of all of that, doesn't look bad either? Even more, how can anyone resist a young man who loves his soulmate so passionately that his desire to protect her in every situation, at all times, completely outrules his own strong physical desires? What girl wouldn't be mesmerised by one who not only declares, but also proves time and again, that he would die for her without a second thought if need be? Without a doubt, Edward is everything that every girl wants, all wrapped up in one package. Bella, the apple of Edward's eye, is an ordinary teenage girl ... until you look at her through Edward's eyes. His utter and unabashed adoration of her changes everything, except the way she sees herself. Even as the object of his worship, she remains completely humble throughout the story. Once I started reading, I found it almost impossible to put the books down. The characters were fascinating and the plot had so many imaginative twists and turns that you could almost get emotional whiplash just reading it. But I think it was the author's writing style above all else that kept me glued to the pages. Her writing is easy to read and so smooth that the chapters and even the books just flow from one right into the next as if there is no division.<br /><br />I understand that she has written another book, The Host, which is rumored to be equally as enthralling as Twilight. There is a part of me that wants to rush right out and find that book. Then there is another part of me that is not ready to give up Edward and Bella just yet. They became so real to me as I read their story that by the time I finished reading it almost felt as if they were actual people I know. I find myself thinking about them and imagining what a future book could hold, and I'm not sure my mind is finished with their story yet. Then there is a part of me that is shocked by how much control the books took over my life; all I wanted to do was read, read, and read some more. I didn't exactly feel comfortable with anything becoming that influential over me, and I hate to get into that again with another of her stories. <br /><br />So what do you think? Will I read The Host? Or maybe a more appropriate question would be ... How long will I wait before I read The Host?Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-31167587182137270872009-09-17T10:32:00.000-07:002009-09-17T10:37:49.920-07:00So You Want To Be a QuilterTips for New (or Older) Quilters<br />(Things I Wish I Had Done From the Beginning)<br /><br />1. Document every quilt you make.<br />2. Record date started, date finished, who quilt is for and occasion, name and source of pattern, any special information such as why you chose pattern and/or fabric, if fabric was given to you and by whom, etc.<br />3. Keep a journal while making the quilt, documenting quilt’s progress and talking about other events in your life during that time. If giving the quilt to someone special, consider giving them the journal also.<br />4. Take a picture of the quilt, and also of the quilt with the maker and recipient. If possible, also take a picture of the quilt in use by the recipient or on display in their home.<br />5. Keep a scrapbook of all above information. Include pattern or at least pattern source, pattern history, swatches of fabric used, timeline, photos, etc..<br />6. Save a 5-inch block of every piece of fabric you acquire, either by purchase, swap, or gift. Make a charm quilt with these when you have enough.<br />7. Make a label to sew on the back of every quilt with beginning/ending dates, quilter’s name, who quilt is for, name of pattern and/or any other info you choose.<br />8. Embroidering your name and the year on the front of a quilt is like an artist’s signature on an original painting.<br />9. Keep a running list of your quilting projects, to include any/all of following:<br />a. WIPs, Works In Progress – things you are currently working on.<br />b UFOs, Unfinished Objects – things you have started but set aside to finish at another time.<br />c. Finished tops, ready to quilt.<br />d. Quilts finished and given away.<br />e. Quilts finished and kept.<br />f. Quilts or quilting commissioned for pay.<br />g. Future quilts you already have all or part of the fabric and pattern for.<br />h. Future quilts you want to do one day.<br />10. Find someone to quilt with, and get together for quilting on a regular basis. It is much more fun, and you learn from each other.<br />11. If you don’t know any quilters in your area, don’t worry. Quilters are kindred spirits and they have a way of finding each other. In the meantime, there are lots of online quilting groups that you can join and participate in discussions, fabric and block swaps, and share ideas and info. This can be a lot of fun, but be careful not to join too many or you’ll spend all of your quilting time at the computer.<br />12. Be proud of your quilting hobby and show it off. Host a quilt show or show and tell party with your quilting friends every now and then, just so you can see each other’s progress, and ooh and ahh. If desired, invite other quilters, quilt collectors, and quilt lovers by leaving flyers at quilt shops, fabric shops, antique shops, flea markets and any other places quilt lovers like to shop. This can be just a show, or quilts can be available for sale if desired. You may also want to invite your local media.<br />13. Keep your quilting projects separated in large (2 gallon) ziploc bags. Keep everything related to the project in the bag (pattern or book, fabric, work in progress, etc.) It will be ready to grab and go anywhere at any time and nothing will get lost. Keep all of your project bags together (I keep mine in a large basket in plan view so I can see at a glance what I am working on and what I want to do next). When a project is finished, save the bag for another project.<br />14. When you cut out all of the pieces for a quilt top, go ahead and cut and make the binding, and put it in your project bag. You’ll be glad you did when you are ready for it later, and you won’t have to go back and find the original fabric and make it weeks or months later.<br />15. There are literally thousands of free quilt patterns and instructions available on the internet if you know where to look. One of the best sites is www.quilterscache.com.<br />16. If you collect a lot of books and quilt magazines, they will become overwhelming after a while if you don’t have some sort of system for not losing things you want to go back to. Some ideas:<br />a. Keep two stacks going: one with patterns you want to try in the foreseeable future, and one stack of all other books and magazines.<br />b. These can be kept in two baskets, two different bookshelves, two square plastic crates, etc.<br />c. In the stack containing quilts you know you want to make, put a sticky note on the front of each book with page number of quilt and brief notes regarding fabric you want to use, or who you want to make quilt for.<br />d. Be careful who you loan books to; they can get unintentionally lost very easily. Always put your name on them.<br />e. Catalog quilt patterns by writing name of pattern on an index card and then listing each book or magazine you have containin the pattern with issue and page number. This is not only great for finding patterns you know you have but you don’t know where, but it also allows you to compare different sources of the same pattern for variations and design your own variation. This can be a bit time consuming at first as you have to go through all books, but it is fun and will pay off later. Then you can update easily each time you add a book or magazine to your collection. Just find the card listing each pattern you already have, or create a new one if needed, and add the new source to the listing on the card.<br />f. Some people like to go through their magazines and tear out patterns they want to keep and put them in a binder and give or throw away the rest. This is a good way to purge your patterns, but I personally do not like this idea because a pattern you think you will never want to make now may become one you do want to make in the future. Quilting preferences definitely do change over time.<br />17. One last note: Quilt for “fun” - not perfection. The perfection will come gradually over time, and all quilts will be treasured, regardless of skill level.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-12640910673574669562009-09-05T16:06:00.000-07:002009-09-05T16:08:57.887-07:00My StoryThe following is an article I wrote for the Montgomery Advertiser for a series called "The Faces of Breast Cancer," to be published in October 2009 for breast cancer awareness month.<br /><br />My Breast Cancer Story<br />Diane Foresee, age 50, resident of Montgomery, AL<br />Patient Account Representative for PhysioTherapy Associates, Inc.<br /><br /> My story began with a simple itch. There was no lump, no pain, no symptoms at all - just a simple little itch. My mammograms had been regular and I had no obvious reason to be concerned. But there was something about that itch, and somehow I just "knew." I was diagnosed with a common type of breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma, in the fall of 2001, at the age of 41. I underwent a lumpectomy to remove the tumor and a sentinal node dissection to remove postive lymph nodes. By the beginning of 2002 I had begun a long regiment of chemotherapy and radiation. The prognosis was good, and the shock and fear of the previous weeks slowly turned into acceptance and then optimism over the next year as tests showed that I was responding well to the treatment plan. It was a difficult time in my life for many reasons. My husband and I were separated and I was the mother of two teenagers, one of whom was a foster child, and both of whom I was caring for completely alone. The three of us - Meredith, Joseph and I found ourselves in a world that was surreal at times. They were frightened that I would die, and I was frightened that I would not live to see them into independent adulthood. I tried to keep their lives as normal as possible and did everything I could to make sure that the cancer that was "in" my life did not "become" my life. I had a great deal of support from outside our home, but on the inside it was the three of us in this fight together, and we bonded in a way that no other experience could have resulted in. That was the first thing that helped me through this difficult time. The second thing was the outpouring of love and support from my families - first, my mom, brother, sisters and extended family who live in Tennessee; and secondly, my church family at Landmark Church of Christ. There is no way to adequately describe the experience of being surrounded by enough love to carry you when you cannot carry yourself. I learned to be a receiver of such great love, and I learned how to be the giver when the shoe was on the other foot. Thirdly, I met a precious group of ladies who gave me one of my lifelong dreams; they taught me how to quilt. The ladies of the Hons Quilting Bee (Marzee Tew, Beth Cline, Ruth Taylor, Julia Godwin, Jewel Spivey, Joann Norris, Nancy Mustin) welcomed me as a temporary visitor in their Thursday afternoon group while I was on medical leave from work. They taught me how to quilt, as they would say, by osmosis. They also gave me peaceful afternoons in their gentle presence, encouraging me, applauding my small accomplishments and distracting me from the world of cancer for a few hours each week. Most of them have no idea to this day what they "really" did for me or what they still mean to me. And on top of all of that, they gave me the gift of quilting which has become my most passionate hobby. <br /> In May of 2006, having been in remission for four and one half years, I was eagerly approaching a milestone which all survivors are familiar with - the five year mark, when the odds for long term survival increase. Unfortunately, the tide turned and, for me, that milestone has not yet been reached. Tests revealed a recurrance of breast cancer in the rare and frightening form of Inflammatory Breast Cancer, usually considered incurable, in both breasts. IBC is different in that instead of being a lump or tumor on the inside, it forms in larger sheets in the skin. This makes it more difficult to contain and results in faster spread through the lymph system. The rate of survival is much lower; still only 40% for five years and 25% for ten years, according to the M. D. Anderson IBC Center in Texas this year. "Oh boy," I told myself, "here we go again." I remembered something a friend and breast cancer survivor had said to me back in 2001, "It's no picnic, but it's do-able." And indeed, after all was said and done, it had been do-able. I knew that it would just have to be "do-able" again and immediately went to work learning all I could about the disease while my doctors, both at the Montgomery Cancer Center and UAB's Kirklin Clinic went to work on the best treatment plan for me. "Do-able" was more difficult this time. I was diagnosed at stage 4 which was later changed to 3B, and it was inoperable. I began a very aggressive regime of chemotherapy immediately with the specific goal being to try to reduce the area of cancer as much as possible and pray for the best. The team of doctors I saw at Kirklin Clinic for a second opinion were not at all optimistic in terms of survival expectancy. I can't even bring myself to say at this time how short that expectancy was, except to say that I have already surpassed it. After three months of chemo at the Montgomery Cancer Center, I returned to the Kirklin Clinic for the tests that would tell me if anything had been accomplished by the chemo. I prayed desperately for results which showed any reduction at all. When the results were faxed to me three days later I was afraid to look. When I did look, I had to look again: the tests revealed that most of the cancer cells were gone; the diagnosis had upgraded to operable. Once again I was in shock, but in a good way this time. I knew that prayers were being answered. My treatments were continued throughout the fall, including the infusion of a newer drug called Herceptin which, for me, has been life-saving. In January 2007 I had a radical bilateral mastectomy and removal of many lymph nodes. This was followed by several weeks of radiation to both sides of the chest and both underarms. Because I had previously had radiation on one side, and because this time the radiation targeted the skin instead of internal area, it ended up being the worst thing I had to endure. It was damaging and painful and almost more than I could bear. In fact, I could not endure the last two radiation treatments and voluntarily stopped two treatments short of completing the recommended number, against my radiation oncologist's advice. There was only so much a human could endure and, although I would not advise anyone else to make the same decision I did, I knew I had reached my limit and chose to leave the rest up to God.<br /> I once joked that the Montgomery Cancer Center was my home away from home, and it truly was. I am still a frequent visitor as I am still having the Herceptin treatments every three weeks and am currently seeing my oncologist every six weeks. I still have quarterly scans to measure heart function as treatments can cause damage to the heart, and I am still checked and monitored more closely than a baby making regular trips to a pediatrician. I am still dealing with side effects of both the chemo and radiation. On the more positive side is the fact that I am still here to make those frequent visits, and that the MCC and all of the wonderful doctors and nurses there are making it possible for me to live a normal life. There are no adequate words to describe how much easier they have made this journey, aside from the obvious medical treatment. When I initially went to the Kirklin Clinic at UAB for a second opinion I was given exactly the same advice that I had been given at the MCC. The doctors at UAB knew and were extremely complimentary of Dr. Harry Barnes and they told me that I could not get better care anywhere else than I would get at MCC. The were absolutely correct. <br /> As you can clearly see, my journey with breast cancer is not over. I don't know what the future holds for me, and I don't know how much "future" I will have on this earth. But I do know that far more blessings have come from this journey than you could ever imagine, a testimony to how our loving Heavenly Father takes all of the negatives in our lives and works them out for our good. The biggest and best blessing of all has been the gift of complete peace within myself. I have learned what is important and what is not. I am living my chance to live for what counts and throw out what doesn't. And most of all I have learned to give myself completely to God and "absolutely know beyond a shadow of doubt" that no matter what happens, it is all okay because He is in charge and I can totally trust Him. To those who are beginning the breast cancer journey, I would like to say the following:<br />1. It's no picnic, but it is do-able. Buck up and do what you have to do.<br />2. You are not alone. You will be surprised at the people - some that you didn't know cared and some you have not even met yet - who will walk this journey with you before it is over.<br />3. The journey will bring more blessings than sorrows, though it may be hard to imagine that now. Keep your cup half full.<br />4. There will be days when you just can't get your cup to the half full point, and that is okay. Let yourself be angry, cry, grieve, or whatever you feel like doing. Tomorrow is another day.<br />5. Embrace an old or a new hobby. It will give you something positive to do and to think about. <br />6. During the long hours you may spend in treatment, you will meet new friends; not only nurses, but other patients who will be a joy to get to know.<br />7. Let God be in charge; He's going to anyway, and you will find sweet relief in trusting Him.<br />8. Prayer is powerful and it changes things. Do it often, and ask everyone you know to do it, too. <br />9. We have all seen the T-shirt that says "If Mommy says no, ask Grandma." My T-shirt says "If the doc says no, ask God."<br />10. One day "your" story will be an inspiration and encouragement to someone else.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-16952421685757546512009-08-19T20:41:00.000-07:002009-08-19T21:05:19.605-07:00The Slumber PartyTwo nights ago I was a participant in a slumber party. There was no painting of fingernails or rolling of hair, and the television was not even turned on. Before you start thinking this must have been a dull party, think again. The three most essential ingrediants for any girl party were very much present... talk about boys... well one boy, anyway..., lots of giggling, and very little sleep. Tamarah, Mama and I spent the night at the Travelodge in Birmingham. Tamarah grabbed one bed and I grabbed the other. That left Mama in a dilemna... she couldn't decide which of us would be safer to sleep with. Even after thoroughly questioning each of us about our kicking, snoring and gas passing habits, she couldn't decide. That is until I pointed out the fact that Tamarah might be too much of a risk... what if she started dreaming about Charlie and thought she was at home in the bed with him. That was all it took; Mama slept with me. Little did either of us know that Tamarah would stay awake practically the whole night anyway. She claimed it was because of steroids she had been given earlier in the day at her arthritis treatment, but I have a different theory. She just couldn't stop thinking about the latest man in her life. I know this is true because I made the mistake of getting up to go to the bathroom at 3:30 a.m. and when I came back she decided it was a good time to show me all of the great pictures she had of the new man she has fallen in love with. I suppose I should clarify at this point that we are talking about her new grandson, Ryan Anthony. When I "finally" got back to sleep I soon found myself awake again with leg cramps. I got up and walked up and down the length of the room to walk them off. Suddenly a voice came out of the darkness as Mama popped up and said, "turn right at the end." What? She must be talking in her sleep. But no, she popped up again, this time laughing her head off. She thought I was trying to find the bathroom. Okay, I know I am getting old now, but there were only two doors in that room, and one of them... the one to the bathroom... was open and the light was on. Plu-eease! It was fun to hear her giggling about it though. So who says you have to be "young" to have a great slumber party. I can't imagine any teenager having more fun than we did. But we did all agree that it would have been even more fun if Debbie had been there. Guess that means we need to plan another one!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-17962589495218188982009-08-19T20:36:00.000-07:002009-08-22T09:08:29.526-07:00A Terrible, Wonderful DayYesterday was a terrible, wonderful day. It was terrible because my youngest sister, Kim, had a bilateral mastectomy due to a recent breast cancer diagnosis. It was wonderful because Mama and all five of her children were together for the first time in years. The last time we were all together was when Daddy died in 1997. Kim has been the missing link in family togetherness for many years, and ironically, she was the link that brought us all back together yesterday. I have always believed that there is a silver lining in every cloud, and yesterday was no exception. In a small but comfortable waiting room at St. Vincent's Hospital, Mama, Debbie, Gray and Deborah Lynn, Tamarah and I waited together through a long day of surgery for Kim. We caught up on family news, gave Tamarah a platform to brag about her brand new, first grandchild, passed around pictures, and listened to the latest braggings of Pa Gray and Nana who are veteran grandparents now with five grands, all age six and under. We were enchanted by the antics of Kim's seven year old daughter, Caitlin whom none of us have ever gotten to spend much time with, and discovered that she is not only cute as a button, but has a great personality and sense of humor all her own. We met and got to know new people who shared the room with us, and Debbie and I quilted. Hey, I never waste an opportunity to quilt, and I accomplished a good bit on two samplers I am making. Debbie brought fabric to share and we spread one piece on the floor, laid sampler blocks on top of it and planned a finished quilt. It was fun to have everyone's input in that. We planted some quilting seeds in Tamarah and by the end of the day she was starting to catch the bug. I have a feeling that she will become a quilter in 2010. We ate lunch together, shopped together in the hospital gift shops and pulled together to make a long and scary day more bearable. At the end of the day we had wonderful news: the surgery was successful, the cancer was non-invasive, and there was no sign of malignancy in the lymph nodes. Kim was officially in remission. We all gathered around her bedside and for a short time our family circle was complete, and peace reigned. It is a shame that it took such a frightening ordeal for this to be accomplished. I will never say that God causes bad things to happen, but I do firmly believe that He uses all circumstances in our lives to bring about good. He works in mysterious ways that are not ours to comprehend in this lifetime. Our job is to trust Him with a childlike faith in all situations and allow ourselves to be led by His perfect will. When we can give up control and do that, we experience His perfect peace... until our human selves start grabbing that control back again. I pray that this terrible, wonderful day was a turning point in our family and there will be many complete family circles in the future that are brought about voluntarily and not by tragic circumstance.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-76424241699408161982009-08-16T17:02:00.000-07:002009-08-16T17:31:23.302-07:00My Dream House (scratch that.. who needs a house? I meant My Dream Quilt!)Generally, I am not a person who cares about name brands of anything. I like good quality, but I am not hooked on names. However, I have recently gotten hooked on all things Vera Bradley. I have absolutely fallen in love with the prints used to make her products. Maybe it has something to do with this year being the real Vera Bradley's 100th birthday year and my turning 50; maybe I'm relating more to the older crowd now. Anyway, if you know me at all, you have probably already guessed that I am thinking about a Vera Bradley quilt. Oh yeah, wouldn't that be something! It would especially be something since you cannot buy the real Vera Bradley fabric anywhere... and believe me, I have searched high and low... it is just not available. However, I have always believed that where there is a will, there is a way. And yes, I have found the way ... well, sort of. There are Vera Bradley cloth napkins... yes, they are made of the perfect quilting fabric and they are large enough to yield quite a few squares each. The ones who are current (meaning the print has not been retired yet) can be bought for $6 each. Retired ones can be bought for a fortune on ebay. If I were smart I would just start with the current ones and collect forward until I am ready to make the quilt. But noooo... I have to be difficult (is that an over the hill thing, I wonder?). I want them ALL! Yes, I do realize that may be impossible, not only due to availability but also due to the major chunk of change this project would cost. Even if I got an extra job to pay for this quilt, it would probably not be enough, considering the prices I just viewed on ebay for the retired ones. Maybe I will start buying lottery tickets. I can see it now... "Alabama quilter becomes a lottery millianaire, and spends it all on fabric!" Hey, what's wrong with that, if it makes me happy?! Well, back to reality... I guess a Vera Bradley quilt wouldn't quite be worth getting an extra job and giving up my quilting time, or buying lottery tickets with money that could have been spent on fabric. So I'll go with the more mature solution. I'll just start buying a napkin here and there when I have a little extra cash and see how it goes. Maybe by the time I have time to actually start the quilt, I'll have enough. Step #1: Acquire a list of all Vera Bradley fabric patterns since the beginning of the company... check that one off, I bought the limited edition patchwork journal that has a picture strip of each and every one of them on the cover and a list on the inside, for myself as a birthday present yesterday. Step #2: Start acquiring napkins, one at a time... I'll start a new list on my blog when this step begins. Maybe one of these days you'll be reading a blog post entitled "Starting My Dream Quilt."Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-87555580989226431632009-08-16T16:40:00.000-07:002009-08-16T17:01:13.656-07:00UFOsAll quilters know that quilting is not just a hobby; it is an addiction. If you are a true quilter, once you start... you just can't stop. In no time you will have quilts you've done, quilts you started and haven't finished and quilts you're currently working on. Yes, you can work on several quilts at once and keep it all straight in your head and actually get them all done ... eventually. You will also have piles and stacks and boxes and drawers and closetfuls of fabric; in fact you will have fabric everywhere... each and every piece just waiting for that perfect quilt pattern that was meant just for it, to come along. And if we could only stop acquiring "more" fabric to add to our stashes, we just might live long enough for that to happen. Well we know that will never happen. Anyway, it all started feeling a little out of control for me about a year ago due to the hundreds... and yes, I do mean hundreds... of new quilts that were collecting in my head that I wanted to make. So I decided to do a little experiment. I made a list of every quilt that I have ever made, another list of all quilt tops I have finished but have not yet quilted, and a third list of UFOs (unfinished objects) or WIPs (works in progress). The third list, WIPs, is the one I wanted to concentrate on. As of January 1, 2009 there were 16 quilts on that list. I made a goal to see how many of those items I could complete and move to list number one before the end of 2009. The hard part was that I was not allowed to start any new quilts until the list was below five quilts, and preferably below three. The only exception to this was a baby quilt for the family's newest star, Ryan Anthony. I have been steadily working away and actually making decent progress. So I decided to check my progress this weekend. The list of sixteen has been reduced to twelve. Woohoo... I'm doing great! But wait... what is this?! Could I have inadvertently "cheated?" There seem to be two "new" items on the list... now how did that happen? Woops, I guess I fell off the wagon when I started those two sampler quilts about three weeks ago. But, hey... I did good for what, seven months? That's a record for a serious quilter! So now the count is at 14; look for a new update in a few months.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-8361044729176836832009-08-16T01:55:00.000-07:002009-08-16T02:31:23.016-07:00Over The HillI am officially over the hill. I turned "50" yesterday. I can't believe it. Where did the time go? Age has never bothered me before... until this year. I think it started when my sister, Tamarah, became a grandmother a couple of weeks ago. Then I decorated a co-worker's cubicle who was turning 60. Then it seemed all I could think about was my age. I suddenly realized that, no matter how long I live, my life is more than half gone ... or at least my life on earth. Wow... that realization was like when someone who has had a terminal illness dies... you knew it was going to happen and you thought you were prepared, but you find out there is no way to "really" be prepared. You just deal with it when it hits you. Top-most among my thoughts and feelings over the past two weeks has been that I do have regrets. I wish that were not so, but it is. I have made choices in my lifetime that seemed right at the time, but turned out to be wrong. I have also made choices that were wrong from the get-go, and I knew that but blinded myself to the truth of it at the time. I grieve for what could have been and what should have been. Oh, how I wish I could turn back the clock ... not to be young again ... but to exchange some of my choices for better ones. I envy my dear friend, Marzee, who is going on 88 years young and looks back over her life with absolutely no regrets. What peace and joy that brings her in her declining years. Well, I have topped the hill now, and I cannot change the trek I took up the hill. But I "can" choose the path I will take going down, with the maturity and wisdom that comes with age. And that is exactly what I will do. So upon awakening yesterday, I did not feel the panic I was afraid I would feel because I had already dealt with the "age" thing and was over it. I felt happy and at peace. I felt as if I had finally grown up. Or at least I "think" that is how I felt... if I remember correctly... I am, after all, over the hill!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-74572369094436883822009-08-08T22:56:00.000-07:002009-08-08T23:13:56.844-07:00My SpaceSometimes I just want to tell the whole world... "My space is 'my' space; it is not 'your' space. Please don't invade it unless I invite you to." Does this make me a non-hospitable and unfriendly person? Don't get me wrong... I love people, and I love being with people. But I also love being with myself. Sometimes I think we all just need to do that. Even Jesus, who was always surrounded by those he loved, routinely went away by himself. That's good enough for me; you know what they say ... WWJD. So, call me a hermit, or a snob, or just plain weird. That's fine with me - because I know that when I occasionally just get away, even if it is only in my head, I can then come back and be a better "me" for you to be around. In this crazy and too busy world... solitude is healthy; it is pleasurable; it is a gift from God. Thank you, God.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-9999725298209443942009-08-08T21:16:00.000-07:002009-08-08T22:55:20.738-07:00I wonder if I am a procrastinator... I'll think about that tomorrow!Well, I came to the computer to blog about an entirely different subject, but when I saw the date of my last, and only, post... I just had to laugh. This is so typical of me... so many intentions; so little time. Yes I am a procrastinator. In fact I am the queen of procrastinators. I would not be surprised if procrastination did not even exist until I was born and then God had to invent it to give me a place to belong in this world. In school I waited until the "very" last minute to study for tests. My friends wondered how I always managed to squeak out a decent grade. It was easy... I only had to remember the material for a few hours, from the time I started studying until the test was over. And sometimes that was actually only a few minutes. I cringe when I think back on it now. I hope my daughter who is in college "procrastinates" reading this post until she has graduated! She procrastinated starting college. Her friends graduated college before she started. I just hope she doesn't become one of those "professional" students who procrastinate graduating until she starts looking like the other students' mothers. I had a friend like that from high school. Every few years after we went our separate ways, I would run into her or someone who knew her and the "hey, what are you doing these days?" update was always the same for years and years... just going to school. Years later, someone told me they saw her in the kindergarten class at my neice's school. My first thought was, "oh no... she went to school until there were no more classes left to take and she had to start going backwards and ended up back in kindergarten!" Thankfully, my second thought was correct... she became a kindergarten teacher. Seriously, no offense intended toward older students. I totally admire them.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8509423121037444415.post-30236994735188716002008-09-24T10:32:00.000-07:002008-09-24T10:42:13.092-07:00Tennessee Football<span style="color:#ff6600;">It's that time of year again, and you guessed it; I'm a Big Orange fan. But good ole Rocky Top isn't having such a good year so far. Sure h0pe they get warmed up soon. I am thinking that Coach Fulmer needs to do some serious recruiting. But still, Tennessee is Tennessee, and I'm a fan for better or worse. I have a lot of friends who are Auburn fans, so I'm getting a bit of ribbing about the game coming up this weekend. I'm looking forward to watching the game on TV. Football TV and quilting go great together, by the way. I'm currently putting the binding on a Dresden Plate quilt; very relaxing handwork.</span>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01722708459207540636noreply@blogger.com0