"Mimi, can you sew some dresses for our barbies?" Picture this...three sisters on Christmas morning sitting by the tree and excitedly opening individual boxes of the sweetest barbie clothes, personally sewn by Mrs. Claus herself, with the tiniest little buttons and snaps on the softest fabrics, many that resembled some of our mom's articles of clothing. I wonder how much time Mrs. Claus spent on crafting these clothing articles. I wonder if she mindfully thought of each girl as she stitched tiny, little seams. I wonder if she knew that years and years later, the little girls would still remember the excitement of that Christmas morning. It wasn't until I became a parent myself that I fully appreciated the time spent on these precious, homemade, gifts of love and the hands who lovingly created them. Did "Mrs. Claus" wait until after we were tucked into bed at night or did she squeeze in moments between household chores and duties throughout the day? I suspect she did both. Because that's what moms ... I mean, Mrs. Claus ... do/does. "Yes. I can make a couple of dresses." #madewithlove #mrsclaus #barbieclothes #christmasmemories #mom #sewing
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Do you remember your BFF in 6th grade? The one who saw you through all the ups and downs and ins and outs of pre-adolescence? The one who encouraged you with words of 6th grade wisdom and reminded you that adolescence was just a season of life, not your forever life?
Her name was Margaret. And though we had a fictional relationship, she just got me. At the end of a tough school day, she was there. When it seemed like all my friends were changing and yet I was not, she assured me that I was ok. She was the one who could relate to my secret crush emotions. She's the one who got me through hormones, undergarments, and life. She was my best friend. And on some days, she was my only friend. But then, some books are like that. #judyblume #areyoutheregoditsmemargaret #booklover #booksarefriends #FridayFlashback #authorlife There's a sweet quote in my children's book "Kangaroo Jane" that reads:
"Stuff is stuff, this much is true. But the love for one another is meant for you." As a person who likes stuff, at the end of the day, it's just stuff. Take it all away and I may be sad for a moment or more, but as long as I have love for others and am surrounded by WHO is important, then I have all that I really need. This weekend, an estate sale will take place in a little town in Kansas in a little house that is full of stuff. Stuff that made my late mother-in-law happy. Stuff that made her house a home. The apple decor and red appliances that made her kitchen so cheery; the Corelle dish-wear that served up plates of countless family dinners; the wall decor that cozied up her house; the kitchen table and chairs that provided hours of loving conversations and laughter ... it's all just stuff. One of the items that will be sold is a sign that says "Live, Laugh, Love". And that's exactly what she did. She lived. She laughed. And oh, how she loved. And at the end of one's life, that's what is most important. #kangaroojane #MondayMusings #MondayMemories #estatesale #griefjourney #livelaughlove #treasures #stuff
It was a tiny little silver jewelry charm...the kind of charm that belonged on a chain. But there was no chain and apparently no owner. The charm mysteriously appeared with the coins my dad had collected. He had taken them to the bank to be counted and deposited. No time to wait, he had somewhere to be.
It was a beautiful spring day and also the start of Holy Week. The sheriff said it was a single car fatality. A rollover accident on a country road. Easter had just became a bit more personal. The bank called, expressing condolences but also to inform her of the jewelry charm. My mother had never seen it before. She didn't know how it ended up in my dad's possession. It was a mystery. The jewelry charm was that of a crucifix. Shortly after, she found a chain, perfect for the precious little charm. A sweet reminder of death and life. Faithfully she wore that necklace until one day, it was just gone. Never to be found again. A mystery. Her memory had begun to slip and she no longer remembered the significance of the little cross nor the date and event it was discovered. But I still remember. #MondayMemories #Holyweek #Easter #heaven #griefjourney #hope #marvelousmystery |
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