Unashamed: A Miscarriage Survivor's Story

October 15th is National Remembrance Day for Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss.

This is my daughter's story.

August 26th was a day that changed me. I have heard it said that people don't change overnight. Well, I beg to differ. All it takes is one significant event to make someone wake up the next day a different person. For me, the event was a miscarriage.

This pregnancy was completely unplanned and unexpected. My husband and I weren't trying to get pregnant, especially since we had just moved across the country and we had our second child just a few months prior. Yet it seems that God has made us an EXTREMELY fertile couple, despite our efforts to "wait a few years" before having another baby. Just two months after giving birth, I conceived again. 

Over the course of the next two months, my husband and I would casually joke about my daily cravings for slushes and other iced drinks, and the way I would cry at the drop of a hat (both were things that happened while pregnant with each of our sons). Even when I was unable to lose weight and had a few occasions of nausea, we attributed it to the stress of the move and getting the house in order. I had spotting here and there, which I assumed were light periods. I had even taken pregnancy tests that came back negative twice.

Then one day I was working out and started to get a really sharp pain in my lower abdomen. I brushed it off, thinking it was just a cramp and would go away. But it didn't. I started bleeding as well, and thought it was my cycle coming around. This continued for two days. I was in the kitchen that late afternoon on August 26th, getting ready to make grilled cheese, when I felt a sharp pain. I stopped what I was doing and bent over in pain. Something that felt like a huge clot slipped out, and I rushed into the bathroom.

There on my pad was what I was later told was the amniotic sac. I called for my husband and he was worried, so I sent a picture of it to my mom. She called me almost immediately, telling me I needed to go to the hospital asap. Blood and clots were pouring into the toilet so fast I wasn't able to catch anymore pieces of the tissue that was coming out. (After an ultrasound the next day, it would be confirmed that the baby had already slipped out as well, most likely while I was sitting in the bathroom.)

The trip to the emergency room and waiting for an explanation from the doctor took forever. Was this a bad period? Was this lining from my uterus that came out? Surely I wasn't pregnant. I just took a test the other day, and it came back negative. All of these things rushed through my head for hours.

The doctor finally rushed in with a nurse, and they were moving so fast I didn't know what was happening. Next thing I knew, I was in stirrups and heard the worst news of my life. "It seems that you had a miscarriage. You were pregnant, and what you brought in was in fact the amniotic sac. I am so sorry." According to my last cycle the baby was almost 10 weeks old.

I felt like the world had stopped and I was just there. The doctor kept talking, but all I could do was lay my head back down and stare at the ceiling. How? Why? I had two babies already, why didn't this one make it? Why didn't I know? How did we miss the signs? WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?

The car ride home was silent. Neither me nor my husband could find anything to say. We pulled into the driveway, and the shock wore off. A tidal wave of emotions hit me and I sobbed uncontrollably in his arms. No physical pain in the world could have hurt as much as my heart did in that moment. The only thing I could say was "Our baby died. Our baby died inside of me, and I didn't even know."

The days that followed kind of meshed together now that I look back. I didn't know one day from the next. I cried a lot, felt a sadness I can't explain. I couldn't go on Facebook without sobbing at the ultrasound pictures various friends were putting up. I held my sons around the clock, and it made me sad knowing I wouldn't get to see that baby grow up. My husband would hold me at night while I cried in my sleep.

People from our church brought meals and prayed with us. I started to develop a friendship with a woman who had a miscarriage many years ago. While it obviously still made her sad when she talked about it, seeing her being able to work through it inspired me. Losing a child isn't something you can just get over, but it does get better with time.

The next six weeks was a roller-coaster of emotions. Some days would be really good. I would think about it and not break out into tears. The next I couldn't stop crying. I was okay one moment, and having a breakdown the next.

My faith in God helped me, and I knew He was there. But if I can be completely honest, I struggled. I wondered why God would give us this baby and not let us keep it. I knew that there was a reason, and even though I couldn't see it, God had a plan for it all. I just wanted to know what that plan was so that things could start making sense. I wanted to be filled with joy again, not random moments of happiness. I received it through God's Word a week ago.

A woman that I admire greatly suggested I look for a verse that led me to Isaiah 54. After reading just the first few verses, I felt what I can only explain as a spiritual awakening.

Isaiah 54:1-7 NLT

“Sing, O childless woman,

you who have never given birth!

Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem,

you who have never been in labor.

For the desolate woman now has more children

than the woman who lives with her husband,”

says the LORD. “Enlarge your house; build an addition.

Spread out your home, and spare no expense! 

For you will soon be bursting at the seams.

Your descendants will occupy other nations

and resettle the ruined cities. 

“Fear not; you will no longer live in shame.

Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you.

You will no longer remember the shame of your youth

and the sorrows of widowhood. For your Creator will be your husband;

the LORD of Heaven’s Armies is his name!

He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,

the God of all the earth. For the LORD has called you back from your grief—

as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband,”

says your God. “For a brief moment I abandoned you,

but with great compassion I will take you back.

While I am not barren, my loss of a child is still a loss. And for that reason I believe this passage of Scripture applies me and every woman out there that has ever experienced any kind of pregnancy or infant loss.

I have spoken to friends who have also lost a baby, and most have experienced some level of distance from God. That is not to say turning our backs on Him, or discontinued belief in Him. Not at all. Its more like the latter part of the passage from Isaiah, feeling abandoned. Knowing that God is still God and He loves you just the same, but wondering where He is in the midst of this great heartache.

Isaiah 54 encourages us to sing to the Lord. To rejoice, because the best is yet to come. Out of the hurt and the pain, God will give us joy and expand our territory. The sorrow is only temporary. God can and will bring us to a place of joy in Him, and with that the promise of descendants. This could mean having children of our own, and it could also mean for some to take in those without motherly figures and be that mother to them. Both are just as much a blessing as the other.

Another thing this passage points out is an end to the shame and fear. 1 in 4 women experience some kind of pregnancy or infant loss, but few talk about it publicly. Our culture doesn't embrace the importance of the lives of the unborn, and therefore can downplay the loss of one. 

But we see in Jeremiah 1:5 that God values every single unborn life:

  

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.

Before you were born I set you apart

and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

 David knew this as well when he wrote Psalm 139:13:

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and 

knit me together in my mother’s womb."

Whether you got to hold your baby or never felt a single kick, your loss is important and have every right to talk about it openly. Doing so can help you deal with it better, and you may surprised at how many other women you know that have been down that road as well.

When I came out with the news of the miscarriage, it was amazing the number of people who not only encouraged us, but also related. I got a number of messages from friends who never felt like they could tell anyone about their miscarriages until they saw my posts. Prior to my loss, I couldn't completely understand what other women were going through. I could sympathize, but I didn't grasp what they were feeling.

Having gone through this, I have finally come to a place where I am starting to understand why God allowed this to happen to me. It wasn't a punishment. It wasn't that He didn't love me or think me fit to be a mom. My baby could have had unforeseen health problems, and God saw it would be better to bring them home to Him rather than suffer here on earth. My body could have not been strong enough to take another pregnancy so soon. There are many possibilities, all of which make sense.

In the bigger picture, I know that I was allowed to go through this so that I can relate to and help other women who experience the loss of their child. I am blessed to have a caring family and network of friends to support and encourage me, and faith in Jesus to keep me strong when I am weak. But not every woman has that. I want to use my on-going journey as a tool to reach those women, to show them that it is okay to allow yourself to feel and to grieve. It is okay to talk about it.

And if you are searching for peace and love and cannot find either, maybe its time you give God a chance. You will be amazed at how He can fill in the void, and heal your heart. I am not saying everything will be perfect, because it wont. But God's love is sufficient for you. The peace He gives is greater than any form of meditation or therapeutic activity out there. Its real and tangible and it lasts.

August 26th was a day that changed me. I am not the same woman I was before, and I will never be that woman again. But who I am is a miscarriage survivor. I am a woman unashamed of what I have been through. A woman who, through the love of God, overcame the sorrow and is moving forward. I will never forget my baby, and miss them every single day. I am still on my journey, and I hope through my story more women break the silence and shake off the fear of speaking out with theirs.

My son in-love and daughter are proud parents of two active boys. They first met at the age of 13. They were reunited at the age of 19 via Facebook. They married a year later. Currently, they have two active boys that keeps momma busy throughout the day while daddy serves our country in the United States Air Force.

My Version of the Latest Denim Skirt Trend

First, I must tell you why I ventured out to make this skirt. My youngest son is graduating from basic training soon. I wanted some new clothes to wear during the time we will be near the Army base. We have decided to go a few days earlier for some rest and relaxation since we are literally flying across the United States.

I saw this denim skirt on Facebook and decided to check out the website Love My Jean Skirt for more information. I had never spent that much money on a skirt. So I looked around to see if I can find something similar at a cheaper price. During my Google search, I found a denim skirt on Apostolic Clothing. Still out of my price range.

I talked to my husband about it. He wanted me to get it. But, in my heart, I couldn't bring myself to spend that much money. That amount of money on one item would put a dent in our clothing money this quarter. My youngest son decided he would pay for it because he knows how much his momma "loves blue jean skirts". I didn't buy it that day...

The next day I sent a message to my Facebook friend Jessica who's also a lover of denim skirts. I asked her opinion on the skirts. She thought they were cute. Then I talked to my cousin Tony over at Well Watered Woman because I wanted her opinion. She sent me some wonderful tutorials from Youtube on converting denim jeans into skirts. Which I will do later.

It dawned on me when I recalled a Scripture about God asking Moses what was in his hand. The light bulb came on. I have my hands. I can make a skirt. God has given each one of us gifts to use. God has given me the gift of sewing. I decided to try and make my own version on the skirt.

I used a basic skirt pattern.

Altered the pattern to give me a semi-fitted fit.

Basic 7 inch zipper that's made for denim. Noticed the used the yellow thread for a contrast look.

The split in the back.

Inside the split in the back. I didn't use my serger machine because I didn't have enough yellow thread or denim needles. So I just used the settings on my regular machine to overlap the edges.

This is how it looked before the waist band, the ruffles and the flower.

For the ruffles, I used 4 inch wide strips. The length is about 2x as long as the measurement around the skirts. You can use more if you like. Putting the ruffles on the skirt is easy, but it may be time consuming. The results are well worth it :)

I needed a guide for the flower so I used a small plate.

I used dots to help me guide the ruffles for the flower. About an inch from the border and then another inch until your ruffle is finished.

This part may take some time. Be patient and work at it. I promise you, you will love the results.

Here's the finished skirt. You can make a little circle to put in the middle. I had to do mine by hand. The material was thick and I didn't want it to get stuck on my sewing machine.

The flower close up. You can also see that I used a band around the ruffle on the skirt. 

I loved the way the thread shows up against the denim material.

The back of the skirt near the split.

I had enough denim left over to make a handbag.

I made a padded pocket on the inside to protect my phone.

Total price for the skirt was $18.90. With that being said, I can honestly say that if you purchase one of the skirts from the links above, it's well worth the price.

Freezer Apple Pie Filling

I was blessed this week with a box full of apples from an older couple at church. I decided to make Apple Pie filling and freeze it for the upcoming holiday pies. With the left over apples, I will make apple butter. (Apple butter taste delicious when it's spread on some hot, homemade biscuits.)

Here's the recipe for Apple Pie filling:

About 8 cups of apples
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of sugar (I use a 1/2 cup of white and 1/2 cup of brown)
1/4 cup of all flour
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

Put sugar and all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix.

It should look something like this when you're doing mixing. 

Dump the mixed dry ingredients in a freezer bag. 

Peel and core apples. I don't have one of those machines that peel apples. So to save time, I used an apple slicer. Once sliced, I peeled and sliced the apples.

Put the sliced apples in the freezer bag with the dry ingredients. Leave the air in there and shake the bag so that the dry ingredients coat the apples. 

 This is after the apples are coated with the dry ingredients.

 Add lemon juice and vanilla extract.

 Now, make sure all the air is out of the bag and mix. 

Now it's ready for the freezer.

I'm looking forward to baking Apple Pies this holiday season. This year we are celebrating Thanksgiving early. Two of our sons will be home. We look forward to spending precious time with them.

Word of Encouragement:
Let us, as Christian women, be busy about our homes. There are so many things that would come in and take time away from our families. If we allow those things (internet, social media, phone, going from house to house, etc.) to steal our time; it's time we can never get back.

It's All Because of Him That I Serve him

I could feel the cool air coming through the small crack I left in the window last night. With one eye opened, I glanced at the clock. According to the clock and my schedule, I still had two hours of sleep allotted to me. As I lay there pondering if I was going to get up and close the window or go back to sleep, a thought came to my mind.

"What am I going to do today to bless Don?"

To some, it may appear as though my days serving here at home are a complete waste of time and talent. A part me, though, can't help but to think about Jesus who served without hesitation. If I proclaim to the world that I am a believer in Christ and wear the label "Christian", my life should reflect Christ-like behavior.

A wise woman told me years ago that if it doesn't line up with the Word of God, then it should have no place in my life. With that said, what does the Bible say about serving?

"...but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a ransom for many."
Matthew 20:26b-28

I want to be like the Son of Man. I want to serve like Him. Serving like Him may consist of sacrificing a little sleep in order to make my husband an omelet at 6 am or 12 midnight due to his work schedule. I learned the hard way that being a true servant means I can't complain when being called upon to serve.

Photo Credit: Captured By Kim

So what did I do for my husband today? He loves baked goods. So I made him some Soft Oatmeal Molasses Cookies.

"She does him good and not evil all the days of her life." ~Proverbs 31:12

Weekend Breakfast

Today is the first day of Fall. Slowly, I've been cranking the oven and enjoying the aroma of baked goods. With the arrival of fresh crisp air, the scent of apple-cinnamon and pumpkin spice candles; it's a season of slowing down and enjoying the beautiful, vibrant colors of the leaves.

One thing we really enjoy around here is a hearty breakfast. In order to save time on the weekends, I prepare a big breakfast on Saturday so that there are leftovers on Sunday morning. That gives me a little extra time to get ready for church.

I found this Breakfast Casserole over at Mennonite Girls Can Cook. I must say, every recipe that I have tried on this website has been a success.

Right before it goes into the oven.

I did change a few things from what the recipe called for. I only added half the amount of sour cream.

It takes about an hour to bake depending on your oven.

The finished result from this recipe looks amazing and smells delicious.

The finished result was worth all the butter and sour cream.

Yummo!

The Housekeepers Symphony

Recently, I've been reflecting on the days when social media was a tad bit simpler. My first introduction to social media was the Yahoo Groups. I miss the days of Yahoo Groups. I stumbled upon this while looking through the archives of one of those groups.

"The Housekeepers Symphony"
by: Marion Wiley

To do the best that I can, from morn till night.
And pray for added strength with coming light;
To make the family income reach alway,
With some left over for a rainy day;
To do distasteful things with happy face,
To try and keep the odds and ends in place.
To smile instead of frown at Fate,
Which placed me in a family always late
For meals; to do the sewing, mending and
The thousand small things always near at hand,
And do them always with a cheerful heart,
Because in life they seem to be my part;
To know the place of everything and keep
It there, to think, to plan, to cook, to sweep,
To brew, to bake, to answer questions,
To be the mainspring of the family clock.
(Or that effect) and see that no tick, tock
Is out of time or tune, or soon or late,
This is the only symphony which I can ever hope to operate.

~appeared in MARY GOES TO THE FARM by Edith Thomas, 1915.

This housekeeper has been busy at home. 

Meal Planning - that includes new recipes for the Fall and Winter months.

Started homeschooling the last child at home.

Redecorated the living room and bedroom - made curtains & pillows, etc.

Cutting fabric for a new Fall table runner and apron. You can see the old ones here and here.

Did inventory on my baking supplies. Got the new list ready and marking things off as I gather them.

Making meals for new moms. I really enjoy this part!

There's so much that a housekeeper can do around her home. I have made a choice to be busy at home and not get distracted. I don't want to be a housekeeper who appears to be physically in the home, but her heart and mind are somewhere else. I've striving to be like her...

"She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness."

~Proverbs 31:27

The Cry of a Daughter's Heart

Before I ever start to write this post, let me take a deep breath. *sigh* That felt good and was much needed :)

I read something online recently that caused my heart to hurt and my mind to ponder. After reading it, I thought about the teens and young women that I've interacted with over the years. There seems to be a common thread that flow among them. Many of them are crying out for help. Many are longing for the ear of their mothers to hear the heart's cry.

What does the heart of a daughter cry out for?

She's crying out for help. She's crying out because she feels as though she may be losing her way and don't know how to tell you. She's crying out for you to show her how to make the right choices. She's crying out to be taught what to do about the attention she craves from the opposite sex...She's literally crying. Crying about so many things; but the main thing is because she needs her mother.

I have two daughters, ages 22 and 13. I'm far from being perfect and knowing what it takes to be a mother to daughters. All I knew was that I needed to be there and still need to be there for my daughters. Since I'm not perfect, I decided early on that I would be honest with my daughters so that they don't repeat the same mistakes I did.

Sometimes my honesty resulted in laughter because my girls would say, "MOM you did that!" On the flip side, my times of honesty resulted in many tears. Those tears were healing for me as well as a visual learner for my girls to see how wrong choices can lead to pain.

I can't tell mothers what to do or not to do concerning daughters. All I can say is that many are crying. I implore mothers not to let their daughter's cry go unheard. If you don't answer her cry, some young man will. I pray that the young man is mature enough to not take advantage of the vulnerable young woman, but will encourage her to find her identity in Christ.

Here's the quote I read that my heart to hurt and caused my mind to ponder:

"One day a handsome young gentleman alighted from a train that was making a short stopover. As he paced the platform, he soon attracted the attention of a young girl. She watched him flirtatiously out of the corner of her eye, coughed a little, and laughed merrily and a bit loudly with a group of her acquaintances; but at first he paid no attention. this piqued her,... and she made more ardent efforts to attract his attention; for her companions were teasing her at her failure to "land her catch". Her power of attraction was being tested.

At last he noticed, turned, and came directly to her, while her foolish little heart was all in a flutter at her success. She meant to do no more than to chat with him a few moments, and by so doing satisfy her vanity as to her attractiveness, and clear herself of the charge of weakness the girls had teasingly made.

"My dear girl," he said, tipping his hat, "have a mother at home?"

"Why, yes," the girl stammered.

"Then go to her and tell her to keep you with her until you learn how you ought to behave in a public place," and saying this he turned and left her in confusion and shame. It was a hard rebuke; but this man had told her only what every pure-minded man and woman was thinking."

{from "Beautiful Girlhood" pg. 130-131}

Herbs, Honey, Bread & Butter

I look forward to our Wednesday evening home group. This week it is our turn to bring snacks. I don't know why I ponder over what to bring. I'm sure whatever I bring, the people are so sweet that they will eat it anyway.

Last week during our Home Economics class, Sarah and I baked some homemade bread. This bread was by far the best we have ever baked. The recipe is a keeper for sure. We got the recipe while watching the video "Homestead Blessings: The Art of Bread Making".

So I decided to bake bread for our home group. Here's an excerpt of the video.

Here's how our bread turned out. Of course we melted butter on our :)

Also, I managed to find fresh herbs really cheap in my area. I decided to make herb butter to go with it. Since my husband has a little sweet tooth (which I always cater too), I decided to make some honey butter as well.

Herb Butter

Herb Butter is fairly simple to make. You use 1 stick of butter. 3 teaspoons of your favorite fresh herbs. I like to use 3 different herbs. I also add a tablespoon of shredded Parmesan cheese; it's optional. Mix it on high with a hand blender until well blended.

Honey Butter

Honey Butter is just 2 ingredients: 1 stick of butter and 1/4 cup of honey. We like the taste of clover honey, so that's what I use.

I love to put my butters in small canning jars.

As the weather starts to warm up, I'm reminded that nothing compares to bread baking in the oven. Soon, I won't be able to crank that oven on. I'm enjoying it now while there's still a cool breeze today. Someday, I look forward to my grandchildren enjoying my fresh baked breads that I made for their mother and father when they were younger.

Home-Baked Bread

by Sally Croft

"Nothing gives a household a greater sense of stability and common comfort than the aroma of cooking bread. Begin, if you like, with a loaf of whole wheat, which requires neither sifting nor kneading, and go on from there to more cunning triumphs."
-The Joy of Cooking

What is it she is not saying?
"Cunning triumphs". It rings
Of insinuation. Step into my kitchen,
I have prepared a cunning triumph
for you. 

Spices and herbs
sealed in this porcelain jar,

a treasure of my great-aunt
who sat up past midnight
in her Massachusetts bedroom
when the moon was dark. Come,
rest your feet. 

I'll make
you tea with honey and slices

of warm bread spread with peach butter,

still fresh with dew. The fragrance
is seductive? I hoped you would say that.
See how the heat rises
when the bread opens. 

Come, we'll eat together, the small flakes

have scarcely any flavor. What cunning
triumphs we can discover in my upstairs room
where peach trees breathe their sweetness
beside the open window and
sun lies like honey on the floor.

"Mommy Moment" Turned Into a "Mommy Meltdown"

If you happen to be at the local WalMart (yes I do shop there) last night I'm sure you saw that woman too. She was the one in the toy aisle crying her eyes out while hugging her son who towers ever her. The son, reassuring her that it was okay. The thirteen year old daughter wondering what is wrong with her mother; she's reached an all time high of flooded emotions.

I'm sure you're wondering what was wrong with her like the others who saw the drama unfold; and that woman saying over and over again, "He reminds me so much of you. Remember you used to love Woody too." I did not say anything negative about that woman. I related to her all to well. Why? That woman was me.

Here's what happened. My son (17, will be 18 in a few weeks), my daughter (13) and myself were at the local WalMart. We had a few hours to waste until it was time to pick my husband up from work. We took our time walking around the store. We laughed and told jokes as we strolled up and down each aisle.

Photographer: Kim Tortora

I love the feeling of being able to spend time with my children. I wanted to make this week extra special because this is my son's last Spring break at home. Then, there will only be one child left at home. My plans for this week included lots of junk food. Watching movies during the day while my husband was at work. I had this week planned to perfection. What I didn't plan for was this.....

While hanging out in the toy aisle, a father and his little son walked by. The little boy was no older than three years of age. He had a twenty dollar bill in his hand. His father following close behind as the little boy led him through the toy aisle. The little kept saying, "I have to find Woody."

It was at that moment that I looked at my son and said, "Remember you used to love Woody too." That is when it hit me. I started crying because I knew that in a matter of months, my son would be leaving to go and train to service our country.

He looked down at me and said, "It's okay mom. I'm gonna be okay."

I know he's gonna be okay. The problem is he grew up too fast. Where has time gone? It seems as if it was just yesterday that my husband and I were taking him down the toy aisle looking for a Woody for him.

It was at that moment when all the memories came to my mind and I didn't have a "Mommy Moment". I had a "Mommy Meltdown" and it wasn't a small meltdown either. So much has happened. So much is happening even right now. I wrote here about all the transitions taking place in our family.

I'm so glad my son is so compassionate. I love him so much. He brings so much joy into our lives. I still remember when he was a timid child who wouldn't dare confront anyone or anything. Now, he quickly stands for what he believes in. He's not ashamed to stand in front of a room full of peers and stick up for the unborn child. He's been labeled "The Born Diplomat" in speech and debate. He worked hard and recently went to state for speech and debate. He made us so proud.

I know that in height, he towers over my husband and I, but he will always be my baby.

I'm sure gonna miss him having fun with him when he leaves this summer.

I know he will proudly serve our country with the same passion that he serves our Lord. I'm so proud of him!

After I got myself together, my children and I walked by the seasonal items. There we saw a big bottle of bubbles. The tears started to well up again. I turned to my children and asked, "Remember when we used to play with bubbles? Wouldn't it be fun to play with bubbles again just for fun."

*Confession: I put the bubbles in the basket. After some time, I realized that I needed to put the bubbles back. So I did. That season in my life has passed. As hard as it seems to watch them grow up, they must grow up. As a mom, I can honestly say that my children have made me proud to be their mother. Each day I thank God for choosing me to mother these children here on earth. Mothers, cherish your children. Create memories to last a lifetime.

Clear Skies and Sunshine

Finally after months cold and wet weather, Spring is here. Where I live, it's not that unusual to have constant rain. The winter days and night are dreary and long. Someone mentioned to me last week that without the rain we wouldn't have the beautiful spring flowers and the pretty green trees.

As I was preparing my home for Spring and sorting through my stashes of fabric, I lifted my head. I'm smiled quickly as the glistening sun appeared through the evergreen greens.

From that point on I was motivated with excitement and my mind went there. My mind took me to a place where a perfect Spring for me would consist dresses, dresses and more dresses. Did I mention that I love dresses? Well, I do. Add to that, my "need" for just more Spring clothes in general. I can't leave out my obsession with aprons. Surely, I picture myself wearing the cutest floral printed aprons.

It doesn't take long for me to snap back to reality. Reality is where I live. Before I can do any of the things my mind took me, I need to do some Spring cleaning. I found a wonderful home management notebook that's free. All you have to do is download it.

I chuckled a bit as I turned to the first page.

Yep, before I start living out my fantasy of making multiple Spring dresses, I had to make sure my home was in order. You can find the link here at Proverbs 31 Mama. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for your free "Personal Home Diary".

I am happy to say that all of my Spring material is sorted and ready to glide through the steel plates of Pearl. Pearl is my sewing machine and she has quickly become my new "bff". So if you stopped by my house this Spring, you will find me at the table with Sarah doing homeschool work, Pearl and I at the other end trying to live out my fantasy of dresses and aprons galore.

Here's a peak into my Spring projects:

Solid Linen Fabrics

Floral Printed Linen and Rayon Fabrics

Cotton Fabrics: aprons for me, aprons as gifts and house-dresses. 

I'm going to make a few aprons for some Army moms that I've met on Facebook. Our children are in basic training together right now. I will meet these women as we gather together and watch our soldiers graduate from basic training. They don't read my blog so they will be surprised :)



I do have some other aprons I will be making for me. I found this material on sale at JoAnn's Fabric. I'm getting a little more bolder with my fabric selection as I age gracefully.

I also had to sort through my patterns as well. I would not dare show a photo of all my patterns. I'm afraid my friends and neighbors will report me for hoarding. Here are the patterns that I will use this Spring.

Aprons

Clothes

I know that's a lot of material and a lot of ideas. I can't help but to think of the fun that Pearl and I will have as we work together watching the beautiful Spring skies in my neck of the woods.