Friday, February 23, 2018

What you do while waiting, and the gift I never expected...

Delve into your box of completed stitcheries and begin making pincushions!

That's what you do.





Life is on hold at the moment as we wait for the phone call which will have us driving into town to pick up Cully May and bring her home to stay with us while Blossom heads to hospital with Ross for the birth of their second child.





It's all rather exciting for this Nana who waits patiently in her sewing room and busies herself with fabric and thread, whiling away the hours and days.

But it's all rather uncomfortable for Blossom who is measuring 41 weeks and not her documented 39 weeks...who would most probably burst should we drop a pin on her tummy...who has weathered the threat of a very prem labour ten weeks ago and carefully taken each extra week as it was given...who's feet have swollen and don't want to go walking...who's baby is now head engaged and in the posterior position which is a always a tad more painful but especially as Blossom has scoliosis.

Yes, it's all rather wearying for my girl, yet her laughter as Cully May smothers her with kisses and hugs fills the room, and her smile continues to sparkle. Between the groans.




I remember that feeling, when you're so close to the end of your pregnancy but it seems like time is standing still and an hour becomes a day becomes a week.
You know it won't be long until that precious bundle of love is placed in your arms, but still you long for the labour to begin 'now'.




This wee baby decided not to share my birthday (Wednesday) and in all probability will arrive before her paternal grandad's birthday in early March.
Seems bub would prefer a birthday all his/her own right between the two of us.
Fair enough, I say.




So while all this is going on I have prepared the spare room for Cully May, stocked up on little girl necessities - toothbrush, hair brush, natural soap, a dolly (she'll be so surprised!) and a pretty pillow.
I'll bunk in with her while she is here as Cully's never had a sleepover at Nana and Pop's house without her mummy before, and I'm sure Bob-the-dog will snuggle up on the bed too.
She's missed Bob since he's been staying with us so I'm sure having him to play with again will keep her occupied when I need to collapse in a chair and catch my breath every so often.

So, back to the pincushion...I am trying to keep the house as ordered and toddler friendly as possible right now so my sewing room has most everything in it's place and out of reach of tiny hands. But I really needed to 'make' something today and decided to go through my box of completed stitcheries for a few which could be made into pocket pincushions.

These were perfect for my plan...





Pink and green together are a marriage made in heaven, but then add the subtle pop of blue and what a pretty picture...





One pincushion made and three more to follow...




...all dependent on what happens over the weekend.

I have everything I need for the next three pincushions in one place which makes it easy to pack away should Cully May be here before they're finished. 

If you like this style of pocket pincushion I have a tutorial HERE that you can follow.
Just adjust the pocket size to suit the width of height of your stitchery, or fussy cut fabric for the pocket as I did...





For the new pincushion I added 1" of pink check fabric down both sides of the stitchery as I like a bit of contrast...and I love pink. 

I've added the set of four pink and green stitcheries to my shop in case you like them.

(They were also in the December 2016 issue of The Stitchery Club, just in case you have it)





Do you like making pincushions?

What do you do when you're marking time until something wonderful happens?




I had a lovely quiet birthday, just ducked out for a late morning coffee and cake at Rosie's.
The day before I was caught in the middle of a very severe storm out on the highway and it rattled me a little, so with the forecast of more such storms throughout the rest of the week I stayed close to home. Rosie's is just up the road so it was lovely to catch up for a little bit, but as soon as the black clouds began to gather I returned home.

Mr E was taking me out for dinner but we postponed it until Thursday evening, and this works for us as in our family we celebrate a birthday for three days.
We have an un-birthday, a birthday, and another un-birthday!

On Tuesday (the first un-birthday) my beloved brought me flowers and on my birthday a pair of beautiful silver and turquoise earrings plus a very special kitchen gift. Dinner at our favourite Indian restaurant on Thursday rounded the low key celebrations off wonderfully.

I was spoiled with gifts from my husband, but also from Blossom and my dear friends Rosie, Wendy and Margaret.

Some of the blessings...



So that's my birthday over with for another year.

I was 59 and have decided these next 12 months should be lived to the full as life is a gift from God and to be honest I don't think I've treasured this most amazing gift enough. 

It was Blossom who made me appreciate this life with a new clarity the other day as we huddled together with Cully May wedged between us on the couch, watching through her window the remnant of a storm passing over.

You see, my mum died when I was three and I have just two dim memories of her from the weeks just before a car accident took her life, but Blossom being so close to giving birth has been thinking a lot about my mother as this birthday drew near and talked to me about how the excitement and love she feels is just what my own mummy would have felt as her day of giving birth approached. Blossom's eyes filled with tears of joy speaking of this and then my own tears fell...from a deep happiness I'd never considered.

Isn't that beautiful? To suddenly realise at age 59 that you were once that child in the womb, eagerly awaited, loved and cherished...that the love your mother felt for you was very, very real, and even though you barely remember her it doesn't change the depth of her love and the joy she had with you for those precious first three years.

The gifts received for my 59th birthday were so beautiful, but the gift of Blossom's insight was the icing on the cake.

You know, precious one, you also have life and that is something to treasure.
I've had some shocking things happen to me over the years, but those events have not dominated my thoughts or my heart for many a year. Jesus tells us to put our hand to the plough and not look back...and that has been the one thing which kept me moving forward these 27 years as a Christian. 

It was so very clear to me that a field ploughed when looking back will never be a good field, will never achieve it's purpose. In fact it would make no sense. If I allow the past to hold my attention I will forever be immobilised from sowing the seeds of a healthy life crop and reaping the good fruits of my labour. 
This choice, because it is a choice, was not easy at first, and sometimes I slip up and endure a short season of wallowing and self pity, but it does me no good and robs my loved ones of precious memories we could be making in the 'now'.

So I choose to look ahead, right at Jesus, and to walk each day with eyes forward, letting go of the past and reaching ahead to what comes tomorrow - and in light of Blossom's words life is even more precious than I once believed.


Love


31 comments:

Karen said...

A three day birthday sounds wonderful! After all someone as important as Pooh had a number of unbirthdays! Lovely presents Jenny. You are very special! Karen, Hannah and Baa. xxx

Kay said...

Happy birthday, I am glad that it was so special for you. This is such a pretty pincushion, you really do have a gift when putting colours, fabrics, and pretty designs together. When I am waiting for something and need to fill my time I tend to read or cross stitch as the are things I can pick up and put down easily. Thank you for such a lovely post, I really do look forward to your posts as they cheer me up and inspire me to be better too. x

Sarah Beth said...

Oh Jenny, wishing you a year of health and joy. Grieving the loss of a mother is gut-wrenching eased a bit from the joy brought by those precious grandchildren. I pray that the Peace of Christ allows you to "plough" ahead in life with joy.

Little Penpen said...

Happy Birthday Jenny! I love Blossoms' insight too.... sometimes we forget that our mothers have been through most of what we feel, too. (good and bad) Your new pincushion designs are beautiful; praying for a safe delivery and a fun time for you and Cully May and the dog. :-))

april dawn said...

Thank you for sharing your heart. I'm having great difficulty lately not thinking about my past and it seems to be dominating my life right now. It seems to me that we have a lot in common including our age, I'll be 59 in April. Again, I thank God for leading me to your stitcheris and then to your blog and FB group. I love your posts, your words of wisdom. Praying for a safe and quick delivery for Blossom.

Anonymous said...

As my Mom turned 80 (in 2009) we also decided a single day wasn't enough and chose a 'birthday week'. Last year at age 88, I suggested a 'birthday month' seems more appropriate! Love your pocket pincushions and the perfect fabric you found to go with the stitcheries, just lovely. - Diane in Minnesota

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenny
Pin cushions are lovely..You are blessed indeed.. Wonderful to have a loving husband and children. I am not complaining when I say this because I have a loving Father God who loves me unconditionally but I have to say even so sometimes life hurts.. I have not had a card or gift from my hubby of 10 yrs since we have been married. (second marriage) No, sorry I take that back. I did receive a pair of cheap earrings the second Christmas.. not one gift of any kind since, not even a card. Cherish every day and every gift no matter how small. God Bless and I hope you have many many more years with your lovely family to make some more awesome memories. I love to see folks happy and living for Jesus.

Jenny said...

I love the pincushions! I'll be saving the patterns.

It sounds like you had a wonderful birthday. What treasures our families are! As I've gone through my life I often stop & think 'what was my mom doing when she was the age I am now?'. She was 40 when I was born so now that I'm 51 I cannot imagine having a house full of children at my age! When she was 55 my dad became paralyzed & she took care of him until he died. I can't seem to think how it would at my age to still have the hardest parts of my life ahead of me. I am so glad we don't know what's ahead.

But, also as I age & look at my son & grandson I stop & think....this is how mamma felt when I reached this point in my life! As children & young adults we don't always comprehend just hwo much our parents love us...sometimes not until we're parents ourselves. You've done well to teach your sweet Blossom. She's wise to already see this at her age.

Kathleen said...

It is very dangeroys for baby to be this post-mature. I hope blossom’s doctor is monitoring very clisely.

Barb said...

Happy Birthday, Jenny! Please know that this grandma in chilly Wisconsin, USA is praying for Blossom and her new little one. I'll bet you can't wait to hold your new grandchild! Those newborn days go by so quickly, especially for us grandmas.

Tammy said...

Although I've already wished you Happy Birthday. I am gonna wish you again. Happy Birthday to my dear friend Jenny. Whom I have never met in person may never ever meet but in Heaven. I love you. And I would happily share my Mum if we only lived closer. I show her your blog and read to her sometimes things you have posted. She loves to see what you make. Your Mother would be so proud of you Jenny. To know what love and pleasure you bring to others round the entire world. You are a wonderful Mother and Grandmother. You are a wonderful person. So filled with love. It overflows onto us your readers. It makes me want to be a better person. You also inspire me to create again. A part of me I thought was dead for so long. After the initial diagnosis and surgeries I lost my inspiration it has been dead for several years now. . And here I sit almost every night hand embroidering again... Reading your blog engaging with other women around the globe via your group. Thank you for my gift. The best gift ever. I love you and I am so happy to have you in my life. You must post some pictures of Cully Mae when she comes to visit. She is so adorable. I can't wait until she is old enough for you and Blossom to teach her to sew and craft...So I can see what she makes... So much to look forward to in life. I love you my Aussie friend.

Anonymous said...

Bonjour Jenny

BON ANNIVERSAIRE , bienvenue à ce nouveau bébé qui va bientôt arriver et remplir de joie et de bonheur votre maison et celle de ses parents .
bises de la France .
Françoise

fernandez said...

apreciada sra. jenny mil mejores deseos para usted en este nuevo cumpleaños,Dios Padre Hijo y Espiritu Santo me colme siempre de su bendicion,que bueno que oya estan en casa su hija y el bebe bendiciones para ello. Sra. Jenny me gustaria tanto hacer estos alfileteros, lamentablemente no los puedo comprar, podria facilitar algun diseño, por lo menos el corazon gueno si no se puedo no pasan nada
con mi cariño y mi corazon en cristo jesus
carme

Allie-oops Designs said...

I'm printing those stitcheries right now, dug into the archives and found them - my gosh they're gorgeous. I'm praying for Blossom right now, those last days of pregnancy feel like they last YEARS, and especially for her!! Three days of birthday, I think I could handle that, lol. I'll have to tell my boys. I'm glad you got spoiled sweetheart, you deserve it. You got some really lovely gifts!!!
I love Blossom's insight. I remember thinking too, when I was holding my newborn son, how much God must love us as His love is even greater than ours for our children....it was amazing to me!

Meg said...

Happy belated birthday to you, Jenny. It was lovely to read that you had a beautiful day. Meg:)

Victoria said...

A pincushion while you are on "pins and needles" How appropriate!

Anonymous said...

Lovely, thank you for sharing your heart.

Susan said...

What a wonderful insight from a darling daughter. She is so right! I have often thought of my mother on my birthday, because I know I was a difficult birth, and then I had pneumonia and had to stay in the hospital. It was an epidemic, and many babies never got to go home, so I think of my mother, and how she must have worried and prayed, because she was a woman of prayer and trust in the Lord.

I always like that analogy of the plowing and not looking back. Can you imagine how crooked the rows would be if we were looking over our shoulders as we plowed, instead of watching where the plow is heading?

Your pincushion is beautiful, of course! These stitcheries are just perfect for that purpose. I haven't had that kind of wait in a long time, so I'm not sure what I'd do, but what you're doing sounds like the perfect choice. Happy birthday, dear friend.

Farm Quilter said...

Considering my daughters were all late - 18 days and two that were 9 days - I totally understand how impatient Blossom is for "the day"! None of my babies wanted out and all had to be induced and the first was posterior like Blossom (not fun). Praying there will be a new family member to welcome this weekend after 3 hours of labor!!! Praying for you all and he/she will be a late birthday gift for you! Love your pin cushions. I find it interesting that the colors you choose to work with are not the colors/prints I would choose, but I always love them...I finally figured out why - they are peaceful and delicate. I'm more into the modern quilting thing of bold, solid colors, lots of negative space I can quilt to the max!

Karen said...

Such an exciting gift to wait for!

Nanna Chel said...

A happy belated birthday, Jenny. Blossom must certainly be feeling uncomfortable but bub will come at the right time as we know. Enjoy having Cully May with you. I will be praying for Blossom for a safe delivery.

Deborah said...

Happy belated birtday Jenny. I hope you have a wonderful 59th year! I just turned 59 on Tuesday so will share the last year in the 50s with you. Life goes so fast so I want to savour each day!

Jacqueline said...

I am glad you celebrated your birthday to its fullest. And thank you for giving us the pincushion details..your birthday, we get the gift. Hmmmm

Tammy said...

Jenny what is that appliance thing you got....

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Good luck on the birth of the new baby. We've been in Alaska, waiting for the birth of our first grandbaby (well over a week late so far, but, without all the side effects of your daughter, thank goodness). Hoping that we don't miss the birth, since our 2 weeks here ends Wed. Love the pin cushion.

barcord said...

Best wishes for your Birthday. What an exciting time for your family. Thinking of Blossom as she delivers this little one. So Glad she got through the pregnancy. Enjoy your time with Cully. Waiting in anticipation for the good news. Love your pincushions.xxx

Leeanne said...

A truly wonderful birthday! But the waiting for a new grandchild, so hard, thankfully you have your fabric and thread.

Ondrea said...

I love how you have used your stitcheries to make those pretty pin cushions. So good to hear that you had a lovely birthday . Cully May will love her surprise and will have a lovely time with nanna.

Gmama Jane said...

Jenny,
It's been awhile since I visited your blog. I mainly follow these days via Instagram but after reading your lovely a birthday post I realize how much I miss by not reading your lovely blog. Your words are ever so poignant and true! I can't wait to hear word of the new baby's arrival, safe delivery for Baby and Blossom and a detailed report on all the adventures of Nana & Cully!

Once again, your stitcheries are ever so lovely, give me a sense of peace, and remind me to value all the little beauties tucked away in drawers,closets, boxes, and pockets by bringing them out in open view to be used frequently!
blessings
Gmama Jane
Jane Ellen Hillis
Alabama, USA

Julie said...

I am not sure how I missed this post Jenny ... but Happy Belated Birthday my dear friend. I am wondering if you have a new grandchild arrived as yet ........ The waiting is the hardest.

Anneb said...

Happy belated birthday dear Jenny. I am collecting what I can and one day soon I will start to do all this lovely gifts on offering from you. Be blessed dear friend.