Family ties become heartstrings in life ...

We all look forward to fall after a summer here in Arkansas. Seasons here are different; a nice fall, a short winter, a quick spring, then the 100 degree days of summer. And it seems we cannot wait for the hint of fall to come. Now that it is here, we get rain that we desperately need and the trees turn vibrant shades to remind us that another year is winding down.

We also look around to touch and reach to our families as holidays approach. We (the parents) are aging. We have lost, or are losing, our grandparents and parents. We now see our children that were once small children around the 'kids table' now hosting dinners, or raising their own children that will someday take their places at the kids table. Or our children are so far away that we are not able to see them on a regular basis or invite them over for dinner to make noise around our house. Phone calls, email, Skype, texts, all replace that personal touch of having the now grown children around.

This September I was able to take an extended trip to South Carolina, Connecticut and Massachusetts.  Our first stop was Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. My niece and her longtime boyfriend got married on the beach -- it was wonderful to see my sisters and their families. 



Sisters n bride: L-R Sherry, Kim (bride), Me, Holly



Every one is so grown up! My niece and her now husband have a 3 year old daughter and a 3 month old baby girl who was born in August with a heart defect. The baby has been in the pediatric cardiac unit since birth and 2 days after the wedding, the call came that a heart was available, so the family disappeared like right now! It was for a good reason, but I didn't get enough time with my sisters.  Oh well ... I made a trip to the local quilt shop ;>  I found some awesome fabric by Deb Strain in a layer cake that will become a quilt for the newest niece, Starr. She is now 3 1/2 months old, recovering well from the heart transplant and her mom has just started getting to hold her the past few weeks. She will need a quilt to grow with (what I do best !)

The next stop was Connecticut to visit with my partner's son and wife who just had their first child in August, our first grandson.  Since last spring I have been planning, sewing, quilting. I am learning how to use my embroidery module and made burp cloths, a quilt to match the nursery, a second quilt designed by Grampa, more burp cloths for the niece's daughter in the hospital ... and now we got to meet him !  He is absolutely adorable by the way!

Now the best part -- saving it for last. My daughter moved to Cape Cod back in 2005, we moved from Virginia to Arkansas in 2007. I got to see her for a few days in February 2007, but that seems like soooo long ago.  We talk quite a bit, but nothing is better than some mom-daughter days. The stay in Connecticut was 3 hours from her, so we drove to Cape Cod to visit. She surprised me by talking my son into driving up from Virginia (he is stationed @ Quantico) and I got to see BOTH my kids!  Can you hear me whoop from there ?  I was the happiest momma on the planet !

I miss family dinners, holidays with lots of family running around, both big little and in-between, talking, eating, planning, catching up.. or planning something for a birthday .. it was so ingrained in me for so long. Now I resort to the hope that I can keep the strings of my family in my heart and never let go. 

Til next time .. I'll be in my sewing room ...

Dee