The first week of a new semester

The first week of the new semester is finished.  I ended the week well keeping grades up.  Every day I checked off homework as it was turned in and only had two students who didn't do their homework this week.  Those students got detention and sure enough, the next time homework was assigned, they had their homework.  It wasn't done well, but at least there was a small attempt, which is better than last semester.  I'm happy with the progress.  And I'm happy that I didn't have to bring any work home this weekend.

I didn't find any quilting or embroidery time this week because I was exhausted every day, but the weekend is here and it's a Binky Sunday tomorrow so I definitely have plans for working on quilts and making some more baby hats.  I have lots of crochet hats ready to donate the next time I drop off quilts at the Nurse Family Partnership.

Are you playing the PowerBall?  I plan to get a ticket.  I told my students if I win, I won't be at school on Monday.  I heard you have a better chance of getting killed by a vending machine falling over on you and squishing you, but hey, you can't win if you don't try.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today my mom turns 82.  Happy Birthday!  She has been such an inspiration to me!  From her love for the Lord, to her love for family and her strong work ethic she is such a great person.  She taught me how to sew and crochet and encouraged me to start my Binky Patrol chapter when I couldn't find anyone to take my crochet blankets and hats.  She drove me to countless piano lessons and ballet practices and listened to the squeaks of the clarinet and I was growing up.  She brought me clean clothes when I wet my pants in first and second and even third grade!  And she has always encouraged me to do my best, no matter what my latest obsession has been, although even she thinks having four dogs is too much.  She never was an animal person and swore she would never have a dog in the house until my first dog got attacked and had to have stitches and then became an indoor dog within the first week of owning her.  She put up with my huge bug collection from rolly pollies to slugs to earwigs and blackwidow spiders.  I had ducks and pigeons and baby blue jays and a dove (that I let go because I thought it would come back on its own-but it didn't).  She took me horseback riding with the neighbor kids and there was always room in the backyard for one more friend.

I hope you have a great birthday mom!  You deserve it. 

And yes, I have been doing a little bit of quilting.  I got a request for a quilt for a student who lost his home to a fire over break.  No, he won't be getting this girly one :)  But I need to be ready for the next request.

a rough day

Meetings before and after school made for a long day today.  Add rain almost all day and it made for a very draining day.  But coming home to four happy puppies, a warm bed and hopefully a good night's sleep and the promise that the week is almost over.

another child off to college

I took my son back to college on Sunday and the house is quiet again.  There are fewer dishes in the sink and more food in the refrigerator.  The laundry isn't piling up and things are back to the old 'normal'.  School is back in full swing and my plans to do more aren't working out as I had hoped.  I am keeping up with my workload at school.  I've let the kids know that this semester they will get a detention if they don't turn in homework and so far I've had to give out one detention.  That's a huge improvement over last semester when half the students 'forgot' their homework.  I guess having to spend extra time with me is a horrible torture. :)

My daughter's new dog

My daughter and her boyfriend (Josh) adopted a new dog on Dec 31.  Her name is Layla.  We are guessing Jack Russell/Boxer or Pit mix.  She's a cute, well behaved little girl and has had some training already.  She knows a lot of commands and is very quiet.  They already have a dachshund/chihuahua named Louie who is a giant spaz.  He is very hyper and barks at everything.  He isn't too sure about Layla just yet, but she is very tolerant of his over exuberant behaviors.  She's made the perfect addition to their little family.  I just wish I lived closer so I could bring my 4 dogs to visit.  What a party they could have!

Some more motivation

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/article_ee58a6af-7e50-520d-b10d-e11ef81fb058.html

Click on the link to read the story

I love reading stories like this.  This retired Richmond, Ca police officer is now using his time to make quilts for kids.  When he was young, he lived in a home for boys and that experience shaped who he is now.  He is paying it forward with the hope that the children who receive his quilts will one day spread the love they receive to the next generation.  I would love to meet this guy!

My hope is that the quilts I make will help kids feel love and feel like someone cares for them as well.

And they go away again

What a nice time, having my kids home again for Christmas.  I took my daughter back to the airport this morning and she took a piece of my heart with her.  She's in her 3rd year at UCLA and trying to figure out what to do next.  Grad school?  Find a job?  Internship?  Move back in with me?  Ok, so that last part isn't her option, but I always tell her she is welcome any time and haven't really touched her room except to store finished quilts while she is gone.  I know it won't be long before she stops coming home.  My oldest daughter didn't come home this Christmas.

Tomorrow I take my son back and then the house will be quiet again.  There will be fewer dishes to wash and less laundry to do and the routine of school and work will resume again.  Time marches on and doesn't stand still, no matter how much you wish it did.

Let's start the count

 To help keep me motivated, I'm going to start counting quilts again this year.  Here's #1 and 2 for the year and it's only day 2!  I'm working on #3 already, but I'm not so sure I can keep up this pace once school starts.  But at least I want to work on a little bit every day.  Little bits add up to lots by the end of the month.

Inspiration

http://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/fairfield/happy-girl-is-solano-countys-first-baby-of-2016/
Click on the above link to read the article.

When I went out this morning and saw the newspaper, there was an article about the first baby born in the New Year and her picture on the front page of the newspaper.  She's wearing a hat that is identical to the bunch I just donated this past week.  I'm not positive it is one of my hats, but it very well could be.  Pictures like this are my motivation to keep making and donating.  The closest I'm going to get for a while to grand babies is a picture of a baby wearing one of my hats :)

Resolutions

It's January 1 so that must mean time for New Year's Resolutions.  Some years I avoid making them because I know I will last two weeks if I'm lucky.  But this year my goals will be a daily challenge to do little things that will make a big difference at the end of the year.

My word this year is Faithful.  It comes from

Luke 16:10New Living Translation (NLT)

10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.

I tend to get lost in the big picture and feel overwhelmed with all that I need to accomplish and then nothing gets done.  I'm looking for smaller goals daily and to be faithful in the small things.  Those small things will add up.

This year I hope to write on my blog daily.  I was doing a really good job of it for several years and then this year came along and I really crashed.  2015 has been difficult.  From a non working quilting machine and nothing to really show, to my migraines and not wanting to complain, to premenopausal symptoms and dealing with depression, there hasn't been too much I've wanted to keep a record of, but I really do enjoy looking back over the years to see how the kids have grown and how the little bit I've been able to do on a daily basis has really added up.  

Now that my quilting machine is working again, I'm finding the time to get in and get quilting.  I've forgotten how much joy I get out of adding stitches to fabric and knowing that it will be given to someone who needs a warm hug.  Even if I never get to see the person who receives it.  I know each of us are put her on the earth for a short time and with a specific purpose and one of my purposes is to share my talents with others so they know they are loved.  I need to faithfully use those talents daily so that each month there are piles of quilts ready to be given when a need arises.

I also have a goal for making soft toys to be given to kids next Christmas.  I'm having fun with my embroidery machine and the little bits of fabric and stuffing along with some stitching are as much therapy for me as they will be a bright spot for a child at the end of the year.  I'm amazed at what 30 minutes can do.

I also have plans to be a better steward of my time.  I've found that I can waste a good bit of my day and look back and wonder where the day has gone.  Being purposeful of my rest time so I don't burn myself out, but also working when I'm supposed to and not just sitting on the computer or watching TV, but using downtime to crochet baby hats or blankets so that something useful comes out of previously wasted time.  You only get so many times around the sun and as I approach 50 years, it seems each time around is going faster and faster.

I hope that your 2015 ended well and wish you the best for the new year.  Looking forward to the adventures this year will bring.