This has been a terribly busy week here as I pack and get ready to move two weeks from today to my new home in Valley Center, Ks. Every day I have gone through stuff, little by little, decided what to keep, what to store, what to get rid of. And with all of the "surprises" that I've found as I packed, I think I should have to move more often! :)
It's pretty amazing what you come across when you finally start looking through things. My cache of " So dang, THAT'S where that went!" things includes a brand new book of stamps, a $20 bill folded into the pocket of my old winter coat, the seed catalogues that I looked "high and low" for last spring, plus a library book that I was sure I'd have to pay for sooner or later! And among those things and many more, I came across 3 small boxes with my mom's handwriting printed on the top. Although it had been almost 7 years since I saw them, I knew exactly what I'd find inside of them.
It's pretty amazing what you come across when you finally start looking through things. My cache of " So dang, THAT'S where that went!" things includes a brand new book of stamps, a $20 bill folded into the pocket of my old winter coat, the seed catalogues that I looked "high and low" for last spring, plus a library book that I was sure I'd have to pay for sooner or later! And among those things and many more, I came across 3 small boxes with my mom's handwriting printed on the top. Although it had been almost 7 years since I saw them, I knew exactly what I'd find inside of them.
My mom loved to embroider things~that woman could sit for hours watching her favorite TV shows, like "Walker, Texas Ranger" and make endless, colorful satin, chain, and lazy daisy stitches. It was her passion, an inevitable way to relax as well as keep her arthritic fingers as nimble as she could. Wasn't unusual at all to stop by her home on any given day and find her there on the couch, needle and embroidery thread in hand wearing a shiny thimble on her right thumb and a nice smile on her face.
I don't really recall a time when she didn't embroider and the 5 years or so, prior to her entering a nursing home in 2003, it seemed like she always was working on some project or another. All of us kids, brothers and sisters alike, were the recipients of many tea towels, pillow slips, table cloths and dresser scarves. It always pleased Mom to know that we actually took them home and put them to good use instead of just laying them away in a drawer somewhere to keep them looking "nice." They were to be pieces of utilitarian work, not some fancy thing that from time to time you saw as you were laying away the "next" piece. She was like that and so am I.
Once I remember being at her house and noticing her working on a set of pillow cases, not at all unusual for her to do. But what was strange was a box sitting next to her and a handwritten note slipped inside. I recall asking her who the pillow slips were for and she asked me to read the message that was nestled inside the box. With tears in my eyes, I read this message she had written to my eldest son, Ricky Miller.
"These are for you when you get married as I have given most of my married grandkids a set of pillow cases when they got married. Not knowing how long I'll be able to embroider, I decided to do them now. Thank your mother for saving them for you. With all my love, Grandma
Date: 11-12-02"
I remember her grinning at me and motioning to a stack of 2 other boxes and inside of them were the finished pillow cases for my two other children, Grahame and Ursela, with similar messages inside. It got to me that day and truth be told, there are huge tears rolling down my face now as I try to type these words. For the last 10 years, I have kept them safe and secure in my possession and I had almost forgotten they were there until I started cleaning out my closet in preparation for moving to Valley Center. This morning I found them....
You know, I didn't take them out of the box...only peeked inside to see Mom's beautiful stitchery. I wanted my children to see how she had left them, exactly as she had put them inside the box. Taking them out ahead of time, almost seemed like it would interrupt the natural way her hands long ago had placed them in there. Don't know if you can understand how I felt about it~but it was a strange feeling to see them there.
You know friends, I always tried to be a "good girl", to do exactly as my parents asked of me....but this time, I'm going to go against my mom's wishes and actually I think she would understand completely. When Mom wrote in her note, "Not knowing hold long I'll be able to embroider, I decided to do them now", I think in her heart what she was really telling them was that she didn't know how much longer she would be here with us. As it turned out, she passed 5 years later at the age of 87.
When I read the messages that she had left to my kids this morning I stopped to think, "Hey I might not be around here either Mom" so I made my own "Plan B" and married or not, I'm giving them to them now. Later on this spring and summer, all 3 of them are taking out to places far from our home here in south central Kansas and when they leave, their pillow cases will be packed in with all of their other belongings. When they lay down to sleep, in Kent, Ohio~Tulsa, Oklahoma~or Phoenix, Arizona their heads will be resting on pillows covered up by their grandma's love for them. Knowing my mom, I think she'd be glad to know they did that.
Are you hanging on to anything my friends that are you afraid to use? I know that I've done my share of it in this life. But just for today, how about going to the place where you keep it hidden and tucked away and actually get it out to use it for a change. It may well be one of the best ways to honor the person who gave it to you in the first place....after all, you were the person it was intended for. :) Have a great weekend and enjoy this beautiful weather that most of our nation is now enjoying!
Made by my mom's hands for 3 of her grandchildren~She is now resting in Heavenly peace~Handmade gifts given to Ricky, Grahame, and Ursela and a special gift to me this morning to find them.
You know, I didn't take them out of the box...only peeked inside to see Mom's beautiful stitchery. I wanted my children to see how she had left them, exactly as she had put them inside the box. Taking them out ahead of time, almost seemed like it would interrupt the natural way her hands long ago had placed them in there. Don't know if you can understand how I felt about it~but it was a strange feeling to see them there.
You know friends, I always tried to be a "good girl", to do exactly as my parents asked of me....but this time, I'm going to go against my mom's wishes and actually I think she would understand completely. When Mom wrote in her note, "Not knowing hold long I'll be able to embroider, I decided to do them now", I think in her heart what she was really telling them was that she didn't know how much longer she would be here with us. As it turned out, she passed 5 years later at the age of 87.
When I read the messages that she had left to my kids this morning I stopped to think, "Hey I might not be around here either Mom" so I made my own "Plan B" and married or not, I'm giving them to them now. Later on this spring and summer, all 3 of them are taking out to places far from our home here in south central Kansas and when they leave, their pillow cases will be packed in with all of their other belongings. When they lay down to sleep, in Kent, Ohio~Tulsa, Oklahoma~or Phoenix, Arizona their heads will be resting on pillows covered up by their grandma's love for them. Knowing my mom, I think she'd be glad to know they did that.
Are you hanging on to anything my friends that are you afraid to use? I know that I've done my share of it in this life. But just for today, how about going to the place where you keep it hidden and tucked away and actually get it out to use it for a change. It may well be one of the best ways to honor the person who gave it to you in the first place....after all, you were the person it was intended for. :) Have a great weekend and enjoy this beautiful weather that most of our nation is now enjoying!
Made by my mom's hands for 3 of her grandchildren~She is now resting in Heavenly peace~Handmade gifts given to Ricky, Grahame, and Ursela and a special gift to me this morning to find them.
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