A little nuts

I gave this card to Hannah's teacher. I wrote "Nuts about you," under the squirrel. I thought it turned out really cute. The pattern (as are all other cards I've stitched) is by Form-A-Lines.

Thanksgiving handmade cards

Love is in the air collage

I've been missing playing with photos (while my computer was in the shop), so I decided it was time to create a new photo collage. For fun, I included the original photograph for you to compare with the finished collage.

I took the original shot after Hannah had spent the day at her school's fall fair, where she had her hair dyed with temporary pink and blue highlights! And the little stuffed chick is a beanie baby she won at the fair. (Notice the big "kiss" on her cheek. She made her daddy's heart stop a moment when she gleefully announced that a "big boy" had kissed her!) That was one happy girlie!

Enjoy!

From this:

To this:

Still my little girl...

Don't let the "tough girl" picture fool you: this girlie is as sweet as they come! Case in point:

~ When her class was still doing ITBS testing this year, she giddily reported, "We're still getting yummy snacks! Goldfish and grape juice!" even though testing was done for the week. I'm glad she gets excited over little things like "kid" snacks.

~ When asked during a game what age she'd like to be and why, she said, "Sixteen. Because I would like to drive a car." That's my red-blooded American tween! ha!

~ During her prayers, she still prays for "everybody in the world." That's her standard. But they're getting deeper. She recently prayed for some friends who are having trouble in school: "Help them to be on the right path to You, Jesus, so they make sure to get to heaven." And last but not least, during mealtimes, she still prays for our pets, Sonny and Jacky. She's a faithful pet-owner!

~ When asked why in the world she didn't tell someone she was feeling so sick until she got home from school: "I had no strength," she said. "I didn't even have the strength to tell Mrs. Solomon, to go up to her desk. I felt so chilled and when I felt my skin I was so hot. I just laid my little head down because I couldn't do anything else."

~ When asked, during a game, what would be the title of a book she'd write: How I Survived the Last Days. She's very interested in end time events according to the Bible.

* * *

In other news, this past Thursday I gave a presentation to Hannah's class on Boundaries: When you should say "no." It went really well! I told them that many people--family, friends, teachers--will have expectations of us in life. And that it's really important that we ask ourselves every now and then, "Is this a reasonable or unreasonable expectation of me?" If it's not, they should have the right and the responsibility to tell people in their lives. That they don't *have* to say yes to everything, especially something that might get them into trouble.

I had an activity with balloons, another one with cups of water, and yet another that involved Indian Wrestling! ha! They seemed enjoy it. The only downside was that I realized too late that I did not have enough balloons to go around for them to take home. Note to self: bring enough for each kid next time! ha! I feel badly about it enough to go buy another bag and have Hannah hand them out sometime in the next few weeks.

One girl had the expression of losing her bestest friend when I said all the balloons were given out! But Hannah came to the rescue! My little helper, clasping the balloon I'd given her, gently wiped the spittle off the balloon she'd been blowing on and offered hers to the girl. What a trooper! And you know what? The other girl, looking mortally offended at the still-wet-from-Hannah's-mouth balloon, shrugged her shoulders, took the balloon and marched triumphantly away. I decided to ignore any squeamish thoughts inside me that screamed of "Germs! You shouldn't share Germs!" and, gently squeezing my daughter's shoulder, declared it a DAY.

An old jalopy

An old "jalopy." Isn't that a fun word?? Anyway, here's a card I stitched for my uncle, who owns a truly antique car (Model-A? Model-T? can't remember which one). I believe it's the same one my grandpa and grandma used to go on their honeymoon around 1930 or 31.

I used a rich, deep turqoise thread for the main body of the vehicle, in addition to the black varigated thread for the tires. Hope you enjoy!

All for now,

Tricia

Thoughts on becoming a STATISTIC

Well, it's been three weeks since we found out John's company is letting him go in November (as well as two others). Turns out the company has been affected by the recession more than was thought at first. The first week, we were so shell-shocked, we just sort of sat around for a couple of days and let ourselves feel numb. Well, at least I did. John, however, got cracking around Day Two by tweaking his resume and making phone calls regarding our new tight budget.

We couldn't even really tell family for a while--it seems like every person you tell makes it more real, you know?

I don't think I've ever had so many questions about the future:

* What will we do about insurance?

* Will we need to get on unemployment for a while?

* Will we both need to work 1,000 jobs to make ends meet?

* Why did this have to happen before Christmas, of all things?

* Where will we be living 6 months from now? Will I like living there though I'm once again, far from kith and kin (aka: my mommy and daddy)?

* Will this help me truly realize how dependent I am on God, that I am nothing, and have nothing, without Him?

I guess the last question is really and truly the only one that matters in His book. In the last three weeks, I've heard some awesome, encouraging sermons, heard about others' plights that are FAR worse than our own, read Scriptures that just really seem to hit on what we're going through, and best of all, have not had the DEEP DARK depression that has so often plagued my existence. In the face of a stressor such job loss, that, my dear ones, is a miracle from above.

I don't know the future, but I know we are in his Almighty, capable, providing hands. And there's no place else I'd rather be.

Two pretty cards

Goodness, I realize it's been a month since I've posted anything. I have lots to say, but tonight I'm just gonna post a couple of cards I made. You can't really tell, but the first one has three- dimensional elements on the left side.

I'll try to write more again soon.

All for now,

Tricia