StitchinByTheLake

There can't be anything better than loving what you're doing and doing what you think you're called to do. When Jerry and I decided to come on this four month mission trip there were several times when we looked at each other and said, "what in the world were we thinking?" There were way more times when family and/or friends said, "what in the world are you thinking?" But here we are, more than halfway through our commitment, and more than ever certain that this was the right decision. We love it here and despite the difficulties of being in a place for four months that isn't our home we've been thrilled to be here. Make no mistake there are difficulties. It's hot - and it's humid. The water smells terrible, tastes worse, and is turning all my clothes yellow when I wash them. The apartment is small and in order to sew using my machine I move everything from the corners where I've stashed the necessary "stuff" to the living room of the dorm, do my sewing, and move it all back. I move on Friday and move back on Sunday morning. And if you sew at all you know it's a lot of "stuff." Storage is where you make it, and we've been inventive. We eat in the cafeteria all week, and while that sounds like heaven..not having to cook, you eat what they cook even if it's fattening. Especially if it's fattening! They are wonderful cooks and I'm fighting to keep off that 20 pounds I lost before I came here. So far I've managed to do it but trust me, it's hard. We are spoiled at home by having two bathrooms. Here we have one and we're grateful to have it and not to have to use the communal dorm bathroom! But you know what? It's hot and humid at home - even hotter than here on some days. My clothes will be white again after a couple of washings back home. I'll be back in my private bathroom and luxuriating in my sewing room where everyting is in one room and stays there and I'll be missing it here. I'll miss the friends we've made, the weekly missionaries I've grown to admire and enjoy, and the quietness of the life here. This place fills me with joy and wonder and pride. It's so uplifting to see God's work being done every day and knowing that people are being touched and helped by the things we do. We go home October 1, but we'll be back. Oh yes, we'll be back. I might be addicted.


I finished the small quilt I made from the leftover piano bench fabric. Can you tell I hand quilted it? Go me! I don't make the smallest stitches but I sure did enjoy it.
And I finished the last flower in the border of this quilt top this week! This one has been about 4 or 5 years in the making. It's machine pieced, hand appliqued using the needle turn method, and the flowers in the border are raw edge applique using a hand blanket stitch.

Remember those bags I made last week? I liked them. I liked making them. I made some more!

I even made a couple of potholders....

and two more Schnibbles pincushions! It was a good week. :)