Day One - The Journey Begins

I took a little walk through the yard before we left. These white lilies I planted six years ago - the year after my parents died. I had placed them in the church on Easter in their memory and in my husband's parents memory. They come up every year and are more beautiful each year. The swing that overlooks the lake is a wonderful cool place to sit on a summer day and a perfect place for conversations with God.

Usually I have lots of blooming flowers on this deck but this year I knew we wouldn't be there to take care of them so it's a little bare but still the perfect place to sit and watch the boars go by.

It's hard to leave home when you know you won't be back for four months. And it's hard to leave knowing that all your "stuff" is staying there! We women and our stuff - aren't we funny about it. :) I had the hardest time deciding what sewing stuff had to go and what had to stay - I wanted to take it all!

As we pulled out of the driveway I put a CD in and the first song I heard was by Mercy Me - "Here Am I Lord, Send Me". If I needed a confirmation that we were doing what we were supposed to, I certainly got it - don't you just love when He does that?

My husband drove the truck and pulled the camper. We aren't living in it but we want to make a few weekend trips so we're taking it along. I drove the car behind him ... I thought this would be my view all the way to the mission.

But then I realized that God had rolled out the carpet for me - not a red one but a white lace one! it covered both sides of the highway all the way through Arkansas!

I got a fortune cookie at lunch and it said this...You first have to make an exit in order to make an entrance to something better. I love that.

A Break in the Packing

This little bunny with his Happy Spring is the project we made at Jo's Redwork Workshop a couple of weeks ago. I put the binding on last night - it was a welcome change from the organizing and packing!

Metamorphisis

From this:

And from this:

To this:

From this:

And from this:
To this:

This is why little girls are so much fun! :)

A Few Things I'm Thinking About

Last Saturday I went to a Redwork workshop that my dear friend, Jo, taught. She did a wonderful job and I'm almost, but not quite, ready to show you the finished product. I've always used an old plastic sewing machine surround (that doesn't fit the machine I have now) with a light under it to trace my applique and embroidery things. But Jo had one of these and it was so much easier! Lucky for me Hobby Lobby had their 40% off coupon in this week's paper so I just bought myself one. I've already used it several times and it's so much better than what I was doing.

I've been working hard to get this wool Folk Art quilt top finished before we leave. I have 3 borders on and the 4th one is ready to put on. Then I'll do the "filling in" where the borders go together with the rest of the flowers and vines and this top will be finished! It calls for hand quilting don't you think? Especially since all the applique is by hand. So it will have to wait until we return from our trip. But I do believe it's my favorite quilt I ever made! I know I said that about the redwork Christmas quilt, and the appliqued Pumpkin quilt, and the greenwork Herb quilt, but right now this is my favorite. :)

This little quilt pattern came brom a book called Prairie Children and Their Quilts. It's a great book that I picked up at the LQS. Have you noticed that several quilt books lately tell stories with their patterns? I have a couple that do and I've really enjoyed them. This one has some interesting history lessons. There's a little verse written on the light triangles that I doubt you can see in this picture. I intended to embroider them but when I saw how the words looked written with a brown Pigma Pen I decided to leave them - it looks antique. I used some of the Butterfly Gardens fabric from Moda - I love those dark, muted colors.

You all were so wonderful to advise me on things to take with me on this mission trip. I have a long list with several things I didn't think of. I'm starting the packing and I'm holding myself to whatever shoes will fit on this rack. I love shoes. I could take a lot more and would be happy to do so...but nope, only this rack.

I'm thinking about food...we won't need a lot because we will eat in the cafeteria during the week but we need a few staples. After I took this picture my husband suggested I add brownie mix and cookie mix. They are not on my diet! But maybe I'll lose another 5 pounds this week and I can have one or two - a girl can dream can't she? And since I have extra shampoo and lotion, etc. I'm taking those also. No sense in buying there what I can stick in the storage compartment of the camper.

I'm typing up instructions for the housesitters, I've cancelled the papers, and put the phone on "vacation." I'm almost ready. :)

Seeking Advice

Wow - not many people actually ask for advice do they? But here I am asking my however many best friends what would you do....

As you probably know my husband and I are leaving in a few days for a 4 month missionary trip to south Louisiana. We will have a 2 room furnished apartment to live in. Oh my, do you think we can survive 2 rooms? for 4 months? Anyway, it has linens and dishes, a couple of twin beds, two recliners and a television with DVD player, a stove and refrigerator. A washer and dryer are down the hall.

My question....what are the critical things you think you would want to have with you if you were leaving home for 4 months? Oh I know my sewing machine, and several projects. That's the first to be loaded. But what else? Clothes...I figure several pairs of capris, a couple pairs of slacks and a couple skirts with shirts that will interchange. And then there's the shampoo and deoderant and soap and toothbrush. Plus whatever medications. Beyond that I'm stumped. I'm sure there's a lot I'm going to want or need after I get there but for the life of me I can't think what those things are! Help me out here - what are your "don't leave home without" things?

Naptime On The Lake