Thursday, August 14, 2008

Children...

I remember a picture that I once embroidered... I used to do that you know... embroider... I think I began when I was around eleven. My mother was always crocheting or embroidering and I wanted to learn too so I could be considered more than a child. I was very good at it by the time I married at 18. I creweled a very large, gawdy, orange, sunset of a ship sailing into the sunset. Was that prophetic? I thought it romantic at the time as I embroided the tiny woman and child waving to her sailor. I learned to knit, crochet, embroider, cross-stitch, craft, and sew. My biggest claim to fame was when I sewed a baby-blue polyester suit coat for the love of my life! Although I didn't quite get the bias right on the lapel, and fashion tape wasn't invented back in 1974, my love wore it. Perhaps he only wore it when I was looking... but he wore it.
When my sons were small an annual effort was to sew matching outfits. They were ADORABLE if I do say so myself. Over the years I continued to collect fabrics, thinking I would begin to quilt... well... times and people change. My life became full of raising three very active boys. They consumed all my energy, trying to keep up with working full-time and shuttling them to skating rinks, baseball fields, and such. .. then I went to college. My first class in ernest was 10-years ago this January - Psychology 101 at Grand Valley State University... the same week my oldest son showed at my doorstep with a very pregnant girlfriend... do I drop my class? It's not too late... no, now more than ever I realized I was going to need tools to put in my psychological toolbox...my boxes of crafts were closed, I would get back to them. A couple years later, we downsized... moving away from the country and became full-time parents again... this time to a bright-eyed blonde grandhild. Sometimes I think he takes more energy than the three of my own put-together... but then I remember I'm not a young parent anymore.. The boxes and all of my cross-stiched pictures were sold. A symbolic closing of a chapter of my life. The territory ahead was uncharted... together my husband and I would make it through the unknown waters... we've been there before.. we'd make it through. We're still plugging through... there are no crafts to go back to. I now have books and classes and more of the unknown to wade through... I've learned that what is important is that wonderful man who would do anything to try to make me happy, who would wear anything...not to hurt my feelings... I'm still crafting... perhaps not with material items, but with developmental building blocks. My (our) latest project is showcased in the John Ball Park Zoo slideshow. It takes a lot of effort to raise another family, but the results are definitely worth it!

4 comments:

Mike said...

Yes. It's all worth it. If we allow ourselves to take the short view of life, It can a difficult thing for most of us to set ourselves aside for the sake of greater good. But there really is not much more important in this world than building relationships, and there is no greater good than giving of yourself for the sake of friends and relatives. That is the long view of life. That takes work. But it is the most satisfying work you can do in life. And it is worth it!

Lana Mae Kamer said...

I really admire you Joyce, for all your love and commitment to your kids and grandson. That's one of the many qualities I love about you and why I like having you for my friend and blog buddy!
See you soon~
Hey, the blog looks great and you are definately becoming more frequent with your posts-I love it!!

Lana Mae Kamer said...

Hey, Joyce~how about playing the tag game? Post 6 of your quirks and then tag 6 others to post theirs...very enlightening!!
Lana

alterego said...
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