Step One ...

You may recall that exactly one month ago the Butler worked his very last day at his previous job at our church.

Tonight they had us back to say goodbye. Saying goodbye did not work out on the first Wednesday of October because we had to make an urgent and unexpected trip to Chicago for his sister's funeral. So they called us up on stage and we had to talk in very loud microphones and answer questions about where we were going and what we were going to do.

Up until noon yesterday we were not going anywhere and had no idea what we were going to do.

And then we got The Phone Call.

Along with a job offer in North Carolina, The Phone Call said we had to leave Friday. THIS FRIDAY!

That is exactly 2 1/2 days to move!

Yee haw!

We're all over it.


So while we do the general "throw things in a box and take the sheets off the bed and drink the rest of the milk and cancel the bone scan for Monday" we are also reserving a truck, 3 days in a hotel, and searching the internet for rental houses.

We're making a mad dash to North Carolina where I will drive the car behind the truck and we will HOPEFULLY find a nice place to rent before I have to FLY BACK to Florida next week on Wednesday in order to be with my son while he has surgery on Thursday and the Butler starts a new job in North Carolina.

Whew! I always thought the pace of life in the south was sloooooooowwww.

I'll be dealing with the house, and packing up whatever remains after we move what the Butler needs to have up there. I'll be deciding whether to rent our house or sell, meeting with the realtor, helping our two boys who currently live at home to make decisions on what they will do, cooking for them while they finish this semester of school, and hopefully joining the Butler by the end of December.

Before you worry too much about our boys I have to tell you I remember asking my mom once, "Mom, how did you ever get (my brother) and me to move out of the house?"

"Don't you remember?" she asked me. "We left you and moved to another state."

I HAD forgotten. When I was 20 and still living at home my parents sold our house and everything in it and packed a tiny U-Haul truck to move from the Chicago area to the Atlanta area.

They left us behind.

And it was the best thing they ever did for us.

We grew up.

And before you worry too much about me doing all this on my own I should tell you that we've done this before. Exactly 18 years ago we moved to Florida with a rented truck full of our stuff and 3 small children (one still nursing) and arrived with no place to live.

But even before that, the Butler left 6 weeks earlier for training while I stayed at our house to pack it up and sell it. With 3 small children (one still nursing).

So it's an adventure for the whole family. And I'll be a little busy for awhile. I'll take my camera and bring back pictures which I will post when I have the time. But for now I leave you with this, because this is what I am dealing with.

Don't worry, the car does not need to fit in the garage because the Butler is keeping the car with him in NC and I will be borrowing one of the boys' cars when I need to have one.

This should be interesting ...

It's Baaaaaaaaaaaaack ....

Remember 2007?

Remember 2008?a

Now it's 2009's Handmade Holidays at Sew, Mama, Sew.


But that's not all ...

We also have this ...

It really is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

All Around the Blogosphere ...

I always see more stuff to do than I actually have time to do. Do you?

I love this DIY idea for a sideboard made with cheapie cabinets from you neighborhood Home Depot. You can dress them up but you'd better not take them out. Just leave them in the dining room to wow your friends and neighbors. And just THINK of the storage!!

When we built our house we bought free hanging mirrors (well, they weren't free but they did hang) instead of the stock mirrors that are usually hung over bathroom vanities. We get lots of compliments on them as something clever. Now you don't need to switch out new mirrors for old. You can go to mirror mates to order the frames.

And this doll quilt has got to be he easiest peasiest fun I've seen in a long time. You don't have to know how to quilt. You barely have to know how to sew. I can't wait to make this for someone special. A very small dolly-lovin' girl.

Here is an art project for us kids ... okay, for us kids at heart. Truly I think this is pretty enough to frame. Colorful and simple and fresh. And fun. And likely pretty easy if it is geared to kids. Just my level of artform.

This is my kind of pillow. I'm adding it to my "I should do this" list. You know ... in my spare time.

You can get a kick start into the holidays with this little ornament. It looks easy enough to make a one or two or twelve.

I also want to try making hexagons. Then I want to try doing them better. And then I want to use this hexagonalistical inspiration to create something clever. Maybe a tiny little clever thing. Like another doll quilt. Or a pillow. For my toothbrush. Think small.

But ... alas ... the Butler has me attacking a to-do list. Actually it is HIS to-do list. He keeps checking things off that I am doing. Today I made him let ME initial those items. I also added a circle around my initial and a star ... a big star ... next to it.

Can you say "TASK ORIENTED"?

He says that is really important because surely God has bad eyesight and will need that BIG star to know whose crown to place those extra jewels.

Yeah ... that's what I'm saying ...

Meanwhile ... I am going to change his name from "The Butler", which implies that HE does things for ME, to "the Chore Nazi".

Anyhoo ... we are getting some things done. More on that later. But here is a hint. It involves my training as a dental assistant. With a hammer rather than a drill. Ouch!

Don't Look Now ...

. . . but I seem to have pirated the computer for the morning. One is at school, one is asleep, and the Butler, who is currently unemployed, is volunteering at the H1N1 hot line in town.

He left me to my own devices, which includes drinking lots of tea and water, taking Vitamin C by the boatload, noshing on echinaccia, and tossing down Airborne. I have a sore throat, and congestion that seems to be settling in my chest. Not a good place for someone with asthma.

I am so very rarely sick. In fact, the last time I was sick was in 2002 when I got the influenza and the following bout of pneumonia. Bad news but I clearly recovered.

Since then I get a flue shot every year.

And this is not the flue. I don't ache and have a fever. It's just a simple cold virus or bronchitis. Still, it is a great excuse to loll around all day and play. You know, rather than loll around half the day and play.

Soooooooooo ...

Since it has been quite a long time since I filled you in on some things, I am going to take this opportunity of owning the computer to do so.

Best done in bullet form I think.

With pictures.

• Fall has come to central Florida and we are loving every open window minute. I cleaned off the back porch, dusting and sweeping and hosing it off, liberally applying multi-layered treatments of mosquito-be-gone chemicals, and we can now sit out there during the morning and evening hours. Lovely.

The only trees in town to change color in the fall are these. They go from green, to yellow, to orange, and finally to a rusty brown that I suppose must fall. It's not even the leaves, but some sort of autumn foliage all over the trees. They are really lovely, and I have no idea what they are.

Note to self: eighteen years in Florida ... do the research.

• GB has an itch. We are dosing him with Benedryl. I myself spent every childhood summer sleeping from the effects of Benedryl for allergies. Back then there were not many other choices.

He is doing a lot of this lately.

• Lucy is here. This is the only picture I have, blatantly stolen from her daddy's facebook page. I love Lucy (heart heart). That afghan was crocheted by her (other) great aunt.
  

• The Butler is spending an inordinate amount of time on the computer. He is taking classes through Liberty University. Right now he is studying poetry in his English class. So this is what he loves to do. He's reciting poetry on bended knee. Yeah ... whatever.

He is also looking for a new job. We're praying for God's very clear direction in THAT ONE OPEN DOOR. Several have closed and we thank Him for each one. We want to be right where He wants us, not heading in the wrong direction.

• This is my nephew and niece. This was taken at the funeral for their mama a couple of weeks ago. They are fine young people and she would be so proud of how they handled this crisis. The young man is Lucy's daddy. He left his wife back home 9 months pregnant, hovered over by her mom and in touch constantly through cell phone and texting. He apparently gave her belly a talking to before he flew several states away. "Stay right where you are until I get back." And she did.

• I went to a baby shower yesterday, before I got my sore throat. I sure hope I am not responsible for getting anyone else sick. Especially the sweet mama to be.

• I made baby Scarlett a quilt. Her grandma will make her a quilt too. I hope she uses them both to the point of frazzle. As pretty as they are, that is what they are made to do.

• Speaking of quilts. Remember this pile of colorful fat quarters??

Done! This is a baby boy quilt, heading for Illinois in January. Quilts are a necessity in Illinois in January.


It was my first attempt at free hand quilting all over on the machine and I am so very pleased with the way it turned out.


I made a love corner.

I have another just like it being pieced right now. For a MOPS mama due in 2 weeks with her 2nd little boy.

• In other news ... nix the pics please ... Our youngest, the one that just turned 19, has a hernia.

He's named it Dave.

He is facing some outpatient surgery in a couple of weeks. I'll keep you posted and will likely ask you to pray if you feel led. It's a minor thing ... you know ... unless it is you. Then it's kind of major.

• We have been visiting churches around town to decide which one we now want to get involved with since the Butler is no longer a Pastor. We have been so delighted to see what is going on in other churches. Great preaching, wonderful teaching, worshipful music with lyrics you can really think about, outreach to the community, mission involvement, youth excitement, friendly congregations, and I could go on and on.

Since we have been at the same church for nearly 12 years, life has evolved outside of our small circle. It's a pleasure to see the Body of Christ at work in the Church at large.

We are narrowing down our choices. So far we have visited a Baptist Church, a Non-denominational Church, an Evangelical Free Church, and a Presbyterian Church. Clearly we are not all about the name. In fact, there are even a few doctrinal differences that we can live with.

Major on the majors ... that is our mantra.

Focus on the things that unite us and not the things that divide us.

Heaven is going to be one happy place.

Nineteen!

Last year of teenagerdom


First year of college.

First year of getting numbered help from a girlfriend.


Pretty soon ALL my babies will be in their 20s.

Swamp Tales ...

I have not posted for 15 days! FIFTEEN DAYS!

Whew. Okay then ...

We made that quick trip to Illinois and had a wonderful visit with the Butler's family. It was so good to be with his siblings and our nieces and nephews. Those we did not see we spoke to on the phone. I gave Lucy's dad her baby quilt and hopefully it made it back home okay. Lucy should be making her arrival any day now.

The funeral for the Butler's sister was very good. Those are always hard, but seeing friends and family was a highlight.

Then we came home and got right into the swing of being unemployed. The Butler is applying for all kinds of jobs. One door closes, and he tests another. God is so good. With a willing and passionate heart for ministry, I can't imagine that He will allow the Butler to sit on the sidelines for long.

In an effort to establish that I myself am willing to go anywhere that He may call us to go, I will be applying for a passport, which I have never owned. It has never been my desire to go outside of the country, especially if it involves flying over large bodies of ocean. But I need to make sure God has me 100%. So this is my way of proving it.

Today is a rare day indeed. I have the house all to myself. This has not happened for a long time. With two college boys in the house, and the Butler not working, we are all tripping over each other.

But today one boy is working all day. And the Butler and the other boy are in The Swamp. You know ... not the swamp ... as in murky, dirty, gator infested waters. But The Swamp ... as in sunny, pleasant, noisy, Gator infested stadium. They will be rooting for our team. I'll be rooting from the couch here in the family room, finishing up a baby afghan as I yell at the tv and try to give Tim all the help he can get against the Razorbacks.

If you don't hear from me for awhile it is because we have one computer in a house with 3 students, 2 of them online, and one very persistent Butler looking for a job. I just fall pretty low on the totem pole.

Around the Blogosphere and More Important Matters ...

I just love these Branch and Bird tiny quilts by Candy at Candied Fabrics.

Go help this fellow blogger win the washer and dryer of her dreams. She has well over 30,000 comments. It takes a while to load the comment page but do it anyway ... for her.

It's time so start planning on how to not go crazy this Christmas season. You know ... finding the real meaning and everything. This might help. It looks good to me.

And also this one. Has anyone ever seen Susan Branch's seasonal books? I have not, but I am looking for the autumn book at the library this weekend. I need me some autumn.

Thanks to Sarah for the recommendations. I have a 4 page running list of books. So many books ... so little time.

And I wish I could sew like this. Well, actually, I probably can. I just need a small girl to sew for.

And if I did have a small girl to sew for, she would definitely be getting this set for Christmas. Oh, how DARLING!!

One of my new favorite sites is Raised in Cotton. I just love the pictures of her beautiful home. Isn't that stained glass door just delicious? Well, I mean, if glass can taste good ... this one is definitely in great taste.

Sew Mama Sew is stash busting this month. I can't wait to get rid of some of my scraps and get some Christmas gifts done at the same time.

Today is Friday. Yes, it really is. The weeks sure do fly by.

Our boy with the MRSA is doing great! Just great! I cannot believe the appetite that has reappeared on this guy. He lost 7 pounds off his already lean frame during his MRSA illness. But he is quickly making up for the loss. His girlfriend has been diagnosed with staph infection on her leg. She does not have the MRSA variety thank goodness, and is completing a successful treatment as we speak. She'll be home for the weekend and they can compare scars.

A couple of bigger things really are happening around here. The Butler's sister passed away suddenly and unexpectedly about a week ago. We are not sure exactly when. She lived by herself and was found on Monday afternoon. She has two grown children, one in college and another married and expecting a first baby. She missed the birth of her first grandchild by just a couple of weeks. The grandbaby is Lucy, the recipient of the quilt I made last month.

So the Butler and I will be making a very quick trip to central Illinois next week to participate in her memorial service and spend a few days with his other siblings. Although the purpose for our trip is a sad one, we are so happy to be able to see the family and get a little taste of the midwest autumn that we miss so much.

And finally, the Butler will no longer be a Pastor as of next Wednesday. At least, he will not be on the pastoral staff of a church. In a four year journey of ups and downs, and a bit of a tug of war with what we heard from God on the subject, he resigned his position last August and will be moving on.

We're not sure where. Or when. We just know it was time. We enjoyed a farewell lunch with the staff yesterday, and this weekend is our last weekend in attendance there. We'll be searching for a new church to worship with by next weekend, and a job of course.

We are praying simply for His will and His provision. We are not putting God in any kind of box. We're leaving all details up to Him. He likes it that way. And we're taking the verse from Ephesians for this season, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

So ... on that note we say, "GO GOD GO!"

And we will be sure to give you the glory.