Merry Christmas

It's going to be a full house for us this year, something I never imagined when thinking of our first Christmas in Green Bay. "Home" has been Saginaw for us for so long, I figured that's where the guys (and their girls, who all still have family there) would head for the holidays. It turns out that home is where I am (and Kent of course, too), even if they've never been here before. I can't tell you how much this surprises me and fills my heart with joy.

Silly girl that I am, I thought that I might actually get my Christmas Yet To Come quilted in time for this year, but progress has been slow. I'm struggling with the design for the quilting. The trend towards hyper-quilting continues and I've seen some so extraordinarily quilted that I am left breathless.

The truth is this style of quilting takes a lot of planning and marking, two things that I really don't enjoy (understatement here, loathe might be more accurate) when it comes to the quilting part. I'm more of a "quilt what comes first and figure it out as I go" kind of girl. So for now, I'm just finishing the ditch stitching and adding a quarter inch echo around the applique. Once the holiday has been savored I think my brain will clear and I'll be able to make a plan, or not plan, and move forward.

This has been a year of changes for us and changes can be very hard, even good ones. We love pretty much everything about Green Bay, but it still doesn't feel like home. There are days when I just want to put everything back where it belongs, where it sat for so long before.

Having the boys want to come here, just because we're here (well, there was also a promise of a tour of Lambeau Field but that came after the plans were made), both confounds and comforts me.

My wish for you, this holiday season, it that you'll find peace with where life puts you today, and revel in the joy and power of hope for tomorrow.