I know I posted a picture of this blanket already, but it didn’t have a cute baby on it. I like this one better.
Blanket plus baby
Category: Life according to Angela
A heavy time
I got new glasses last week, my first pair since 1999. I don’t love them, but I am so glad to have new ones. I put off getting glasses because I was holding out for a new style to come forward that I would like. Now I am just one with the masses, with dark plastic frames which dominate my face. Still, I am so grateful…and trendy.
This weekend, burdened with worry, I said a simple prayer, repeating its phrases over and over, “I know Thou has a plan for us. I will trust the plan. I will trust that it is beautiful and perfect for each of us.” It was incredibly helpful.
Artist’s hand
It’s interesting that Paige took a picture of her hand this week. Last night she was in a skating accident and the nail of her ring finger was crushed off by someone’s ice skate and the finger is fractured where the nail once was. I met her at the medical clinic after it happened. I thought of my friends, who have sons and daughters living far away for school and missions, who can’t run to their children when they get hurt. I felt grateful that I could do that.
As we pulled into a pharmacy to buy band-aids and ibuprofen at 11 pm, Paige received text after text from her Relief Society president asking how she was doing. Good job, President.
Now, let’s pray that she heals quickly and can get back to drawing for her classes soon.
Some resolutions
I have a few New Year’s resolutions, some private, and a few that anyone may know:
1. No cell phone use when a family member is in the room. If I have to look at my phone with family, keep it to necessary correspondence and get off quickly.
2. Read every day.
3. Learn family members’ cell phone numbers.
4. Write to my grandmother once a month.
Baby quilt
A lot on my mind
I have so many concerns right now, but for some reason I went to the quilt shop yesterday, bought fabric, and made a quilt. It helped me sort some things out in my mind. Winter is so rough for the members of my ward. I do what I can, pray, and quilt out my worries.
Life’s work
Each morning I get up to say goodbye to two of my boys as they go to school. I don’t love that part of my day. I clean the kitchen and wake up Mark, and home school begins.
I have no amazing educational activities to post, but I teach him every day. He reads a lot; I read to him. There are library trips where we fill the book bag until it is so heavy that I can hardly carry it. We talk as he does math problems and I let him doodle on his assignments. I ask him to write essays and book reports, label maps, and write history summaries. There are drawings, diagrams, and charts for science. Some grammar exercises are really difficult for me, and I don’t have a teacher’s edition. In fact, I erase Paige’s old 5th grade workbook so Mark can reuse it, one or two pages each day. There are spelling words to learn and cursive handwriting to practice. Sometimes he has a terrible attitude about writing. Some days it takes hours to do what should take 20 minutes. Sometimes I fall asleep when I am reading aloud to him or I get a phone call from someone who is upset and I ignore him for 20 minutes. We take a break from each other at lunch time.
We have this whole school life that no one really acknowledges. Even I don’t talk or write about it most of the time. But it’s my life’s work, however unseen and unrecognized. We simply sit in the basement, surrounded by books and colored pencils, studying and writing.
Today I remind myself that the small, consistent efforts in life are the the most real, because they make us who we are.
2016 Quilt
I kept a big secret this year, a quilt I have been working on since January. I took part in a “Block of the Month” opportunity in my neighborhood quilt group. Each month, we learned techniques to make a new square. I decided to sew two of each and make a quilt for Paige. I learned a lot, and it was a big challenge. Every month when I would complete my squares, I wished I could share them with you. I would hide the fabrics and all evidence of my project whenever Paige would visit. I finished the quilt in time to give it to her for Christmas. Here is how it turned out:
It is a twin size quilt, cheery and bright. I chose each fabric with Paige’s tastes in mind, although my penchant for red might have won out just a little. There are several 1930’s fabric reproductions mixed with some more modern prints. My friend Kaye did the machine quilting. Sarah took a picture of me at the family cabin when I was binding it. My sister Susan joined me in my final efforts.
I have learned that no one has time to quilt. If it makes you happy, you must make time to do it. I have learned a lot from the neighborhood quilting ladies, not just about sewing, but about life, generosity, and work. It was a good year.
Time to read again
I have been cleaning up the Christmas mess and neglected corners. This is a collection of the books I found today, in various stages of reading, throughout the house. It’s been a full few months.
One thing I love about the week after Christmas is that I can start catching up on regular life. The books, the routines, and the basic meals are a comfort. I take time to assess what happened during the year. With the sorting of gifts and cards, clothing and books, I see where we have been and where I want to go. I certainly want to finish most of these books this week. Wish me luck!
Assembly Hall concert
Daniel’s choir performed at the Assembly Hall at Temple Square. The music was inspiring and beautiful. Daniel accompanied the choir on the piano for I Saw Three Ships arranged by Mack Wilberg on a Steinway. He loved that piano!
My cousin came and she brought my Great-uncle Dwight. I was so touched that both of them came.