Happy

Today - on this cold and dreary day - these things are making me happy. 

Last year my sister, Sara, moved to a new town... in a new state.  She didn't know a soul.  My sister is a social girl, a friend to many.  I didn't like that she was so far away from me, all of her family, all of her friends.  The day that she arrived at her new home, a friend of her mother-in-law that just happened to live in the new town that Sara's family had moved to came to say hi and to bring dinner.  (a very delicious dinner, by the way!)  From that day since she has been a friend to Sara.  She loves my sister and her little family, and I love her for that.  Her name is Dina.  

Soon after I met Dina I was invited to go to her home to look at her quilts.  Dina is a quilt maker.  I love quilts - I always have.  When I was a little girl, I remember going to my granny's house and asking her to take out her collection of quilts and tell me all about them...   That day that I went to Dina's house to look at the quilts that she had made all of the feelings that I used to feel at my granny's house came rushing back to me.  Looking at all of the pretty fabrics.  Being amazed that a lady could make such a beautiful, comforting thing out of scraps of fabric.  I was impressed with Dina and her masterpieces that day.  

When the time came to move Cooper to a big boy bed, I asked Dina what she would charge me to make quilts for his bunk beds.  She politely said she didn't like to make quilts for money or to anyone's specifications.  She found joy in making them for friends and family as gifts.  She has made my sister, Sara, a Christmas quilt and another beautiful quilt, and she has made special little quilts for my nephew and niece too.  

On Christmas day this year I got a text message from Dina.  She asked if I had seen Sara yet.  I answered that I did not plan to see her until the next day.  That got me to thinking... was something wrong?  I texted her back and asked her if everything was okay, and she told me that she was fine and was cuddled up with her quilt... and that I should see Sara as soon as I could.  That night I ended up seeing my sister and was thrilled when she handed me a gift from Dina.  I opened it, and it was a BEAUTIFUL quilt made by her for me.  I have loved it thoroughly already.  I love to snuggle up in it and watch the fire dance in the fireplace while I drink my coffee.  I love to sit with it on my lap as I read to my little one.  I love to lay on the couch covered by my quilt as I watch football with Corey and doze off for a nap.

Thank you Dina for this beautiful, wonderful gift.  And thank you even more for the gift of friendship and love and big-sisterhood that you have given my sister when I could not be around.  I love you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

And my Fiesta coffee cups!  I love my Fiesta cups!  Before Christmas, I posted about my idea for a new collection.  I want to slowly collect FiestaWare dishes as I find them on sale, at thrift stores, etc., and I started my collection with a single red coffee cup that I found at a going-out-of-business sale.  I adore it!  A few days before Christmas a friend that is just about the most thoughtful thing out there dropped by my house, and she had a Christmas gift for me.  I didn't have one for her - mind you.  I am not nearly as thoughtful as she is... but she had a way of letting me know that it was okay that I had a gift to open when she did not.  She gave me 3 more coffee cups for my Fiesta collection.  It was so thoughtful!  I love them!  I almost couldn't wait to take the Christmas decorations off of the shelf in my kitchen where I instantly planned to display my new collection.  Every single day I look at my cups and it makes me happy... the bright colors, the cute little circle handles, and more than anything the memory of a friend that knew me well enough to know that 3 little coffee cups would bring me a ton of joy.  Thanks Bea!