Surrounded by love

I have been thinking for some time that I wanted to create a post dedicated to my stepmother and showcase her talent for sewing, as she is the reason I discovered the love of sewing myself. I've posted before about how sewing has saved my life (read about it here), but my stepmother is the reason I have enjoyed it so much.

She is the one that made the special trip to Walmart to scope out the sewing machine I was thinking about getting to get started and told me to get it because it was a good little machine. She is the one who bought me a walking foot before I even knew what the heck I would need it for AND the one that walked me through over the phone how to attach it to my sewing machine when I finally realized I needed it. She is the one who whole heartedly smiled when I gave her my very first bag that I made even though it wasn't very good.

And while I have been mulling over all the wonderful things I wanted to say about her and her talents, I haven't posted before now because honestly, there aren't enough words to share the love and gratitude I feel for having her in my life, and not only for her sewing skills. My stepmother is a selfless person, she is thoughtful and I am so thankful that she came into my father's and my family's lives.

Imagine my surprise when I receive an email from her last night telling me that she is inspired by my sewing, that I inspire her and she is proud of me. Barely being able to hold back the tears, I called her immediately to tell her that she doesn't even know the half of it, that it is she that inspires me, and there is no doubt about it.

Instead of simply using words to describe her and her talents, I thought I would share all the ways in which my family and I feel surrounded by her love and how we are so very lucky to have her in our lives.

When I discovered I was pregnant, she is the one

who made gave me this sweet quilt as my first baby gift.

When I couldn't find any cute boy crib bedding,

she is the one who made me super soft minky

bedding that Z still snuggles today and when I

couldn't find curtains, she made those too.

She is the the one that made us boppy pillows,

burp clothes, bibs and towels wraps

for when we brought Z home.

She is the one that embroidered pillows when

I called and said Z was ready for a toddler bed,

a nap mat when Z needed one for preschool, and

a cute monkey when I told her that Z's 2nd birthday was

going to be a jungle theme.

She is the one that made Z banana shaped bean bags

to go with the monkey bean bag toss game

at his birthday party.

And a stick horse at Christmas.

When I called and said I had seen the cutest monkey stocking

cap in the airport in Detroit, she was the one

that surprised me by making Z the exact same hat.

She is the one that makes my hubby and I

our favorite lap blankets for snuggling in front of the tv which

are our most favorite Christmas gifts.

And she is the one that made us our own king sized quilt

for our bed this past Christmas which immediately

replaced the "luxury" quilt from Pottery Barn

we recieved as a wedding present. That blanket now sits

on our closet floor since being replaced by this one.

My husband describes it as the "perfect" blanket.

Sally, thank you. I love you.