Serving and Sunbonnet Girls

 

March 26, 2023

Dear Family:

Happy Birthday to Charlie (my nephew) tomorrow. Kelsy, McKay and Cooper have been in Gilbert Arizona last week and Taylor joined them this weekend.  I have seen Kelsy operate at the airport with the two boys and I was shocked and amazed.  How will she operate at the airport with 3 little ones.  I think I will have to hire on as the official traveling great grandmother.

Speaking of Great Grandmother, I have to tell you of the highlight of my week.  Kelsy sent me two 2 second videos of McKay and Cooper sending me a message.  (See email attachments - they wouldn't load into the blog.

I have watched them many many times this week and shared them with anyone who asked me how I was.  “I’m great – watch!!!”  I’m keeping those precious videos forever.

Kenlee has promised to connect with me sometime in 2023 because I haven’t met Addie or Jude (little Jake) yet.  I am really excited and looking forward to it. 

As a follow-up to last week regarding Mike and Amy serving his dad, Rollie and Rollie’s wife Jane; Mike worked all day yesterday moving them into their new home in Damascus.  Today they have been at work all day sorting Rollie’s garage.  (Huge undertaking if you ask me). 

President Hinckley said, “Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others.  By and Large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.” 

Every time I talk to Mike and Amy they have just helped his mom and Jim or Rollie and Jane.  Admirable!

This morning Amy sent me a photo of a keepsake in Rollie’s steamer trunk.  It was an embroidery hoop with a mini quilt attached of a Sunbonnet Girl.  Amy knows me really well. She know that I love Sunbonnet Girls.  Judy and I treasured a much worn out Sunbonnet Girl Quilt that our Grandmother Myrtle Campbell Short made for us a little girls. (I still have it and it looks like rags)  Judy or I had that on our bed all the years that we were growing up.  I made Sunbonnet Girl Quilts for Riley, Kenlee, and Marissa… and a Barnyard Ben (male version of Sunbonnet Girl) quilt for Conner when he was born.  Then when I moved to Arizona to do something for myself instead of 24 hours a day music, I made my first attempt at a grownup Sunbonnet Girl Quilt.  Hayley and Tanner have that one.  I learned a lot making it.  Then I decided to make another one that I believe Marissa has this one. 

Then I saw one that Judy made and decided I could do better.  So I made another one yet.  Brian and Megan have that one.  Then I made baby boy quilt for Cooper with a Barnyard Ben, and I made one for Cole and one for Jude. I made a girl Sunbonnet quilt for India.  I have a little baby girl - Sunbonnet Girl quilt all made and sitting in a drawer in my office/sewing room/guest room – just waiting for a girl.  I helped Kenlee make a quilt for Addie that wasn’t Sunbonnet girl…….And Amy and I made a “Bunny” quilt for Claire.

So as you can tell, I have made a lot of quilts and I keep thinking I’m burned out – but then I start thinking about all the fabric that Judy left for me and I get inspired.  I’m in the middle of another one – a duplicate of the one I gave Haley Schnell Lewis.  I’ve received wonderful input from all the ladies in my life and I’m ready to put the border on; a different color border than Haley’s.  

this is the "Trail Mix" pattern quilt top all finished, except for the border.
I was stymied trying to decide on the border

The bottom 3 prints will be the border.  

Thanks girls.

Being involved in the church all the years that I have, I can look back and see that when I was helping someone it made me happy; I had all kinds of callings, did all kinds of things for others that I had no idea I could do, helped people and in the process helped myself.  The best part of my life was when I was raising Brad, Brian and Amy.  Serving my family was my greatest calling and accomplishment.  Thank you kids! Now I see you doing the same things – serving in your callings, but most of all serving your families.  You are great people.  You are setting a great example.  Not everyone can understand the joy that serving others creates.  We are a fortunate bunch.

Have a wonderful week.  I am looking forward to General Conference next weekend. AND piano lessons this week because it is spring vacation here in the area.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne