9/14/08

Dear Jane,

Can you believe it?  I just finished another block!  I started this block before the huge bookcase project put Dear Jane on hold, but the fact that I finished it this evening is hopefully an indication that I am truly getting back in the groove.

We had a special Stake Conference today with Elder Russell M. Nelson.  We were encouraged to prepare for the conference by privately writing down a question that we were seeking help with.  The promise was made that if we did this, we would receive inspiration on our question.  Mine centered around how I could be a better mom, and it was as if all of the speakers directed their remarks directly to me.  Now, I just need to follow through on the things that I was instructed on.  I think that striking a healthy balance between time for myself (i.e., working on Dear Jane) and time with my kids is one of the important things I can do to be a better mom.  That’s going to be especially tough once the baby arrives in 2 1/2 weeks, but hopefully I’ll still be able to sneak in a few minutes here and there to quilt.

Quilting is so much more than “crafting” for me.  I feel like I am learning something, that I am creating something tangible and beautiful that will be treasured by generations, and that I am able to take a big deep breath and regroup my thoughts, allowing me to more patiently do all the things that moms do every day.  One cool thing is that my craft room is organized in such a way that the girls can be in there with me and do their own crafting and coloring while I do mine.  Sure, the room gets messier with all of us in there, but their singing and playing keeps me company–as long as all I have to do is LISTEN!

Gotta go and help the girls with the bedtime routine.

Love,

Lori