Aug 31/06 Coming Soon! Sept 3

Our 30th anniversary is coming up, this Sunday, Sept 3, and I am so excited. I think it is just so awesome and cool, to be able to celebrate 30 years.

My life really began when I met Dan. I know, some of you would bawk at that, but I don’t care. He was calm, cool and collected, drove a hopped up ’66 fairlane, and he knew what he wanted in life…..

me, yup, I was the apple of his eye, he was flipped over crazy for me, I couldn’t have asked for more, but I got much more…..I got someone who was kind, caring, compassionate, a hard worker, and always always giving of himself, why, for me.

I’m still his sweetheart, after 30 years, and he’s mine, all mine…..hmmm…..love you hon.

Picture of high school grad (gee it’s an oldie lol)

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Aug 29/06 A New Strength

The race was on, and from the beginning of the walk, I seemed to be, hmmm, falling behind, but holding my own. And so I was just plodding along, finally realizing that everyone else was no longer in sight, and I’m thinking, oh I better hurry, better hurry……

Funny how things happen, because suddenly I wasn’t racing any more…….if I had kept racing, I never would have stopped and noticed how absolutely stunning and beautiful the path was, that I was on. I just had to stop, and take a picture, it was so beautiful, and there was something so absolutely stunning and calm about that picture, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. There was something about the rush and excitement of racing along with everyone that was wonderful, but when I stopped racing, I noticed a beauty I never would have seen.

For days now, every time I look at this picture, I keep wondering why I keep thinking these same words over and over again: “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” It turns out these words are from one of my favourite books in the Bible, the Book of Isaiah.

I finally get it. I used to be able to run the race, and I was strong, that was before HD. But now, if I just let myself be still, and be quiet, I can realize the beauty of the path that I am on now.

“In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” Isaiah 30:15

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Aug 26/06 Walk was fantastic

The walk today for hospice was fantastic. We did our 2 1/2 mile walk through some really beautiful walking trails, that are only 5 mins from my home, that i didn’t even know they were there. And then there was a festival the rest of the day at the park, they had live folk music, face painting, pony rides, kite flying…..our little grandaughter loved it, and we all had a nice day.

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Aug 25/06 Walking for Hospice

OK, i’m going to do something really cool, that i’ve never done any kind of walks or fundraising in my life. This coming Saturday i am going in a walk to raise money for Mission Hospice Society. The walk is 2 1/2 miles long. I have been walking for an hour several days a week now, and my walk is 2 1/2 miles long, so i know i can do this, and i’m really excited about it. What better way to spread the news about HD, and do something for my community. When i ask people if they would like to sponsor me, i can tell them about the Hospice Society, and how in about 10 years or so i may be needing hospice due to HD. I did that this morning in church. No matter how many times i have told people i have HD, most do not understand, but when i said this morning that i was doing this walk, because i am terminal, and will need hospice some day too, that many of us may need hospice care at some time in our lives, people looked like they “got it”. Eric said on one thread that one thing we can do for advocacy, is get involved with the needs in our community. Maybe i will find out more about our Hospice Society, and get involved with them….now i just have to hope there are bathrooms along the walking route lol

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Aug 7/06 Meet my Family

This is me and Dan, and our oldest daughter Cathy, with her little girl Elisa, and our daughter Jen sitting beside me…..so this is who we are, this is my family.

For some reason, it seems hard to get everyone together at the same time, but on this occasion of my parents 50th, we did get a family picture.

 

This photo was taken at my parents Golden Anniversary dinner, 2004.

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Aug 7/06 Working Together

Deciding on what to give my parents for their anniversary was quite an adventure in itself, imagine four sisters all having to agree on the same thing lol but when I revealed the quilt design to my sisters, the decision was unaminous to go ahead with it.

Working together was awesome. Me and my sisters all live out of town from each other, and soooooo, the fun began, of me sending fabric pieces and instructions in the mail to each of my three sisters, none of whom knew how to quilt, but they were willing to give it a try. I began some of the background quilting, and each of us sisters made quilted roses to respresent our children, and our children’s children.

As you may know by now, I had just received my diagnosis of having Huntingtons’s Disease, and I was in the early stages. This quilt had become symbolic for me, and had become very important to finish it. Quilted into this quilt was my parents heritage, and it was through this heritage, this beautiful heritage, that I was now facing life with HD.

I began to frantically wait and wait for the quilted roses to come in the mail, and wondered if my sisters and I would all be able to pull this off. The quilted roses represented our children, and our children’s children, and generations to come. Because you see, not only do me and my Dad have Huntington’s Disease, but each of my sisters and their children are at risk, and my 2 daughters, and my little grandaughter, are also at risk. This diseasse could wipe out our entire family.

Somehow, I needed to complete this quilt, to be able to say, see the beautiful future generations represented in these roses. And then, the mail started coming in…..smile…..what a relief, and the quilt was completed.

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Aug 7/06 Heritage of the Quilt

The Family Quilt was made with a lot of love to celebrate our parents 50th anniversary in April of 2004. But it was also made to be symbolic, and to represent past, present and future, and to give hope to our future as a family.

The criss-cross pattern on the quilt is called the Irish Chain pattern. I chose this pattern because Mom and Dad’s ancestors were from Ireland. A blend of two different fabrics were used to create a Double Irish Chain, representing two lives blended together.

Diamonds represent marriage because they are the most indestructible and durable gem on the earth, and so 50 diamonds were quilted into the quilt to represent 50 years of marriage.

In each of the four corners of the quilt is a pattern called Sister’s Choice, representing me and my three sisters, Laurie, Barb, Julie, and Sally.

The burgandy roses represent each of the five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, and the yellow and white roses represent all the generations still yet to come.

This quilt is a quiet symbol of hope for generations past, present, and those yet to come.

 

The photo above is of me and my parents on their 50th Anniversary, 2004.

 

 

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