Sometimes the smallest projects take the longest time. But that’s ok, because I believe we are intentionally drawn to certain projects for their meaning, and that can consume us in a healthy way. Lots of memories flooded back as this slow improv piece took form. Ann and I were at San Francisco State together studying to get into med school. We were a different breed, a few years older than the lot of them, “non-traditional pre-professionals” as they used to call us. That didn’t mean much, only that we had taken a few more years to decide on this all-consuming career path, had held a real job, and had some real world experiences under our belts. I’ll never forget the first day I met Ann in chemistry lab. Black benches and Bunsen burners surrounded us, as did the teeming pre-meds eager to get the grade. She had cat eye glasses with little rhinestones at the tips, and her straight blonde hair was cut in a slick angular bob. She was so friendly and cheerful, and I just wanted to be around her. We studied and partied and enjoyed those few years on the peninsula with our dogs and husbands. Those were great times weren’t they? Ann went to med school a year ahead of me and is now a gastroenterologist in Seattle with a wonderful family. She writes us a Christmas letter every single year and I so look forward to it. Go Ann! But she has also respected and encouraged me in all my non-medical endeavors. And that means a lot. Thank you for your support Ann. This meaningful mini is Seattle-bound.
#scarletkumquat
#improvquilting
#improvpiecing
#mensshirts
#handquilting
“My wife and I just don't have the same feelings for each other we used to have. I guess I just don't love her anymore and she doesn't love me. What can i do?" “The feeling isn't there anymore?" I asked. “That's right," he reaffirmed. “And we have three children we're really concerned about. What do you suggest?" “Love her," I replied. “I told you, the feeling just isn't there anymore." “Love her." “You don't understand. The feeling of love just isn't there." “Then love her. If the feeling isn't there, that's a good reason to love her." "But how do you love when you don't love?" “My friend, love is a verb. Love - the feeling - is a fruit of love, the verb. So love her. Serve her. Sacrifice. Listen to her. Empathize. Appreciate. Affirm her. Are you willing to do that?” In the great literature of all progressive societies, love is a verb. Reactive people make it a feeling. They’re driven by feelings. Hollywood has generally scripted us to believe that we are not responsible, that we are a product of our feelings. But the Hollywood script does not describe the reality. If our feelings control our actions, it is because we abdicated our responsibility and empowered them to do so.
Proactive people make love a verb. Love is something you do: the sacrifice you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you want to study love, study those who sacrifice for others, even for people who offend or do not love in return. If you are a parent, look at the love you have for the children you sacrificed for. Love is a value that is actualized through loving actions. Proactive people subordinate feelings to values. Love, the feeling, can be recaptured. (Steven Covey)
📸 by the illustrious @jennmurphy621
#stevencovey
#valentinesday
#scarletkumquat
You guessed it. Tuesday in my sunny spot after we closed with radish sprout observations and bar graphs. This is my face when my son has been whining for breaks all day and finally gets one, only to quickly return with his 20 questions about who, what, when, where and why, and won’t leave my side. 💖💙💛 Mommy heart melting over here. Paz on a Tuesday.
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#scarletkumquat #handquilting #memadewardrobe #memadedress #homeschool #homeschoolmom #homeschoolscience
In the space between stimulus and response, you have a choice. The words of S. Covey are swirling in my mind this fab Friday. We had such an adventure jaunting back and forth to the East Coast loving on family and getting a peek at our nation’s wonderful sights (Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Manhattan and Lady Liberty. And most of those sightings were due to unexpected delays. Oh what a delay can do for the soul... I’m harkening back to my healthy rant on being ok with sadness and pain, not trying to smother everything with positivity. But @laurie3.14 comes to mind, because having a choice in how to respond to stress and the unexpected, is a gift only humans possess on this Earth. There were so many opportunities for us to get stressed and upset on that trip. We didn’t. We chose how to respond to the delays and reroutes and had an absolutely fabulous time, together as a family. Try it sometime! .
Friday finish is the #feliciapinaforedress by @tessutifabrics. Such a playful piece and perfect for layering. Fabric found at our awesome creative reuse center @whogivesascrapfoco 💙💙💙 And on the topic of responses, I just realized I sewed the skirt backwards so my pockets face toward my behind. Deep breaths! 😂 .
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#scarletkumquat #memade #imakemyownclothes #memadeeveryday #indiepatterns #tessutipatterns
