Jewells of Thought

A year ago tomorrow still seems all too vivid. Getting the phone call that said a decision had been made by my Aunt. She was ready to go home… to be with the Lord.

After fighting a good fight she stepped back in order to let God do His will. The toll on this decision really hit her family and all of us extended family members. Ironically, on that same day we had plans to meet and have supper with a cousin. I remember how surreal it felt to have Jean with us that night as we talked about the news of the day including the hospital room in which this happened.

For some reason I didn’t remember the date. The day of Aunt Carol’s passing was the birthday of one of her great-nieces and my 3rd cousin. I didn’t realize that until just a month or so ago. That little cousin, Marissa asked me for a birthday present, which she has not asked me to make her something before. So while we were discussing this present her birthday was brought to mind and that’s when I came to terms with it being the same day.

This brought me back to my 21st birthday where my first cousin died the week of my birthday and his viewing was on my birthday. These are somewhat awkward situations. The main difference is our age when these loved ones died. I always felt guilty for not staying for the entire viewing, because I wanted to celebrate my birthday with the other side of my family too. It was bittersweet grieving and wanting to enjoy being 21!

This is why I love having my hobbies. Marissa has been watching me do my crafts just as Selena has done since they were both little at Grandma’s house on Sunday afternoons. There is joy in creating and accomplishing something for someone else. I am only doing what I have seen myself growing up, but it’s such an incredible gift. She asked me for something with Lilo and Stitch. It took me a good week to figure out what I would make and how to go about it. I am excited this week to be fully immersed in the stitching and I have the fabric for the pillow. Although I had to change my idea of her pillow due to the specific Disney fabric. I had to go to JoAnn’s to find it, but couldn’t find what I was originally wanting to use.

Still it will be fun to stitch all the pieces together for this special little girl for a belated birthday present. I do think I can get it done this weekend though; that’s the good thing!