Happy Birthday Mr. RP

\ Yes, in fact today really is Mr. RP's birthday. And we celebrated. We appreciate having another year!

I overheard little girl chanting under her breath, "Must resist this cake...must resist this cake....must resist this cake." But alas we all had a little cake and we are together and happy. That's what really matters isn't it?

So Happy Birthday Mr. RP. It is a gift to celebrate another birthday with you!

Rachel

And Now He Is Gone

Seasons come and go. Life flies past. The angle of the sun seems to be shifting as Autumn approaches.

We got a new next door neighbor this summer. He was so friendly. He would ride his riding lawn mower from house to house and cut the grass of his neighbors including us. It seemed to be therapeutic for him. He always had a big smile and a wave.

I thought I would bake some cookies for him to say thank you. But school was starting and we were in the midst of a few overwhelming projects. I could barely keep up with my family's needs and the demands of work, so I didn't take cookies to him...it could wait I thought.

We appreciated his gesture of kindness in mowing our lawn. Our sons did too!

Then Monday the 16th an ambulance came and took him away. Today he is gone. There will not be a chance to take him cookies. There are no other opportunities for a big smile and a happy wave.

And I'm sad. I don't like to miss opportunities. But how in the world do we ever do everything we wish we could do. There are SO MANY things that are priorities to me that I never have a chance to do. How does that happen? The demands of every day sometimes just pull us along. Time passes. Seasons come and go and opportunities are lost.

Each day I strive to use my time wisely, kindly, industriously and not wastefully, carefully, thoughtfully. I have this overwhelming sense that every moment matters. All I can do is my best...yes that is all I can do.

Good bye, Mr. Joe.

Rachel

She Said It Well

Mona was one of you who checked in on me in my absence. She left this comment!
Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...
My goodness! Where on earth have you gone. I, myself am struggling with blogging. Sometimes life just seems to overtake you and you MUST give it your full attention...

Jump over and visit her. Life is really dealing her some blows.
But yes that is absolutely right...sometimes just life takes our full attention! I like how she said that!

So many are dealing with overwhelming issues. I love the simple pleasures found in the summer wildflowers, herbs and weeds that seem to be bring havoc to the ones who are suffering with seasonal allergies.

I simply could not resist taking a photo of the lacy green fronds of this green rag weed. Although it my mind I could hear my son and husband sneezing as they worked around it.

So if you are struggling with seasonal allergies or terminal illness or fractured relationships or job loss or any of the other things that life can bring your way, I just wanted to come by and leave you with a scripture that has encouraged our family this summer.

The New Testament Second Corinthians Chapter 4 Verses 7 through 10

NIV

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles but we are not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

I hope this is encouraging to you also for whatever you may be going through and you've had a restful Sunday.

Rachel

One Last Thing, I Mean Dress

OK. So by now I figure that you are probably so totally done with me showing you photos of redesigned prom dresses on the "slightly tilted Miss Telda Mannequin" as she sits quietly in the corner of the dining room against the old column. I promise I won't show you anymore for a while. Well maybe never. It's time to move on to other things that are going on around here. There is never a dull moment I'd say. There are LOTS of challenging moments, but never dull ones!
But she wanted slightly capped sleeves on her topless, oops I mean strapless dress, so now she has them, and she was thrilled.
Thanks for following along as I've babbled on about such things.
Have a wonderful day.
Rachel

All In All Life's An Adventure

I've been to Antarctica
and the Sahara Desert.

I swam with a few sharks...well, maybe not!

However, from Continent to Continent it was an adventure all seen through the excitement of our little girl and the lens of the camera on my phone.

It was a whirl wind trip right through the fabulous confines of the Indianapolis zoo!

I hope you enjoyed it too!

Life just moves along at a dizzying pace. Doesn't it?

But all in all life's an adventure!

I hope you're enjoying it too!

Rachel

Beads Beads and More Beads

She wanted beads. And SO we did beads...and beads and more beads and we all loved it! The camera on my phone doesn't do this justice of course. If you could see it, I think you'd love it too!

Some day, maybe soon I will quit posting about all these "fashion projects". I've got a bunch of other stuff rattling around in my head to tell you about. But for now, I'm headed to the sewing machine. Only 5 to go to be done for this week's deadlines. Yahoo!

And did I ever tell you that Spring is my favorite time of year? I'm breathing in every moment of fresh crisp air possible and loving all the flowering trees and new GREEN everywhere!!!

Rachel

I've Been Asked

I've been asked to fix alot of things. Like this week another one of my sisters and I cranked out 24 prom dresses...we're working on 14 prom dresses, 1 wedding dress and 3 bridesmaids dresses and finishing a set of draperies today. I have an appointment coming in a few minutes for a fitting so I'm jumping on to do a posting and right back off, but I just had to show you this...butterfly.

Yes, I've been asked to fix alot of things like prom dresses and such or the pockets of my Mr. RP's jeans or torn back pack straps for the teenagers or broken toys or torn story book pages, but the sweetest one that stopped me in my tracks was the request to fix the broken wing of this beautiful butterfly. Alas, I realized that there was absolutely nothing I could do except watch it flounder in misery and it made my heart sad.

But sometimes that's the way life is. It deals those blows that can't be fixed and so we find joy and peace amidst the sadness.

In spite of it all have a great weekend. I promise, I really will be back. Gotta scurry...not enough time.

Rachel