7

About me, and a Totebag

Well, here I am, finally starting a blog. Here's to a brand new year and new adventures! A little about me...I'm the crafty type (at least that's what my friends say). I love to sew. I taught myself to smock when I had my first daughter after three boys. I can knit (a little) and embroider (a lot). I absolutely LOVE dolls. Just about every type, although antiques are my favorites. People always ask how many dolls I have, and I have to say, I don't know. I suppose I should count them. Catagorize them, or something. Maybe that will be future post. I'm sure there are at least a hundred, especially if I add in all the dolls that I bought for my daughters, but have reclaimed as my own! I like photography. I have a great, expensive, slr camera that can probably do a million things, but I usually just leave it on the "program" button and let it choose all the settings. Boring, I know. But I am so electronically challenged, it's not even funny. I think my two-year old can operate the tv remote better than I can. What can I say...my mind just doesn't work that way. Now...tell me to pick out coordinating fabrics for a quilt or outfit, and I'm in my element! I used to scrapbook--a lot--but I've seriously let things fall behind in the past several years. I had an album going for each child, plus a family album, but the last three kids have nothing. Nada. Zip. Well, that's not entirely true. They do have photos, neatly and chronologically arranged in shoe boxes, but that's where they sit. I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions, but I do like to write down certain goals. And one of my goals this year is to get caught up on my albums. The other is to complete at least one sewing project each week. Unrealistic? Maybe. But I'm going to try. I figure that by starting this blog, I will have a place to post my projects and hold myself a little more accountable. My husband and I have eight children, six of which still live at home. Yes, we know what causes that! And no, we are not Mormon or Catholic. Just evangelical Christians that believe children are blessings from God. I homeschool. My number two son is married, so I also have a wonderful daughter-in-law. This same child is in the army, getting ready to deploy for Afghanistan, so this mama is worried. How can my baby be old enough to fight in a war? My number three son wants to join the Navy this year when he turns 18, and my 23 year old is also tossing around ideas of the military to help pay for schooling. Really? Are these kids trying to worry their poor mother into a coma, or ??? This is really when my faith comes in handy. My favorite bible verse is Phillipians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I tell you, I repeat this verse a lot. A LOT. And it really does bring me peace. I guess that's enough about me for now. I have to save something for the next post, right? And since every post needs at least one picture, I am showing two photos of the totebag I made for my daughter-in-law this Christmas, using my son's army fatigues. Pretty cute, huh? She loved it. I think I need one for myself.