The Holidays Behind Us and Balance Ahead

Our daughter Monica was given a new puppy for Christmas...when lively, little Layla was out of control in the sewing room, we tried to corral her in my Bernina suitcase.  While she was cute, she didn't stay there long.  I think my daughter was hoping the case would be a good puppy tote to go home...but since it is my favorite and Layla didn't find it a good home, it is still mine. 

It was a wild time at our house with a new puppy and two grown Schnauzers (mine and Therese's).  Olive, Macy and Layla got along just fine.  The sewing room was their favorite haunt since there are so many tables to chase each other around or maybe it is just the good company and good karma of the room!

Two of our daughters got Aurifil thread cases full of a huge array of 40-weight threads.  Monica exclaimed, "How will I use all this thread?"  She must not have been thinking!  We amended her thinking in moments, deciding she might need a visit to the sewing room to get her sewing heart jump started and get some sense back into her.

It is always humorous to see what brings delight in the givers and the receivers of gifts.  Often the oddest things will bring such attention.  Teddy was given a package of pickle band-aids.  Yes, shaped like pickles and colored like them too.  You would have thought he got a new car.  He promptly pulled up his pant leg and planted a band-aid on his recently injured knee.  When I was taking him back to school, he commented twice on how much he likes those pickle band-aids.  Who would have thought?

And then there are those gifts that fit the non-sewers in our lives just about as well as a sewing machine and more fabric.  Our son-in-love, Joel, loves to hunt and Monica is making sure that he is plenty warm.  I am not sure Therese is so wild about Joel's new warm-wear.  I will get a kick out of the day he wears it to work.  Monica's boyfriend Carel was given a Sawz-All.  Well, his expression says it all.  I believe he just got the sewing machine of his choice.  Being a new home owner, he already has plans for his remodeling projects. 

At any rate, whatever one got for Christmas, I am hoping that everyone found some time for some balance...some rest, some laughter, some sharing, some quiet time.  I really do think it is a good lesson for us to take into 2010.  For me, a good amount of time spending with the family and relaxing was the perfect lesson for the start of my new year.  While I can't always control how much my obligations press upon me or the level of stress that surrounds me, I know that  I can control the amount of time and attention I afford those things with the good things of family, of friends, of quiet and of rest. 

Recently Jim West asked his Facebook friends to describe the New Year in one word.  Mine is BALANCE.  It is very clear to me every day that I can't be everything to everyone.  Since Happiness is a Choice, I need to be very careful to create my own definitions for what happiness will be for me lest someone else would try to decide it for me.

More time to sew, to write, to enjoy my family and friends, to look after the most simple of solutions and always....always seek balance. 

I clearly remember the day I mastered bike riding.  Being the oldest of three children close in age, I was very frustrated that mastering the bicycle didn't come as easy to me as my siblings.  Yet, I clearly remember being told that you shouldn't think about falling down.  Staying up on a bike means you need to think about riding a bike rather than not.  I actually quit working at it and will never forget the morning I woke very early so as to meet up with (and show) my dad before he left for his day painting houses.  What a thrill it was for me to glide BALANCED down the street, ease around and scoop back to see his smile for me.   That is my hope for 2010...  All the Best to You, jill