Friday, March 21, 2008

the mountain comes to Mohammad...

It's been quite a day.. first off, Ed is almost back to him old self!!! He actually called me on the phone first thing this morning, and the moment I heard his voice, I knew that the worst of all this was OVER!!!! I raced to feed the dogs, and got to the hospital and we had breakfast together!! It was wonderful... and even better news, he will be allowed home tomorrow!!!!! I am so happy, that I don't even know how happy I am!!!

Now, as you all more than well know..... we didn't get to Williamsburg, which meant, no Easter with Kas and Nate. When we cancelled out on the trip, Kas asked me if she should come home. I told her no... it's a very long drive (usually about 18 hours) the weather here isn't that much fun, and with Ed being sick, we didn't know how long he would be in the hospital. Kas didn't believe me, and she even called Ed at the hospital and asked if they should come home, and he told her the same thing. Aside from the long drive, it also meant that she would have to get another day off from her nanny job, and Nate would have to be cleared for more leave.... we just thought that was too much of a hassle.

Kass told me that they would go to Ashville instead, she and Nate really wanted some time out of Jacksonville, and they haven't had the chance to see the mountains of North Carolina, and I thought that would be a good idea. So, it was settled, Ed would work on getting better and the kids would have a nice weekend in the mountains.

I got home from the hospital last night and Kass called... I asked her where they were and got this long pause.... she finally said "Maryland".... "what are you doing there?? thought you were heading to the mountains"... and she said "no we're heading to Maine".... I broke down and sobbed on the phone. It was only then that I realized I really, really, really (!!!!) wanted them home!!! "Don't tell Dad we're coming" she said, and I promised not to.

After Ed and I had breakfast, I came home for a bit to get things done, and wait for them to arrive. I was so excited when they pulled into the drive. We all went up to the hospital together... I went into Ed's room and said "something arrived at the house for you this afternoon".... "what's that" he asked... and Kas and Nate walked thru the door......Ed was completely surprised!!!!!



We had a wonderful visit together, I think that .. along with the good care... has helped Ed turn the corner!!! I guess if Mohammad can't get to the mountain... the mountain comes to him!!!!

Just because we were all together, and the quilt was in the truck (read the next blog)... I thought it would be fun to pull it out.... so, here is Kassy and Nate with their wedding gift... which is only coming about two and half years late..... but it's DONE!!!!

So, Easter doesn't look as "gloomy" as I had feared... the kids are here, Ed will be home tomorrow.... and right now, life is very, very good..... "thank you so much our Dear Heavenly Father!!!!"

"the" quilt

It is FINALLY finished... only took me two and a half YEARS to do it, but it's done!!! Here's the story...

The summer before Kas and Nate were married (2005), Kas and I were out and about , we came across this little quilt shop that I had never found before. As we entered the shop, we soon discovered that they were going out of business (which is really sad, because it was a really nice shop). Anyways, they were having amazing sales on everything, and Kas noticed a pattern for a "wedding ring quilt". She asked me if I could make one for her as a wedding gift. I told her I would, but not to expect to have it done by the wedding, and she said that would be fine.

She picked threw all the material, and got the colors that she liked, and we bought everything to make the quilt. I didn't really start on it until after they were married in October, I wanted to make it queen sized to fit her bed, and I knew that I would hand quilt it.... there is nothing like the feeling of a hand quilted quilt. The wedding ring pattern is complicated, but I took my time and worked on it here and there, and got the top done by the end of that winter. Then it was time to begin the quilting.


Finding the quilting pattern itself took long enough, and I tried several patterns before I got the one that I liked. I also quilt in a lap hoop, which isn't as efficient as a quilt frame would be, but it is portable, and since I don't have a spot for a big quilt frame, it's what I have to work with.

Like the top, I worked on it here and there, I knew it would take a long time, but I never really thought it would take two years!!! Kas would ask "how's the quilt coming" and that would spur me to pick it up and work on it again. But, after a bit it would be boring and I would put it to one side.

When we began to talk about our trip to Williamsburg, I decided that one way or another this quilt was going to be done, so I could take it to her. I worked on it solely, spent many a very late night, and even carried it anywhere that I thought I would have some time to put into it.... ask Julie, it was with me last weekend as we delivered puppies!!!!!

I finished the quilt late Monday evening, and got it washed and packed on Tuesday thinking we would leave on Wednesday... well, as you know ... we didn't leave... but, if you have read the previous blog... you know that Kassy has this quilt!!! The funny thing is... it will be right back in this house next fall when she and Nate come to live here... guess it could have just stayed here, but at least it will have some time in North Carolina!!!!

five star accommodations


WELLLLL....... it isn't exactly the five star accommodations that we had been planning on this weekend.. but when you don't feel so great, THIS is the place to be.
So, as you all know from the previous blog, Ed hasn't been feeling so great. Well, Wednesday morning we got up, and Ed said "let's not leave until noontime" but at noontime, the fever was back and so was the headache. I wanted to run him back to the ER then and there, but he wasn't quite ready to go. We had a very long afternoon together and decided that the trip was out of the question. I called Kas and Nate, and Dave and told them we wouldn't be going.. they decided to not go as well. Ed felt terrible about this (had a bit of a meltdown!!!) but the way he was feeling, it couldn't be helped.
Finally around 10:00 pm, he decided that we better go back to the ER, his fever was extremely high again (103) and the headache was more than he could bear. They are so wonderful at that ER, everyone said "oh no, you're not back again"..... they ran all the tests, which surprisingly came back normal. The doctor said, "I need to do a spinal tap" (which just about gave me the horrors!!!), but good thing they did, because they discovered that Ed has viral meningitis!!!! (which of the two is the "good" kind).
Needless to say, he was directly admitted and has been there ever since. However, this morning, he CALLED me on the phone!!!! (I felt like we were dating again when I heard his voice on the line!!!!!!) and I ran up and we had breakfast together!!! He is feeling so much better, but just sitting up for awhile was about all he could take.
So, I am home for the moment to attend the puppy dogs (do some blogging) and then I will run back up to be with him. I think he might actually be on the mend..... so.. that's the news dear blog readers.... I'll keep you up to date.....