IT'S OVER.....

Yes the 2010 County Fair is over.  It was a good fair for me on many different levels.  The only area that it was not so good was as I said in previous post I had no one to share it with other than one evening with Nate and Lindsay.  I will not focus on that however.  I choose to focus on everything good about it. 

I did much better ribbon wise than I expected.  Only one of my items did not receive a ribbon of any sort.  One quilt only had a Honorable mention, but everything else had a placing ribbon.  Lots of blues which is always nice and affirming of ones work.  I am especially proud of my blue ribbon on one of my quilts (the one that went to Knoxville AQS show) since they had a nationally ranked quilt judge as one of the judges.

Another highlight of the week came Saturday night.  I had a phone message on Friday asking me to come to the Saturday awards ceremony for the Home Arts Building.  I had no idea what I was getting an award for and as the ceremony was winding down I began to think the message was left in error since I hadn't received anything.  I was shocked, surprised and very honored when I was named for the last award given.  The 2010 Homemaker of the Year!!!!  I am now an official "HOTY".  This is the highest award given in the building.  You can only receive it once aver 5 years or so.  It is given to the person who has the most blue ribbons across at least 6 different categories in the Home Arts Building.  My award was a dozen roses and an engraved Swiss Army Style knife. They made sure that it had a pair of scissors, a cork screw and bottle opener on it. They said every homemaker needs at least those three things.  There is so much stuff on it I don't even know what half of them are.  I will need to locate a boy scout and ask for a lesson on every things use.  It's a good thing this is a ribbon based award and not really based on ones home making skills. My house is rather in a state of disaster after a week of the fair.  Also I find it ironic I received this award in the year I no longer have anyone to make a home for.......

The best thing about this years fair though had nothing to do with exhibits or ribbons.  It was the people!  I loved talking with the youth of 4-H. They are amazing kids.  They are a bright light shining toward the future.  Even more important to me though was reconnecting with friends from past fairs.  The support and encouragement they gave me and the support and encouragement I was able to give some of them.  They affirmed me as a woman of worth and value.  Also I made new friends. Traditions like sharing in ice cream lunches and end of fair dinners continues this year.  It was all good! In retrospect I now see that though I didn't have anyone to come home to and share the events of the day with I had a large number of friends to share with each and every day.  It was wonderful to have people say that no matter what happened over the next 12 months they sincerely hoped to see me back at the fair in 2011 because I was a big part of making the week a good week. I truly am blessed.  I hope these memories stay with me to be relived when I am tempted to feel of no worth to anyone or all alone.

So my major summer event is over and now at least in my mind it is time to declare summer over and move on into fall. 

TIME FOR SOME GRATITUDE!

In the business and craziness of life it is easy to forget to be grateful for the many blessings in my life.  Human nature, at least my human nature, seems to want to focus more on what I lack than what I have been blessed with. Daily I nee to remember something I recently read that was said by Helen Keller:

" So much has been given to me, I have no time to ponder over what has been denied." 

If anyone had reason to be bitter about life and what had been taken from her it was Helen Keller; blind and deaf from a illness in infancy.Yet, in time she saw her life as full and blessed beyond measure.

So this morning I am taking time to look aback on the blessings I have received in the last day or so.......

1. The streak of hot humid weather has been broken and the days are beautiful
2. The temperatures at night are back low enough that I can open the window as sleep with fresh air
3. I have four jobs that provide me with needed income and yet allow me the flexibility to take time off when I need some R&R to regain my sanity.
4. I have three wonderful loving children who have grown into beautiful and responsible adults and a fantastic new daughter (not doing the in-law stuff I love her as my own).
5. I got to have dinner with Nate, Lindsay, Steve and Lena last night AND make a spur of the moment trip to Jimmy Cone with them all.  Lots of love and laughter.
6. I have a house for shelter and will make it a home for me.
7. I have a beautiful new sewing machine that I did not have to pay for with credit....it's all mine!
8. I have been granted the ability to make beautiful quilts and cards.
9. Despite all the stress in my life the past few months I can still move without pain (most days) and  have not had a flair up of my RA.
10. And last but certainly not least I have a God who loves and cares for me and my future. Though I don't know what that future will totally look like he does and he will be with me at all times as I move toward it!  

 "Glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope."~~Ephesians 3:20