A Tiny Little Snowman

Because my family lives so far from where I live, long ago, we had to come up with a Christmas plan that worked for everyone. Bob's family likes to open gifts together on Christmas Eve, I like to open gifts on Christmas morning. And somehow get to my family 630 miles away to celebrate with them!
So, we spend Christmas Eve with Bob's parents, here in Fredericksburg, open our Santa gifts at home on Christmas morning and then hop on a plane and fly to Tennessee for family Christmas there! I appreciate that my brother and sister always plan their trips around us so we can all be there together. Often, our family Christmas takes place the day after, depending on when we can all get there! My parents are great about being flexible and we have our celebration when we can all be together.
Chelsea and I are headed to Franklin, TN on Thursday for the Christmas festivities with the Franklin family! I like travelling on Christmas Day, smaller crowds, people are cheerful, Santa has been to the house!!!
Bob is staying home to take care of the catty-cats, Smokey and Dorothy.

This Christmas, we are missing our sweet Jacquie, Mike's wife, who passed away in October. She was a bright star in our family and I miss her. She, Melinda and I normally would clean up the dishes together and giggle in the kitchen...I will miss that. My grandmother, Marie Elizabeth Valentine Franklin, also passed away this year, so things are a little different this year.

We will open some presents, play with the most darling children, catch up on each other's lives, eat a wonderfully prepared meal and yes, maybe take a little nap...a wonderful Christmas day.

I wish blessings to you, gentle readers, during this precious Christmas season. Enjoy your loved ones and tell them you love them!
Merry Christmas from our home to yours!!

A Tiny Silver Bell

Lalo Eduardo, Angel, Miguel, Estella and Renesse


Believe it or not Jingle Bells, one of the most famous American Christmas songs, was originally written for Thanksgiving! The author and composer of Jingle Bells was a minister called James Pierpoint who composed the song in 1857 for children celebrating his Boston Sunday School Thanksgiving. The song was so popular that it was repeated at Christmas, and indeed Jingle Bells has been reprised ever since. The essence of a traditional Christmas is captured in the lyrics of Jingle Bells and the sound effects using the bells have become synonymous with the arrival of Father Christmas or Santa Claus to the delight of children of all ages!
We made some jingle bell necklaces at preschool last week and sang the song...lots and lots of times!!!
Several of the children are now speaking English fairly well, but the funny thing is that even the couple who don't speak much or sing much, know exactly when to say "Hey" at the right time!
So, ring those bells, sing those songs and find joy in the little things...Hey!!!

A Tiny Television

Have you heard of the group from Indiana University called Straight No Chaser? If not, check out the video...sit back and enjoy!

A Tiny Christmas Ornament

The first Friday of December is the Fredericksburg Baptist Church Ornament Exchange. Some yummy food, some fabulous ornaments and a wonderful time of fellowship with good friends!
Susan hosted the party and I especially loved seeing her newly remodeled kitchen!! Loved all of the sliding trays in the pantry cabinets!
After drawing the numbers and getting started, Darla was trying to figure out which bag had the ornament she wanted. The rules of the game state that an ornament can only have 4 owners...so she was sweating!! She opened the red bag with the big lime green bow and there was the ornament she wanted!! It was "stolen" from her and then stolen again...But fortunately for her, Miss Ann took what Darla was holding thus allowing Darla to "steal" back the ornament she wanted!
In order to keep it safe for the rest of the party, Darla chose to wear it as a necklace, although I hear it has ended up on her mantle in her family room.
The three snowmen represent the Holy Trinity, according to the artist. She likes to paint things in threes.
Darla and I also discovered we shared a love of the Vince and Jenny Gill song, "Let There Be Peace on Earth".
As you journey through the Advent Season, think of your friends, remember that the best ornament for any house is good friends!

A Tiny Sleigh Bell

I love Christmas music.  I can remember my parents having albums by Johnny Mathis, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and a host of others. Lots of those old albums are on a shelf in my room, back at my parents house, even though there is no turntable to play them on. I can remember my grandparents also having a delightful selection that they played on one of those fabulous stereo consoles in their den.  I loved the slightly bizarre version of "Little Drummer Boy" sung by Bing Crosby and David Bowie...still do.  I remember learning to play "Silver Bells" on the piano and singing along, mostly to annoy my brother.  I love Handel's The Messiah, which is being performed this weekend at my church.  I wish I could sing the high parts like Lisa Welch Kosier could back in high school.I look forward to the Sundays during Advent when we sing Christmas songs from the hymnal each week. When Chelsea was little, she would look at me in amazement when we got to the part " In excelsis Deo" of Angels We Have Heard on High.  It sounds like you are saying her name in the song and she loved that.There is a radio station in our town that plays Christmas music from Thanksgiving until Christmas...all day and all night.  And I love to play that in the car.  I turned on the station Thanksgiving morning on my way home from serving breakfast at church to our community friends and the first song I heard was, " The Christmas Shoes".  I am going to say that the first 2700 times I heard the song, it brought a tear to my eye.  Now, not so much.When Chelsea was a tiny baby, I would rock her to sleep every night and sing to her.  The only songs I could readily recall in the middle of the night were Christmas songs and songs from "The Sound of Music".  So those were her lullabies.
Christmas music reminds me of my family, of growing up, spending Christmas with my parents, my grandparents, my brother and my sister.
As we enter the Advent season, I have shopped a little, sung a few songs and made some cards and ornaments.  But what I really enjoy is the little trips down memory lane that each song bring to me."Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ting ting tingle-ing..."

A Tiny Tree

When I walk out of my front door, I can see a tree at the top of a little hill. Having lived in this house for 21 years, I have watched it grow and change through the years. In the spring, the leaves start to fill in, blocking the afternoon sun from my front window. In the summer, more often than not, there are little children dangling from the branches, dropping to the ground and rolling down the hill. In the winter, the branches dance in the wind, creating shadows on the ground below.
But in the fall, the tree is at it's finest. The leaves start to turn with a bright orange and red glow and for a few short days, the tree seems to shine with an inner light. As the winds begin to blow, the leaves let go of their delicate connection and drift down the hill. And before you know it, the tree is bare once again, gently waving in the wind, waiting for the snow, waiting for the ice and waiting once again for the tiny green leaves.

A Tiny Square of Paper

I am headed to Williamsburg this weekend for a Women's Retreat with my church lady friends. Our theme is, " Go Down to the Potter's House and Be Remade as Seems Best to God". We are going to be doing some crafting while we are there and that sounds like lots of fun.
I was cutting paper last night for a new "paper quilt" and was playing with colors of paper, different values of the same patterns. The next one is probably going to be another cross pattern, I have a couple of ideas I want to work on...maybe I'll take my box of tiny squares of paper and get creative!

A Tiny Little Girl

When one of my little preschoolers wants something, they usually say,
"Can I have?" in a tiny little voice. Hard to resist, epecially when they say,
"Please???"
And usually, what they are asking for is whatever crayon I am currently using or more snack. The crayon is an easy one, I don't mind sharing and more often than not, they are using please and thank you with regularity!
At snack time, I cut up some apples, some bananas, add some little crackers, cheerios, teddy grahams, an assortment for everyone. And like any group of children, some like everything, some only like one thing and they expect me to remember who likes what. Bear in mind that I am the mom of an only child, so remembering what eight little children like can be challenging!
When I first met some of the children, back in June, they would not eat their snack, but would wrap it up. When I asked them why they weren't eating it, more often than not, I would be told that they were taking it home to their mommy. Or a little sister or brother who didn't come to day camp that day. If I handed out lollipops, I would be asked for more to take home.
Now, some might say that this sounds greedy, but the reality is this. Most of the children came to America from a refugee camp. A camp where one family member might be given a handful of food for the whole family, for the whole day. If there was any extra food, it was shared, no matter what it was or how little was left.
At preschool, they have learned that there is always more and plenty to share, sometimes there is lots left over to take home, funny how that works out!
Last Sunday, Josephine came to church with her new baby, Agnes, who is ten days old. When I asked Josephine how many children she had, she said,
"Lots!"
She gently placed Agnes into my arms and as she opened her eyes and softly yawned, the first thing that came to my mind was...
"Can I have?"
Not to keep, but to hold, to nurture, to love, to watch her grow and maybe be a teacher to this Tiny Little Girl!!

A Tiny License Plate

Two of our cars sport license plates that identify my college of choice as The University of Tennessee. I got the plate " 8T6VOL" when I first moved to Virginia and it has been on the pre-baby sporty car, the mini van, the suv and is now on the car Bob drives. The other plate "UTVOL86" ( notice the clever use of the Great Seal of Virginia as the letter O, thanks to Larry Haun for this trick!) is on my convertible. Fun to drive, especially on a summer evening, driving home at dusk, the smell of fresh cut grass drifing by.
Anyway, someone asked me if I was going to change my plates in light of the disappointing football season this year. I was a little surprised by the question, because anyone who knows me, knows that I am not very athletic and didn't play football then or now, so I can't really take credit or blame for their record this year or any other year.
And, surprisingly, did not pick UT as my school of choice because of their football team! Or because I look so good in the color orange!
So, my loyalties are not tied to a school with a great team, a lovely campus or a cute mascot. My loyalties are tied to a school where I got an incredible education, made some life long friends and learned how to stand on my own.
I am thankful to my parents for making this possible, grateful indeed!
So, tag my car that I am a VOL, tag me as a Franklin, as an Edwards, as a Baptist, as a mom, as a friend, as a wife, as a daughter, as a sister, as an aunt, as a artist and I will remain loyal to those who have tagged me! Tag you're it!

A Tiny Silver Bus

I got a phone call yesterday that one of our friends was moving to Iowa in just a couple of hours. This family came to Fredericksburg from a refugee camp in the Congo almost two years ago. There is Sebastian, the dad, Nantoori, the mom, David, the oldest son, Emmanuel, the 19 year old son, Nanziza, the 12 year old daughter and Irakoze, the 6 year old son.
Sebastian and David have worked very hard, but our town has a really high cost of living ( being so close to D.C.) and it is hard for newcomer families to get ahead. Emmanuel, Nanziza and Irakoze are in school, learning English, making friends. Nanziza was in the Sunday School Class I taught last year and is an amazing young lady. Irakoze played on his first soccer team, The Rush, this fall and I loved to watch him play.
Emmanuel is a senior in high school and went to Passport Camp with our FBC youth group this summer and he and Chelsea have become great friends. They went to the Homecoming Dance at FA a few weeks ago and had lots of fun together.
So, when I got a call that Sebastian and Emmanuel were leaving to go to Iowa, with the rest of the family following in a couple of months, I was stunned. Sebastian has a cousin in Des Moines, had gone there and found a job and it was time for a change.
I picked up Chelsea and went to their house after school to see them. Another friend, Thomas, translated Sebastian's words to me. That he loved the people in Fredericksburg, that he loved his friends, but he needed to go where he could support his family. And while I understand completely why he is going, my heart hurts to see my friends move away.
My heart was breaking as I watched Chelsea saying goodbye to her friend. And as her mom, I wanted to fix it, but I can't.
While we were there, another friend, Faraha, who lives here with her husband and five sons, said she too was going to Iowa...for a visit...and taking the youngest boy, Bosco. That didn't make any sense to me. Why would you ride three days on a bus, stay for five days and then come back. Seemed like an awful lot of traveling for a mom and baby. Later we were told that she was not coming back and the rest of her family was also going to Iowa. Her little boys have taken residence in my heart and I will miss them greatly. Bosco, the sweet baby, who mimics what I say in a funny southern accent. Alexi, who responds to Chelsea like no other, who is sweet and funny and started pre-school a couple of months ago. Manirakisa, who runs and hugs me whenever he sees me and also played soccer this season. Meshack, who lets me help him with his homework and loves to read to me. Wilson, the oldest son, who loves his brothers and takes care of them.
Seeing these friends board A Tiny Silver Bus and head off to a new life is hard. I pray that they will find a good life, meet new friends who will love them and the children as we have and traveling mercies as they begin a new journey.

A Tiny Silver Fork

Wednesday Night Supper at church. An activity that happens at churches all over the world. A chance to gather with church family in fellowship before going to Bible study classes, children's choir, discussion groups and prayer meeting.
Last Wednesday night, just as Janis, Keith, Mikayla, Judy, Dewey, Amber, Chelsea and I were finishing our meal and getting ready for the next activity, Jeanne stopped by our table and said she had a baby who needed to eat, could Janis take him? And of course, Janis opened her arms and Bosco held her tight. Someone got the high chair, a bowl of fruit, a drink, a fork and he was ready to go! Bosco's mom was sick and he and his four brothers came to church to eat. And they are a part of our family.
I love that we are all a part of God's family and when we sit down together, we become one family.
We share a meal, we share our lives, we share our love for Jesus!!! As I am far away from most of my Franklin Family, I am thankful for my Fredericksburg Family and look forward to fellowship and fun and a tiny silver fork.

A Tiny Sad Face

Election 2008.
Enough Said.

Phil Fulmer.
Enough Said.

A Tiny Envelope

Don't you just love to open the mailbox and find a letter,lovingly addressed just to you? Amongst the bills, circulars, political flyers, magazines, and solicitations, s letter pops out, cream colored envelope decorated with a drawing from an artist I love and admire. Gently opening the envelope, a card is revealed. It is a drawing from my niece, Halina. Using my mad skills as an art interpreter, the envelope is showing a house and a self-portrait of Halina, wearing a groovy dress and some kicky heels. The drawing on the card appears to be a picture of me, also wearing a groovy dress and an assortment of bracelets. Or, it might be Grandmother because there is what may be a golf club and golf ball in the picture!
Halina is four, but draws like an older child. Her figures have a torso, but no neck ( that comes later), two legs, two arms, two eyes, a nose, a mouth, hair, feet and fingers. Her people have feet drawn at different levels, depicting walking or action, which gives them perspective.
I think she is pretty talented, has a good use of color and filled the border area.
All in all, a delightful letter!
I like writing letters, sending cards, sharing news with my friends. I like visiting neat stationery stores, the feel of heavy card stock under a fine writing pen.
So, the next time you think about writing a note, instead of an e-mail, pick up your pen, get out your paper, address the envelope, apply your stamp and let your thoughts flow. I am sure the recipient will love opening the mailbox and finding A Tiny Envelope, just from you.

A Tiny Silver Pumpkin

I love the Fall season. A little football, the leaves on the trees turning yellow, orange and red, the wind blowing through the trees in my backyard, needing a light jacket in the morning ( although I am still wearing sandals!), and of course, a trip to the pumpkin patch.
I always loved going on field trips with Chelsea's classes, visiting the pumpkin patch, running through the field to find the perfect pumpkin. Riding on the big haywagon, sliding on the bales of hay...sneezing, sneezing and sneezing!!!
Once the pumpkin is home, the time comes to decorate...do we carve it or paint it? I've carved them in a simple triangle-eyed jack 'o lantern, I've carved complicated patterns where you put the paper pattern on the pumpkin, poked the holes and carved out the design. ( Hint: If you do this, rub some flour over the holes before carving and the holes will show up better, making it easier to carve!)
Someone ( a four year old)once told me that we are like pumpkins: God scoops out the sloppy stuff and puts his light in us.
But my favorite way to decorate the pumpkins is to paint them. I'll admit this is far more appealing to me because I love to paint and I don't like scooping out the insides!
Our youth group went to Belvedere a couple of weeks ago and brought back pumpkins to paint with the children at church. Some people painted in an abstract style, some painted actual faces, some mixed all of the colors together and scooped the paint on the pumpkin, allowing it to drip down the sides.
No matter what the painting style, the children enjoyed the painting and the drying room was quite a site to behold.
So, this year on Halloween, no matter how you celebrate...trick or treating, haunted houses, football games, greeting little goblins or spending the night at home watching scary movies...have fun, be safe and let your light shine!!!

A Tiny Woven Box

My dad is having shoulder surgery today. He has an excellent surgeon, the best of care once he gets home, challenging physical therapy and no golf for several months. That's right, no golf for Grandpa Arnie. My dad's "grandparent' name is Grandpa Arnie, a nod to Arnold Palmer, who is also a golfer of some note! His name is Don, but we all call him Arnie.

My dad is also known for his inventiveness. He can see a need, design a product and then go down in the basement and build it. At a young age, he taught me how to hold a hammer, gave me a hammer and let me build things. He taught me how to fix things around the house, letting me help, showing me how to use a wrench, a screwdriver, a drill. I liked to sort the nails, nuts, bolts and washers into jars and buckets on his workbench. He taught me how to sharpen a knife the proper way, which makes me the knife sharpener in our family!

One time, when I was 11, our Girl Scout Troop was having a Father -Daughter Basket Dinner. The idea was that the girls made a dinner, packed it in a basket and the dads bid on the dinner as a way to raise money for the troop. My mom helped me make the dinner, but I didn't have a basket. Not sure what to do, I asked him if he had anything I could use. He said he would look around in the basement. Later, he called me downstairs and showed me what he had made. A box shaped basket, with a plywood base, corner uprights and woven thin pieces of wood. Perfect for carrying a dinner to a party!

That box stayed in my room, filled at different times with stuffed animals, magazines or records. It went to college with me and was filled with drafting supplies for my design classes. Now, 34 years later, the box sits on a bench ( a bench actually made by my sister, Melinda)in my hallway, filled with books, waiting to be read. Something from my dad, made with his hands, invaluable to me. A simple project that told me he loved me and wanted me to have a basket for the dinner. A simple project made with simple tools that reminds me to be inventive, to be creative and to perhaps think outside of the box.

A Tiny Number Four

Today, our letter for the day was "G" and our number was the number "4".

4 pairs of glasses, 4 green grapes, 4 goldfish crackers, 4 goats, 4 green gum balls...you get the picture. We colored a picture of a girl with green eyes, just like Miss Melanie, played games and drank gatorade.

We counted squares on the floor, tiles in the ceiling, shoes on our feet, bows in our hair and rings on our fingers.

My sister introduced me to an episode of Sesame Street featuring a singer who turned her very popular song into a song about the number 4. Singing time went like this:

"One, two, three, four, monsters walking 'cross the floor"
"Miss Melanie, Miss Melanie"
"Yes, Faines?"
"We no like monsters!"
"Well, it is just a song..."
"No monsters!"

So, we made a new version...
"One, two, three, four, blocks are stacked up on the floor. I like stacking blocks and want to stack some more!"
"One, two, three, four, friends are knocking on the door. I like friends who are knocking on the door."

A little safer than singing about monsters when you are four!

A Tiny Silver Present

Isn't it fun to receive a present? I know someone who snoops in her husband's desk drawer to look at her Christmas gift. One year, she said that when she saw what he had gotten, she was disappointed and wondered how she could get him to exchange it. A little sad, I guess.

I drove to my parent's house yesterday, an 11 hour trip in the car, alone, on my way home for a funeral. All along the way, I was delighted to find that there were lots of little "gifts" on my journey.

The trees are just starting to change colors, so every once in a while, there would be a blaze of red or orange amidst the green trees. What a gift!

Beautiful purple flowers planted in the median strip. What a gift!

I had my MP3 player on random play and I had lots of fun singing along. What a gift!

The frozen Coke machine was working at the Krystal in Knoxville. What a gift!

I saw a license plate in Knoxville with a "catch phrase" my friend Kimberly and use to greet each other, almost as if she was saying "Hey" to me as I drove along. What a gift!

It was a long drive, but I was driving in a car that is fun to drive! What a gift!

It was a beautiful, bright, sunny day with no rain. What a gift!

When I drove into my mom's driveway, my sister and her family were there to greet me! What a gift!

So, yesterday's gifts were not tangible, well, except for the frozen Coke (!), but I enjoyed each one as the were presented to me. Just some tiny little presents that made my day better. What a gift!

A Tiny Book

I love to read. I love a good story, a beginning, an ending, some back story, some fore shadowing, all of it. A friend introduced me to www.shelfari.com which is an on-line bookshelf where one can post books they have read, books they own, books they are planning to read, reviews, and reading groups. It is a fun way to keep up with your reading list.

I started a reading log in 2000 because I found that I read so many books so quickly, that I would buy the same books, not remembering the title, at times. Looking back at the log, I remember the summer I read ( and re-read) all of the books written by Madeleine L'Engle. All of them, from juvenile fiction to journals to poetry. She is one of my favorite authors and when I recommended "A Wrinkle in Time" to a friend when I was 12, only to be told she thought the book was weird, I was not swayed, but continued to read everything I could find.

Last week I re-read "The Secret Life of Bees" and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. It has been made into a movie, which may or may not capture the spirit of the book, but if you have a chance, read the book. Read a book, any book, read to your children, and if you really like the book you are reading, tell someone. Share the adventure.

Happy Reading!

A Tiny Crayon

Our church is fortunate to host ESL classes two days a week. There are about 25 children who accompany their parents to the classes. There are tiny babies, toddlers and pre school aged children. Call it a God moment, but the first day of class, having a little extra time on my hands, I stopped by the church to see if they needed an extra pair of hands to help with the children. Some of the children participated in the day camp where I volunteered this summer, so I was excited to see them. Some of the children were playing with toys, several were crying and a few were sitting over by the wall, with wide eyes, taking it all in. After a few days of this, my friend Courtney and I thought we might take the older children into the next room and work on some simple learning skills. Learning the alphabet, counting to 10, recognizing colors and shapes and maybe sing a song or two.

Courtney printed off some coloring sheets, I brought some simple books and flash cards and our version of preschool was born! Each morning, I cover the table with paper, write the letter of the day in front of each place, write their names and draw some simple shapes. When the children come in, they eagerly reach into the box of crayons for their favorite color and trace the letters, find their names, circle all of the letter e's ( we all have an e in our names)and draw anything we can think of. We especially like to trace our hands. Sometimes we make shapes using craft sticks ( thank you, Melinda, for that idea!) We spend time in the play room and have a snack, hear a story and sing some songs. We really like to sing "The Wheels On the Bus", but then again, who doesn't?!

While volunteering a little time a couple of times a week with 7 or 8 children may not seem like an important way to spend time to some people, I think it may just be where God wants me to be right now. And when I go back to work, I will have to trade my crayons for a nice black pen, but until then, I will be in the moment with Jeta, Miguel, Angel, Lalo-Edwardo, Renesse, Estella and Faines and color with my carnation pink crayon.

A Tiny Class Ring

My daughter brought home an order form for her class ring today. Her class ring?! One more sign that her high school career is on the other side of the mountain. I remember when the Class of 1981 gathered around the tables in the lobby of Franklin High School. Our school colors were maroon and gray, making the garnet stone a popular choice. I wanted the emerald stone because green was my favorite color and if I was choosing one today, I would still pick the green stone. My ring sits in my jewelry box, tucked away, probably seldom worn after high school, but a favorite memento none the less.

Exciting times at our house, ordering a class ring, a yearbook, spirit week, homecoming games and the dance on Saturday. Milestones and memories and a tiny class ring.

A Tiny Silver Telephone

Several times this year I have have the opportunity to reconnect with people I knew long ago in a far away land! My youth group from Junior/Senior High at Woodmont Baptist Church had a reunion in May, Co-workers from my first job in Virginia got together several weeks ago and just this week, I heard from a college friend who I have not talked to in 22 years and a high school/college friend who I haven't seen in about 5 years. So forgive me if I am feeling a bit nostalgic, but thanks to these connections, I have been able to visit some wonderful memories and catch up on my now grown up friends!
Thanks to e-mail, myspace, facebook, classmates.com, etc., the possiblities to find old friends and reconnect seems endless. I never know who will pop up on my screen saying...remember me? And what a wonderful gift this can be.

So, if you are wondering where they are, what are they doing or you just want to say hello, find them and use that tiny silver telephone!

A Tiny Silver Car

A court summons came in the mail. My presence was requested on a Monday morning in the fall. The day had come for my daughter to receive her actual drivers license. In Virginia, the final step in the licensing process is to appear before the judge, who explains the rules and responsibilities that go along with having driving privileges, shows a series of graphic slides of actual car accidents ( of teen aged drivers) in our area and reminds the parent that they have the authority to take away the license if they so choose.

As I watched the slide show, set to a popular song, the images made me want to shut my eyes or get up and leave. As tears collected at the corner of my eye, my daughter reached over and put her arm around my shoulder, offering comfort. A moment before, the photos were making me think of those children and their parents and the phone calls they must have gotten in the night. Now, it really hit me that those children were just like mine, excited about the freedoms that come along with driving and being able to run an errand or drive alone to school. But on that particular fateful day, they had perhaps made the simplest of errors in judgement that led to the accident.


A deputy had given the license to me as we entered the court room and the final words of the judge were that it was our, the parents, responsibilty to give the license to our child. I saw one boy take the folded paper from his father, tear off the license and put it in his pocket. But most parents, like me, left the court room with the folded paper clutched tightly in their hand.

When we got to the car, I gave it to my husband and as he handed it to her, I took a photo. They were both grinning on that sunny morning, looking like sweepstakes winners, ready to get on with the day. I wanted to stand in that parking lot and make time stop, not quite ready to watch her drive off in a tiny silver car.

A Tiny Pair of Scissors

Yesterday, I cut sheets of paper into 1" squares, preparing to make another paper quilt. I liked how the first one turned out, it featured a cross design in the center. I made another one of the alphabet to use as the ESL preschool class. The children especially like counting the buttons, calling out the colors, tracing the letters with one pointed finger.

I like the challenge of the layout, mixing colors, patterns and directions. I like bold sassy colors. The next one will be pink and green toile, dots and stripes. There is something really satisfying about repeating shapes, letting a pattern emerge in the overall design. Many tiny cuts make one big quilt.