Sunday, December 20, 2009

Stats Suck Sunday, but not really


So the scanner & I aren't the best of friends yet, so these pics are not the size I wanted. Maybe Amanda can give me pointers when she comes in 3 weeks! Anyway. A lady the worked with Ted at the hospital is an awesome, awesome seamstress. We saved every t-shirt over some 20 years. Places we visited. Places we played club volleyball. Colleges mom, dad, & Grandpa Kubicki went to. 5 leaf-sized garbage bags full. Literally, the night before the movers came, I was scrambling to pick shirts that were a good representation.
Today she opened the Christmas gift at my brother's. My SIL said no tears were shed, but the memories each shirt hold, made her catch her breath. And this is just the front! The seamstress even enclosed a note about this labor of love! I wish we could have been there, but this year things are new. This first Christmas apart has really opened my eyes to what Ted had to have felt his first Christmas apart from Heather & Colette so many years ago. Wow. And he never complained. Not once in 23 years. I am so blessed. And now I have a sense of those feelings he felt. And that the girls felt. God is so darn sneaky on teaching us lessons. And sometimes many years down the road. One never knows when the answer to that prayer or lesson will come. Certainly not in my timeframe!! She had no idea Mom & Dad had sent gifts for her to open today. Plus a mystery box. No-peeking-until-Christmas box. Hmmm. :D

And this is the back. The seamstress sent us these pics a couple of weeks ago so we could see it. We hadn't noticed, but she put the colleges on one side & mostly grade school & high school on the other. Observant child! Now she's going to pack it to bring with her in 3 weeks. Silly girl!
My SIL said is was made really well with a heavier, almost canvas like material. And then pieced together. I am amazed at the result. So many trips. So much history. Lots of sports. From Pirate baseball to Steeler football. From Penguin hockey to Penn State Nittany Lions. From the Steel Phantom coaster at Kennywood to In-n-out burgers. And, of course, "once a Sandie, always a Sandie". For her High School, the Amarillo Sandstorm, class of '05. It is a great work of art from a gifted woman. To another gifted woman.
I will post a picture of my counted-cross stitch tree skirt that she also finished for me. I did all the cross-stitching. She made it into a tree skirt. That's for later in the week. If I ever see the sun again, I will do a post on my ornament collection. After all I told Lisa I would! Just hasn't been good enough lighting to take pictures to capture their true artistry.
Hope I didn't get too sentimental. But, I just had to share it with you all.
Did I mention the STEELERS actually won today? After 5 losses in a row. With 3 seconds left. And the point after with time expired. Only 34 yards rushing, but 500+ yards passing. Most in some 2 years in the NFL.


4 comments:

Lisa said...

That's such a neat idea! I'm sure it will be something Amanda treasures forever. My gift giving this year is completely uninspired. I know this because I was crazy enough to save my shopping until today and then thought I could just go out and find great ideas and stuff. Not so! I'm sure I spent WAY more than I should have, or intended to, in order to make up for my lack of preparedness.
I'm too tired to go through all the bags tonight. I'll look at the damage tomorrow while waiting for our new fridge to arrive! I do know I bought myself some birthday presents, because Phil said I could. Tomorrow I will once again smell pretty thanks to B&BW.

Pokinatcha said...

That's a cute quilt. Wish I would've done this with my kids stuff. Usually their clothes are too warn out to save.

My mom just made one this last summer of her husband's shirts. She said it was really heavy so she can't bring it to HI for me to see.

Schromom said...

Amanda is at our house tonight and here I am in Pennsylvania! I hate to miss seeing her but we have had a great time with our grandkids. Wish I could have seen that awesome quilt too (now Kristin's gonna want one!).
Have a Merry Christmas!

Mary said...

What a wonderful quilt for sweet Amanda! We loved seeing her as she zoomed through Amarillo. She even got to go on a pinecone hunt with the three M's! I know you are counting down the days until she is with you. I am already sadly counting the days until Michael flies back to New Jersey :( Have a wonderful New Year!