First Born Sons

Today was one of those happy days--a Sunday spent in church with almost the whole family present for a special event. Our first born son gave his first born son his name and a really nice blessing. Joel has had a great example in his Dad and I know he'll be that same kind of good example to Joshua. How lucky little Joshua is to be born to this father and his wonderful mother, Emilee.

Generations

Here are four generations of Johnson men, each one being the firstborn son in their families:

Grandpa Jim, baby Joshua, Great-grandpa True, and father Joel. Aren't they a good looking bunch of guys?

Hooray for #38

This past week we celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary with dinner and a movie--a very nice way to celebrate the fact that we're still together and going strong. I have been shocked and saddened lately to hear of family members and friends who have divorced after many years together, so I know not to take 38 years for granted--we don't necessarily have it made! We have to keep working on our relationships if we want them to last. I'm so lucky to have ended up with my best friend, who is as committed to us and our family as I am. I asked him if he wanted to try for another 38 years and when he figured out how old we'd be, he decided that we'd better go for eternity instead. So here's to many more years of happiness together on earth and an eternity of happy years later!

Big Winner

For years Jim has been known for his humorous drawings, but about a year ago he took a watercolor class at the Bountiful Davis Art Center and let the serious artist emerge from within.
This week he had enough courage to enter two pieces in the Davis County Fair and ended up with a blue ribbon for "Ben", our grandson on a tractor. He also received Best in Division for his colorful street scene, "Recife". I am so proud of him! And how nice for him to receive validation from someone outside his family! Congratulations!

Jim and "Ben"

"Recife"

Joshua

Another precious blessing has joined our family this past week. Little Joshua Bradley was born on Tuesday evening and is the first grandson to carry on the family name. Where we had so many daughters, our grandsons certainly are outnumbering the granddaughters at this point. It doesn't matter--we adore them all!
The happy family

Joshua with his Great-Grandpa Kirkham

I Am Sewing

After my friend Kim died, I sort of inherited a large number of her quilt tops--meaning that I saved them from going to Deseret Industries, in the trash, or other suggestions her husband had for them. Her daughters wanted the quilts and her husband didn't want them in the house anymore, so I brought them home to keep until a time when the girls will have homes of their own and take them back. As a service I thought it would be fun to finish some of them, so several of my friends and relatives have taken some to quilt. There were more than 20 finished quilt tops and at least that many more unfinished. I especially want to get the baby quilts done so that Kim's grandchildren can have one of her beautiful creations.
Seeing all of Kim's unfinished projects got me to thinking about my own, so I determined to spend the summer sewing-- that when I'm gone there won't be so much for my family to complete or get rid of.
Although not part of my completion list, this is the quilt I made for little Marcus and even a picture of Marcus enjoying a little time on it. The pattern is Wheels by Sandy Workman. It was quilted at Sew 'n' Save and the quilter included little VW Beetles as part of her pattern.

I took a couple of weeks off of my projects in June to help sew some Wizard of Oz costumes for Kaysville City's summer production. I usually am their accompanist, but our director used a minus track this year and I only did a little playing at the beginning of the rehearsal schedule. That gave me some time to help with the costumes. I sewed the Emerald City costumes for Jenny and Sam, who were the only ones from my family to perform this year. I also sewed the coat of the guard to Emerald City. All of the costumes were pretty complicated--it took one whole week just to get everything cut out. If Melissa hadn't stepped in to help me finish at the last minute, some people might have only been wearing partial costumes. What a lot of work! I'm glad I wasn't the one responsible for everything! I'll have to see if I can find some pictures of the costumes and post them at another time.

I have joined a couple of table runner quilt clubs in the past years, so one of my next projects was to complete another one of them. This pattern is Fresh and Fancy by Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way. All of the table runners in this series are reversible. I machine quilted this one myself and since Emily loved it so much, I have given it to her.


The last picture for this post is the quilt I've made for Joel and Emilee's baby, due anytime now. This one is a variation of a pattern called Up in the Air by Two Peas in a Pod. Sew 'n' Save did the quilting using some bus and other vehicle motifs as well as pine trees on the quilt. We just can't wait to meet the the little guy this one belongs to!

So my theme song will continue to be "I am sewing, daily sewing, countless seams of good and ill" for the remaining weeks of my summer break. Next up: skirts and jumpers for my granddaughters.

My Friend Kim

Today I had the opportunity to be the organist at the funeral of a long time friend--my last act of service as it were.

I have known Kim for more than 20 years. My first memory of her is of a young mother singing to her infant son in the foyer of our church building as we were waiting for tithing settlement. Some months after adopting this baby, they discovered that he had fetal alcohol syndrome and would be severely handicapped. But oh how she loved that little boy with an unconditional love.

I think that the first conversation we had of any length was at a baby shower for someone in the ward. I discovered as we visited that we had some things in common and also that she didn't have many friends. My heart has always reached out to people who were lonely in that way, but I haven't always been successful in turning them into a friend--fortunately I was successful this time.

We had the love of quilting, sewing, needlework, shopping, music, books, and our families in common. She was an incredibly talented seamstress, sewing beautiful heirlooms--her daughters were always dressed in the most wonderful dresses created by their mother. At one period of time we were trading piano lessons for her oldest daughter in return for some sewing for me. I don't know who got the best of that deal!

Her talent for putting together wonderful quilts was inspiring and I have been the happy recipient of two small ones that she made just for me. She loved to teach others what she knew how to do--I learned to applique from her. I also went shopping with her many times--that woman was a shopper! She introduced me to places I'd never been before, including my favorite needlework shop, Shepherd's Bush, in Ogden.

In those early days of our friendship Kim was a little prickly and easily offended, tending to hold grudges. More than once when I was on outings with her she made salesclerks and restaurant servers cry. Those times were hard for me, but I persisted with our friendship because I thought she was worth it.

Some years ago things changed. Kim was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and I watched helplessly as it took it's toll on her body. She had many surgeries, complications, and other illnesses that also attacked her. However, I was privileged to witness the miracle that took place over this time period--the thing that ravaged her body was refining her spirit. I saw her soften and become patient with others' human frailties, doing everything in her power to serve others, making other true friendships along the way. I believe that Kim knows what the refiner's fire means. How sorry I am for the amount of suffering she endured, but I am so happy for the person she became.

Our outings became fewer over time--she couldn't manage the stairs to my home, so most of our visits were in her home or via the phone. I knew that when Kim called me that I should take a comfortable seat because we were in it for the long haul. We commiserated over hard things, rejoiced in the successes of our families, and generally solved the problems of the world.

As Jim sang Each Life That Touches Ours For Good for the funeral today, he was singing the truth for me. Kim has truly touched my life for good and I will miss her. For all those years ago when I thought that she could benefit from having me for a friend, I have been the true beneficiary. Rest, dear friend.