Meet Sarah Ruth

I have a new granddaughter.  Her name is Sarah Ruth.  She was born July 22nd, 2011 and she weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz.  She was 21 inches long. 

Changes and Growth

My Summer babies are growing.  Naomi is 4 months old and can now reach for toys and entertain herself with a toy.  She smiles all the time and her eyes seem to be always lit up with excitement.

Keith Otto is 3 months old and is so sweet.  He has the cutest smile that he displays at various degrees; small, larger, and super big.  If he gets more excited after "super big" he begins giggling which I love.  And his wonderful smiles reveals a dimple on his right cheek.  He is beginning to "try" and reach for things.  You can see the desire and intent on his face but it hasn't quite made it to the motor function yet.

Zoey Elise is now two months old and is a very serious baby.  She is somewhat fussy and wants to eat all the time.  She is a roly poly pudgy thing with gorgeous eyes.  As serious as she is, she will reward you with a smile at times. 

I cannot wait to see who they will become.  I look forward to the day I can communicate with them and hear what they are thinking.  I'm anticipating watching Michael and KO play together antagonizing the girls and I'm excited about baking chocolate chip cookies with my grandaughters and having tea parties.

So much to look foward to and to hope for.  But for now I will be content to watch them grow at their own pace.  Right now they study my face intently while I feed them and rock them.  I rejoice in the fact that babies are non-discriminating.  They don't care if Grandma is beautiful or young or skinny - they just respond to love and offer their love without hesitation.  They are completely trusting that they will be cared for responsibly.  It is a high calling indeed to be entrusted with a child to raise and influence. 

My two oldest grandchildren, Alex 12 and Michael 1 1/2 are also growing and changing.  Alex is entering middle school and is now homeschooled.  He is learning Tae Kwan Do and loves it.  He is also making and selling homemade buttons.  He is a very studious child and seems to be destined for a career in writing.  His stories have very interesting characters and the plots of his stories are well thought out.  His mother (my daughter) is helping him set up a blog for a more creative outlet.  I love spending Sabbath at his home because I love sharing in their Sabbath rituals.  It thrills me that my children are developing their own traditions and expressions of bringing in the Sabbath.  Alex has memorized Proverbs 30: 7-9 and it is a beautiful portion of scripture.

Michael is a very precocious and sensitive child and is a delight to have around though he does wear me and grandpa out after awhile.  He talks up a storm and has the cutest little voice.  He also loves books and is never satisfied to have just one to read but wants the entire pile gathered up in the rocking chair for cuddling and reading time.  On Friday night when we gather around the Sabbath table, he becomes very serious and watchful.  He knows when it is time for kiddush and insists are being included in raising the cup.  It won't be long until he can recite the prayers, I'm sure. 

This is my third grandchild & and second granddaughter born this summer.  Her name is Zoey Elise and she was born August 25th.  G-d has truly blessed us with a beautiful growing family and all healthy births.  His promises are true and reliable. 
Welcome little Zoey - her name means "Consecrated to G-d."  May she carry forward the life and traditions of our people.

Oh My Gosh!

Is the cutest thing you ever saw?  I love this picture!  This is my newest grandson - 2 days old

A New Grandson

This new bundle of joy was born to my son Keith and his wife, Nina pictured here with my precious little grandson.  He is so cute, sweet, and a breath of heaven.  One of the first things I noticed about him is that he has graceful hands.  I'm not sure why that description came to me as my first thought about this wee baby but as he grows I hope to discover what   G-d has to say about his graceful hands. 

His name will be anounced at his brit and I will post it then.  He weighed 6 lbs. 10 ounces.

My new granddaughter

My son and daughter-in-law just blessed us with a new grandchild - this time a granddaughter and her name is Naomi Faith:

New Grandbabies

This summer we are expecting 3 new grandbabies so I've been busy sewing for all the expectant mothers and dreaming of when I get to hold each sweet bundle.  The mothers are two of my daughters-in-law and my oldest daughter.  I wanted to make one of these adorable rag quilts for each of them but do not know the gender of their babies.  So I let them select which one of these they'd like.  All chose the teddy bear but one wants it in the colors shown, one wants shades of white for all the patches, and the other wants her nursery in Winnie the Pooh so I decided to do a selection of pooh fabrics.  There are some beautiful Pooh flannels out there now.

Well, I got about halfway done with the first one.  Took me about 4 or 5 hours to pin and cut out - some of that time was selecting fabrics as there are about 12 different fabrics used.  I always cut one day and sew the next; rarely do I do both in the same day or I get too discouraged.  The sewing is very easy and fast because it is a rag quilt but preparing the patches for stitching is a little time-consuming.  I spend a few minutes before stitching each one marking stitching and quilting lines.  I chose a 100% all natural cotton batting and it adds just enough padding and softness to the flannels.

Simplicity has two other patterns for these types of quilts that are appropriate for older girls - I am planning on doing a ladybug for one of my daughters and a butterfly for the other but I think I am going to use fleece solids for the patches.  Those should go a little faster as there are fewer patches and require no padding.

When you work full time and love to sew, you come to realize the truth in the song "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce.  I wish we could save "time in a bottle" - time must be the biggest commodity of all.  I have more ideas and plans than time unfortunately but I hope G-d gives me just enough 'time' to do the important ones before He calls me home.  Ecclesiastes has a lot to say about time and re-emphasizes how fleeting it is.

Moses knew the value of time after watching the multitudes of the older Israelite people dying day after day as they wandered around in the wilderness.  One of the Psalms was written by Moses and is actually a prayer - Psalm 90.  Verse 12 says, "So teach us to count our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom."  A heart of wisdom "ponders life" whereas the contrasting "adulteress" heart does not (Proverbs 5:6).  We need to be about the business of pondering life, allowing the light of the Holy Spirit to search out our hearts daily so we will be able and ready to present a heart of wisdom whenever the L-rd calls us.  In Deuteronomy 30:19 Moses sums up his law-giving by instructing whoever would be wise enough to take heed - Choose Life so that you and your descendants may LIVE!  We can choose life by choosing a life that honors G-d - by keeping His commandments which provide a fence of protection on this path that is treacherous at times.  Praise be to the Most High for He instructs us in how to walk with Him. 

Let your tongue declare His righteousness and His praise all day long.  Psalm 35:28