I have received fabric squares from friends all over the country..each with heartfelt messages of hope and joy for our baby girl. To my amazement, I have received 147 squares!!!! I have so many, that i will be able to make 2 quilts for her! I will use 100 squares to make a very large quilt, to lay at the end of her bed. I will use the remaining squares to make a smaller, travel blanket, that she can use on the couch, when we travel...etc..
Back to the reason for this post. While I will treasure ALL of the wishes/swatches I have received, today I received the ONE that will remain dear to my heart, forever. It was sent from Heaven. Well....not really...but in memory of a very dear person who looks over me every single day, from Heaven. My Mother.
The gift in this fabric and wish, is actually WHO sent it. It was sent by my Step-Mother. I'm actually not even sure if that is the "correct" title for her. You see, she married my Step-Father, several years after my Mother died.(My Mother and Step-Father married when I was only 3). While I was expecting for their fabric squares to arrive any day, the surprise came when I opened the package, to find not only their 2 squares, but an extra one. As I glanced at the fabric, a beautiful pastel square of butterflies, my hands trembled. Tears filled my eyes, and I KNEW who it was from. I instantly assumed it to be from my Step-Father, who has always had his subtle ways of keeping my Mother's memory alive for me. Emotions overflowed as I opened an envelope with my name on it, and discovered a letter written by my Step-Mother, explaining that as they were preparing their own fabric squares and wish cards, she felt the overwhelming desire to include a card and swatch from my MOTHER. She explained that she wrote the card from her heart, just as she imagined my Mother would speak the words to me, if she were able. She went BACK to the fabric store to pick out the "perfect" fabric-just from HER. My Mother loved lavender and butterflies....and that is just what the fabric represents.
I will never be able to explain to her what this card and wish mean to me. It was the most selfless, thoughtful thing that she could do and I am so grateful to have it as part of this quilt. Even as I type these words, tears fall on my keyboard. Please let me share this priceless treasure with you.......
My Dearest Mia,
I am your Grandma Donna. I live in Heaven and will not be able to be with you on this Earth but I love you so much. Your Mommy has prayed and prayed for you to come into our family. Our special time together as Mother and Daughter put such a longing in your Mommy's heart to share those special times with a Daughter of her own, that God sent you to her, all the way from China. Wish I could be there, but always remember what a special gift you are and know that you have your own special angel in heaven watching over you.
I love you and your Mommy!!
Grandma Donna
It is so very hard to have lost a loved one, who your children never had the chance to know. Even when they ask me " Where is YOUR Mommy?", and I explain that she is in Heaven, they still just look at me blankly and don't seem to really get it. The longer she is gone, the less people mention her, and sometimes I honestly feel her "memory" begin to fade. Don't get me wrong, there isn't a day that goes by, even 12 years later, that I don't think of her,long to hear her voice, long to have her back....but others rarely speak of her. And so to receive this card, written in her honor and memory, shows me that she is NOT forgotten....and so to the gracious author of this card......thank you......XOXO.....
