Just Another Day

The inside of the house is in the process of being painted! Oh, I had forgotten how a fresh coat of paint can lift your spirits!! Amazing! The exterior of the house is next as soon as warm weather rolls around again! We meant to do it last Fall but life happens!

My order from Better Life arrived so I have no good excuse not to clean. I prefer their cleaning products to a lot of items on the store shelves. They are plant based with no chemicals which is what I need to use since the ingredients in many of the store products can cause my Vasculitis to flare up. Plus they are about the same price and they clean GREAT

While painting a few old things have come down off the walls and will not be put back up at my husband's request. Instead, I will have more room for some of that cross stitch I wasn't sure where to put it! That's fine with me.

These little heaters are great. We bought them back around Christmas when our heat was out for several days and we still use them. I keep one on the computer desk for those mornings when I feel a chill but don't want to turn the heat up. It is great to turn on while I sit at the computer and drink my coffee! And if left on long enough, it can really warm up an entire room!

I have not done any quilting lately. Life always gets a little hectic around infusion time. I am still working on my infusion project though so between the paint brush and the stitching needle, my hands have not been completely idle!

Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.

It's Stitching Time!

I finally have some stitching news to report!  

I was able to finish up The Apostle's Creed by My Big Toe which was an infusion project that I did during my Vasculitis treatments.  

I started on The Our Father by My Big Toe as my current infusion project. I am working on Our Father more often because I don't want it to take 1.5 years to finish like the first infusion project. I am so sorry for all the wrinkles. I did not lay them out very well.

On both of these I changed the colors around. The colors the designs called for were beautiful but I just needed some ZING! Also, I have not used all of the bottom borders because of fabric space and because of the excitement to finish them!

 

I have already picked out my next infusion project and have it kitted and ready to go!

 

I am trying to continue stitching from my stash as much as possible. I bought these because I fell in love with them and letting them sit in boxes unstitched just doesn't do them justice! I buy a few here and there but not as often.

 

My doctor and I decided to re-adjust the time frame on my treatments and since then I am finally feeling more like myself again after battling all of my health issues over the past several years.  I am looking forward to Spring and catching up on some gardening, tending to my roses, growing some tomatoes and herbs, watching my nesting birds, stitching and just "gently" enjoying life again.

 

Thank you all for not giving up on me and patiently waiting for my return. I love my blog and I love my followers! You guys are the best. Until next time, may you have simple days and uncluttered heart.

Life Really DOES Go On!

As many of you know I was diagnosed with a life threatening form of Vasculitis in September 2013. Vasculitis is inflammation of the veins and arteries and can invade your vital organs, depending on what type of Vasculitis you have and the severity.

I still remember the day I was told of the diagnosis and told I should get my affairs in order. My husband and I drove home in a state of shock. I turned to him and said "What did she say that I have? All I heard was life threatening." I had never heard of this auto immune disorder before.

The past several years have been a period of learning for me. Learning that I can't do everything I once did anymore. Even on my good days I have to limit what I do or my body will pay dearly for it. I have learned to listen to my body and know when I need to rest.

 I learned to change my priorities. Knowing that you have a life threatening illness can change everything. You can either live in denial or accept it and move on as best you can. I chose to move on. I have learned to balance my emotions by remaining as positive as I can.

I have learned that things I never thought would happen to me, can and very possibly will because of the Vasculitis. So far this past year I have had cataract surgery on both eyes and a total hip replacement. Both because of the Vasculitis.

I have also learned that the good days are precious and I appreciate each one of them more than I ever did before. I have learned to find joy in the little things that I never noticed before. Each day is blessing for me. It is what I choose instead of feeling grief over the life I left behind.

I am not perfect. I am only human. I still have my bad days when breathing is a challenge or one of my many other symptoms (or other auto immune disorders) rears it's ugly head. Occasionally, I have a pity party where I cry for hours and wonder "why me?".  But when all is said and done, I realize how lucky I am that it is not worse and how grateful I am to still be here.

I still have my stitching to comfort me and keep me calm. I still have my backyard birds to serenade me and I still have my blog that waits patiently for those good days when I can post updates! I still have my faith which only grows stronger every day now. I still have my friends and family who stand by me (even if they don't totally understand it all) because they care. Most of all I have my wonderful husband who helps me, sits with me during treatments and is always there to support me in silence and I couldn't do it without him.

I know this is a lot about me and something that many of you have never heard of before now but if I can touch one person who has it or make one person who has never heard of it aware of it then I have succeeded.

I realize that this is was started as a blog for my hobbies and I promise to keep it that way. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read about my life. You are all very special to me which is why I wanted to share this with you. 

Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.