We are spending this Mother’s day sleeping off last nights travels back to New York. We had a wonderful time with family out in Oregon. We wish we could spend mother’s day with our moms but I think we did the next best thing by seeing them the week before.

Speaking of moms-I’ve got great ones. That being that I include both my mother and my mother-in-law. I am blessed to be able to celebrate two amazing women this year 🙂

I could write forever about my moms but I think for this year, continuing on the wedding season theme, I will share a story:

My bridal shower was on a hot sunny September day this past fall in SoCal. As my mom and I packed gifts in the car from those who couldn’t come, in also went a big black and white rose print bag which I couldn’t place. It was from my mom. She told me I would have no clue what it was, which of course made me so curious I couldn’t wait to open it at the shower.

After some fun games, great treats, and catching up with my female friends and family it was finally gift-time. There were some great surprises, sentimental touches, and awesome picks from our registry. But nothing prepared me for what was in that rose printed bag.

I looked at the card : “something from home to take with you no matter where you live”. I pulled the heavy bag onto my lap, quickly tore out the tissue paper and began to pull out a red and white quilt pattern. I asked my mom: “Did you make a tree skirt for me or is this yours?” See my mom had been taking quilting classes for the past six months. In that time she had made a Christmas and Thanksgiving wall hanging and a beautiful tree skirt. So my first thought was that she was either giving away her tree skirt or she had made one for me.

Then she encouraged me to pull the whole thing out. I was shocked as she and my grandmother helped me unfold a complete queen size quilt all in red and white to match my beautiful red headboard (see sleep after marriage ).

As I admired the details she told me the story: My mom had been working on this since the beginning of her quilting class, the second she knew I was engaged. She casually asked me to look at some of her quilting magazines and noticed me eyeing the  red and white pattern with the 8 point stars. She quickly took the pattern, went to the store and got started.

All those other quilting projects were cover ups for her real masterpiece. The many annoying times she asked when I was going to be home or how long I’d be gone was so she knew when she could secretly sew the quilt.  This gift was gorgeous, totally unexpected, and I know my mom put hard work into it. The pattern was for intermediate to advance quilters but she did it anyways. That’s my mom for you.

It took on even more significance when we found out we were moving to the East Coast. I would still have this beautiful piece  from my mom that would remind me of home. Through the winter my mom’s cotton quilt has sat folded on top of the cedar chest in our bedroom.

Now that it is spring we have moved it to the bed.

So Happy Mother’s day Mom! And thank you for the hours of prayer stitched into each piece of this quilt-I love you.

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!