Almost over...

I don't want to face it, but our time with Alex and Fifi is almost over.  They leave to go back to Tokyo on Thursday morning.  I will be lost.  Completely lost.  I have so enjoyed having voices in the house during the day again.  Fifi is a delight to be around.  She knits!  She knits!  Can you believe that?  I didn't know until two days ago when she asked if I would teach her to knit socks.  Last night I found her some needles, yarn and gave her a pattern.  Alex translated it for her and look here...

She has the cuff and most of the leg of a sock done.  Just since last night.  How wonderful!  She is a graduate of a fashion school in Tokyo and makes all of her own clothes and kimono's.

Fifi also brought me a table top loom from Japan.  She has made several coasters and a couple of mats since she arrived.  I hope I can remember what she's shown me since the instructions are all in Japanese.  The loom just makes small things but it's fun!

This one she added a few small bits of fabric that I had on hand.

This was our first attempt.  My favorite color.  Purple!

She also brought Japanese paper making supplies.  She made these using the purple orchid blooms from the flowers Dennis got while he was in the hospital.  The greens ones are plants and leaves from our yard.

I'm amazed how pretty they are.

Of course the purple is my favorite!  Kyleigh wants me to send her a few pieces of the paper and I think I'll frame some too.

I wish Mandy were here to get to know her better.  I just know they would hit it off.  We do face-time with them everyday and Piper loves her Uncle Alex and Fifi.  I said it earlier, but I'm going to really miss these two when they leave.  I admit that I've cried a lot the last few days and I have tears in my eyes now at the thought of not knowing when I'll see them again.

Enough of that!  Here's the progress on my memory blanket.  Not a lot, but I've been working on other projects too.  I'm in a dishcloth swap on Ravelry and although I have many dishcloths made already, none are in my swap partners favorite colors so I've started a new one.  I have a pair of socks started.  A mystery gift for Mandy that I can't talk about on here because she reads my blog.  Hi Mandy!  Anyway, I have been hopping around on different things and don't have anything complete except two pairs of mittens this week.

These two have been having lots of fun playing.  Alex bought a drone on Amazon for his business and he and Dennis have been flying it around our back yard while learning to control the thing.  Lots of laughter and fun.  It was wonderful to have one of the kids actually home for Mother's Day.  We facetimed with Jamie & Mandy and the grandkids though and also with Dennis' Mom in Nebraska.

Alex and Fifi went to Helena, Montana to visit Jamie's family Friday night and Saturday.  Uncle Alex took Caleb to the skatepark and gave him some pointers.  No skating for Alex because of his foot, but he was still able to be a good coach.  The stitches come out of his foot tomorrow and they fly home the next day.  Fifi saw lots of mountains and beautiful scenery on the drive and they all had a great time.

Gracie asked me about the sock yarn blanket I was working on last summer and I realized I had never shown it to you completed. Here it is, all done!  It's lightweight and perfect for those cool mountain summer evenings.  I take it out when we're sitting around the campfire and wrap up in it.

We put the top on the gazebo over the weekend.  Since Alex & Fifi were at Jamie's we spent the night at the camper and finished setting everything up for summer.  Doesn't it look cozy?   Dennis is reading there on the right and Chloe is on the left watching me.  We bought a new table last week and the guys put it together Saturday morning...

Just in time for our first potluck lunch.  We usually combine our food with Larry, Nita, Paul and Lori and we never know exactly what we're going to eat but it always turns out great.  :-)

The train goes by twice a day, around 8:00 a.m. And again around 9:00 p.m.  I love to watch it go by and the conductor always blows the whistle and waves to us.

In honor of Mother's Day, this is my precious Mom.  She's been gone over 25 years now and I miss her Every. Single. Day.  I was only 29 when she died very unexpectedly and I was not ready to lose her.  My kids were small and I needed her advice.  She was always laughing and never, ever knew a stranger.  She talked to everyone she met.  Her funeral was the biggest one I ever attended.  The inside was standing room only and people were standing in the parking lot.  My Mother was never wealthy materially in any way, but she was wealthy in love and faith.  Which to me are much more important.  She was beautiful inside and out.

One last photo of Fifi which makes me laugh.  We were antique shopping last week and this mural was painted on the side of the building.  Love it.  What an attitude!

And I'll leave you with this photo card I got from my precious Piper for Mothers Day.  Isn't she the cutest thing ever?

Last post I was asked how Alex ended up in Japan.  Since this is so long already, I'll try to remember to answer next time if that's okay.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful." Colossians 3:15

I'm trying to remember to be thankful for the past three weeks and not dwell on the leaving.  Lord, let me remember to be thankful always.

Blessings,

Betsy