I was spoiled, throughly.

The latest swap package arrived today.  Along with two boxes from Creative Memories but that's another post.  I am addicted.  To swaps in the Itty Bitty Group.  Those ladies know how to spoil each other and they've taught me a thing or two about how to put together a swap package.

 This is the entire Hedgehop and Hippo package I recieved from Plynn.  My goodness! 

 It was right before nap time when it arrived so I enlisted help for the treasure chest.  And a treasure chest it was!  There were buttons, and yarn, and scrapbook stickers, and games, and coloring projects, and a knitting pattern, and chocolate, and a new knitting bag.  And I haven't even got to the Hedgehogs and Hippos part yet!

 There were not only 2 hedgehogs, but there was a hedgehog cross stitch kit that I am going to do...now!

 Meet Bubbles.  She was the star of the box.  Little R picked her right up and promptly hugged her and squished her and proclaimed she was wonderful.  She is well knit, soft, cuddly, and a beautiful color variation. 

 I have trained them well...they know chocolate when they see it!  And dark chocolate as well!  I had to hide this. 

 Games to play!  This was one and there is a magnetic hangman.  How fun will that be!

Yarn!  Delicious yarn!  I already have a project in mind!

 This last weekend was Mother's Day.  For years, my request for Mother's Day was a day, for me.  To read, knit, maybe stay in my jammies.   And since my children now have children, I prefer they spend Mother's Day with their spouses and children.  Someday, they'll want that for their children so lap it up now while they can.  Let them be the Mommies and Daddies getting the glittery cards and kisses and hugs because it's fleeting and their children will have someone in their lives to pay attention to. 
There has usually been a tea at the church that I attend with my daughters, mother, mother in law.  This year, the weekend before, there was a tea and I went with my daughters and granddaughter.        

 But this year, instead of staying home and just being left alone, I asked to go to the beach.  To get away.  Mother's Day is hard.  Period.  Sure, I am very blessed to have 3 children, numerous grandchildren, but there is a hole that is felt everyday but a bit more on Mother's Day.  So we went.

 To the beach.  I'm not sure why, but at the beach, it's hard to focus on problems. Perhaps it's knowing the Creator that restrains all that power and keeps the rhythm going.  And that same Creator that controls the powerful ocean, is in control of all the problems life throws at me.  I do know that I focus on God when I'm at the beach.  Whatever, it was good medicine.   The focus on God, the smell, the sights, the sounds, it all drowned out the hard places for a bit. 

But since it was Mother's Day weekend, I got to pick the movies we watched at night.  6 hours of Pride and Prejudice.