Reviving Normalcy

A coffee date with some wonderful new friends seduced me into thinking we were going to have an abnormally peaceful, enjoyable, mid-summer, week.  Fast forward (waaaay forward, like all the way to Tuesday night-ha) and we are two separate ER days into a week that I already wish was over. A beyond scary episode of severe vaginal bleeding (overshare-sorry, but ladies, do you feel me on the stress level of that?!) and a husband with debilitating chest pains kind of put me over the edge. We are both A-OK after a bazillion rounds of separate testing, and a slew of various medications. We are completely on the mend. Thank God for that. But I am hanging onto anxiety about living in the moment and being present with the girls because you just never know. 

My sweet little peanuts and I hit the park hard tonight, enjoying the cool summer air and enjoying not being uncomfortably hot.  I hate being hot but I love summer- such a conundrum…

If she was slightly taller, she might actually be able to climb this unassisted…

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In an attempt to revive normalcy this evening, I’m finally sitting down to share some of our big projects that have been happening lately.

The first of which is our grown-huge book drive in honor of sweet Gracie Jane.  Gracie’s Gift of Words was able to deliver our first enormous drop of books to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh this past Saturday thanks to all of YOU. I can’t properly convey the fullness of my heart after we filled up all those shelves. It’s about more than the books at this point and saying I’m grateful just doesn’t cut it. Watching Lilly understand what she was doing, who she was helping, filled me up with so much love that I almost couldn’t stand to even look at her. She was thrilled and happy and so full of joy about these books- I can’t. even. tell. you.

Lilly has this little posing thing down lately…

Thousands of books ready to wheel up to the waiting rooms!

Grace was thrilled to just be running around an empty hospital, but she fakes proud SO well 😉

A few of the shelves we were able to stock. 

My Aunt(s) and cousin, Sarah, deserve hugs (and maybe coffee) on all accounts for helping me so much with this project.  From carting books back and forth from drop location to house to hospital, to filling up their entire dining room with box on top of box of books, they were completely AMAZING. It’s so special to me that Sarah has been so active in this project since she is Gracie’s Godmommy and they have the sweetest, gentlest of bonds. And of course thank you to my wonderful husband who fills in the gaps on all of my projects and supports me however I need- he’s the greatest.

P.S. Many of the “brand new” books we received (from you guys- hooray!), and some gorgeous pop-up books, were set aside and saved to add to the Children’s Hospital Permanent Collection housed in their inpatient library. I had no idea such a thing existed but I’m so moved that it does! The hospital Librarian worked with us through this whole process and filled us in a bit on how it all works.  We had a massive donation from a school that closed and set aside from that collection were full SETS of books that can be used in Hospital Summer Reading Programs! Can you believe that exists? I love people.

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Next on the list of shares is the happiest little stack of quilts I’ve ever seen- my own! I’m scared and anxious about listing these on Etsy- because let’s face it, they are a little tiny piece of me right there on the screen. I hope people snatch them up, love on them, and wrap up little cuties in them for years to come. Quilting kind of stole my heart strings this year and I’m excited to continue adding to the available-for-purchase collection.

All Etsy listings will be available in my shop this week are available for purchase.  CLICK HERE to visit my shop.****

Back to normal.

Love,

J.