I don't often include pictures of myself because I am the one usually taking the pictures. The General took this picture Friday when we went to VMI to pick up our eldest son. This was right after the parade. Our son plays the tuba in the VMI band. He just learned this year. He wanted to learn the bagpipes and has a chanter, I forgot to ask him how that was going. He took guitar lessons growing up and taught himself to play the base guitar. I hear he played the clarinet for a while in the band. All my children have a musical gene. It skipped me, but my grandparents were very good musicians. I have encouraged them in learning music. Even if they never do anything with it I think music is a great skill to have and enjoy.

The weekend has been nice. Friday and Saturday the weather was good. I got oodles done. Friday I embroidered three burp clothes for a lady, and four more aprons besides the trip up to Lexington. Saturday with all my guys here they helped me build a compost bin and I hung out laundry. The wind was blowing nicely and it was a perfect day to hang out clothes. They dried rather quickly. That is the first time I have used the clothes line since last fall. Today the weather has gotten chillier and they are calling for flurries in some parts.

I have been reading Patty's postings about being in the moment over at Morning Ramble and it hit me while hanging out laundry on Saturday that some time (most of the time) I am always hurrying around. I work a part-time job 7 days a week/365 days a year, I sew for people out of our home, I homeschool our children, I take care of all the indoor housework, gardening, and finances of our home. I do this for lots of reasons. My husband works a very physically demanding job and up until December of 08 he worked two physically demanding jobs. He had to give one up because he has now been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. I do whatever I can to make his life easier and I want to do that. It's just that at times I feel overwhelmed. So, back to the clothes line. As I was standing there hanging clothes, feeling the warm breeze, and watching the guys putting up my compost bin it occurred to me that I could rush off and go do one of the thousands of tasks that needed my attention or I could stop a minute and watch them. Take a minute to walk up the hill and join in. I could enjoy the moment of having my two sons and husband together. Something that doesn't happen all the time these days since our oldest is growing up. I did. It didn't take hours out of my day and I still was able to come down to the sewing room and work on projects after. It made me think I need to do that more. I guess I need to pay attention more. Pay attention to the people around me. Stop a minute. I thought back and realized over the past several years how many times I spoke to my children while doing a task. I have a bad habit of thinking that I have to always be working with my hands. I guess it is from growing up with the saying, "idle hands are the devils workshop" drilled into me. I still think they can be, but sometimes especially when your children hit those teen years they need your to stop and just be with them more than doing for them. Sigh...will I ever learn things in time before it's too late.

Sew Long for Now!