You know what they say about rabbits...

Well, they sure have been multiplying around my house lately. I just can't seem to get enough of their sweet brown faces and want to share with you what I've been working on. First up, is this little pillow I created using Bent Creeks' "Bunny" chart (part of "The Littles" series). Don't you just love his dear face--he looks quite concerned about something. This is stitched on 32 ct. Flax Belfast linen and uses whatever WDW and Sampler Threads I had available. Then I simply made a pillow using one of my favorite leafy green fabrics and embellished it with soft yellow ric-rac and mauve colored buttons that pick up the color in the bunny's flower.










Rabbit finish #2 is from the Just Nan chart "HummingBead Heaven" and is called "Bunny Hop." I had so many compliments on my Just Nan bunny finish from my last post that I decided to stitch a different one this week. Here he is romping through a white picket-fenced garden filled with cabbages and foxgloves. Notice the two little lady bugs crawling through the garden, too.


Stitched on 28ct. grey Monaco with DMC threads, this tiny pillow is backed with a cheery green and white polka dot fabric. I'm so proud of myself because I finally got up my nerve to try a ruched ribbon trim. I struggled and struggled to get it right using different online tutorials. Somehow, none of them got through to my feeble brain. Finally, I found an extremely helpful YouTube video that I could understand. The ruching isn't perfect, but I think it came out quite well for my first time. Doesn't the ruching on the pillow resemble bunches of fluffy bunny tails? If you'd like to try ruching yourself, check out this video.



The third and fourth rabbit-themed finishes are, of course, Prairie Schooler designs. First up is the April ornament from Book No. 13: "A Prairie Year." I used the suggested DMC threads and made my own cording out of DMC 223 to match. The fabric is 28ct. tea-dyed Monaco evenweave. I just noticed that the poor bunny has no whiskers, but they weren't charted so I guess maybe they're supposed to be brown whiskers that just blend in with his body.


Finally, I stitched the PS April design from Book No. 90: "Spring & Fall." I used the suggested DMC colors and stitched it on 32 ct. flax Belfast linen. Think I'll frame this one when I find just the right frame. The bunnies would feel right at home huddled under their umbrella with all the rain we've had this spring! The downpours on Saturday were unbelievable, but I didn't mind since I had to work. And, yes, I worked Sunday, too... Not the best weekend to work with all those last-minute folks coming in for tax forms who then get mad at us librarians because we don't know what form they need! We keep telling them we aren't accountants, but oh, the looks they give us. We can hardly wait until tax season ends each April. Do you all have your taxes done? I sure hope you don't owe too much money. Even better, I hope you're lucky enough to be getting money back that you can spend on those much-needed stitching supplies!


Last week's mail brought a couple of lovely gifts from fellow stitchers. First of all Faye at Carolina Stitcher sent me this delightful red scissor fob as a thank you for a chart that I lent her. I'm just tickled to have one of her famous "red" pieces and the personalization on it is very special. Check out the suede cording and the little silver bead that she attached, too. Such a pretty piece...Thank you so much, Faye--I certainly love your thoughtful thank you gift! It will look quite elegant attached to a pair of my favorite scissors...




I was also lucky enough to win this package of gorgeous giveaway goodies from sweet Lynn at Kearnel's Korner. Don't you just love the chick ornament that she made? It is so special to me because it reminds me of the fluffy little chicks that were born last spring at our pond. (If you're new to my blog click here and you can see photos of the nine chicks and their mother paddling merrily along in the pond.) And just look at the gorgeous spring fabrics, cute scissors, and the butterfly ribbon that Lynn included. I am one lucky stitcher. The LHN "Simple Joys" chart is one of my favorites because it is so "me." Thank you so very much, Lynn--I'll think of you each time I use these thoughtful gifts.


I'm sure there are others of you like me who savor the simple things in life. It gives me such pleasure to curl up with a good book at the end of a long day or sort through my buttons or ribbons looking for the perfect accent for one of my ornaments. Or to spy the first sky-blue eggs in a robin's nest in the spring or hear those soft coos of the mourning doves at sunrise... Things that cost little or nothing, but leave me feeling so satisfied and comforted. Just last month, I was thrilled to see this majestic-looking hawk sitting on a branch not more than 10 feet outside my kitchen window. What a sight! No, it really doesn't take much to make me happy... Hope you'll enjoy some simple joys today.

Well, that's about it for this post. I want to thank you, as always, for all the kind comments and emails and wish each of you a wonderful week ahead. Do you have any plans for Easter? My brother and his family will be joining us for Easter brunch and I'm really looking forward to their visit. I only get to see them once or twice a year so it will be special. Wishing everyone who celebrates it a blessed Easter and I hope you find lots of bunnies (chocolate ones, that is!) in your Easter baskets! Bye for now...
HAPPY EASTER!

Hopping in With the Giveaway Winners

Good morning everyone--and a warm welcome to my new followers! I am amazed and honored that 400+ of my fellow stitchers seem to enjoy visiting my blog--thank you so, so much for taking time out of your busy day to visit me. Would you believe I haven't picked up my needle in a week? Oh, how I've missed the relaxation that my stitching provides... The only thing I have to show you in the way of finishes is this sweet Easter bunny that I rescued from my "almost finished" drawer. I had stitched him back in 2008, but just put the beads on his vest and spats yesterday--so I guess I can officially call him "finished!" I'm thinking about a rustic looking creamy white frame. What do you think?

This piece, titled "Spring Garden" by The Design Connection (as far as I can tell, this is an out-of-print chart), is finished on 28ct. blue Monaco using most of the suggested DMC threads. I did change the colors on the sign to tone them down a bit. I wanted Mr. Rabbit in his little black shoes and argyle vest to be the star of the show. And since I didn't have the suggested buttons for the butterfly and flower in the basket, I stitched them instead. I think the Easter egg trellis is so lovely and don't you love his little "spats" and purple bow-tie? So handsome; a very proper rabbit indeed...

My "Spring Giveaway" certainly attracted more attention than I ever expected! I really was shocked that so many of you threw your names in the hat to win a bit of my stitching. Thank you so much--your compliments on my little ornaments made me blush and I'm so pleased that you took the time to enter. I loved reading about everyone's favorite vacation memories, too. I think I need to add some of your favorite destinations to my "must visit" list...

This is the hard part for me--sending a gift to only three of you. You have been such wonderful friends that you all deserve one, but, unfortunately, I only have three to give away this time. I let the Random Number Generator select my winners and first up was #10. Next was #1. And finally, #67. So, after numbering each entrant and reading the preferences of each winner in her comments, I'm happy to announce the winners are as follows:

DRAWN THREAD WINNER:
Solstitches at A Sampler of Stitches!


"S" IS FOR SPRING WINNER:
Charlene SC at Needle In Hand!


JUST NAN RABBIT WINNER:
Farm Girl at Farm Girl Stitching!

Congratulations to all three of you--please email me with your postal addresses and I'll get your little ornament off to you this week. It makes me happy to know that three of my creations will soon be residing in Spain, South Carolina, and New Zealand! I will definitely be having more giveaways in the future, so if you weren't among the winners, I hope you'll try again.


I spent most of last week in Florida helping my dear parents pack up for their move back north. Saying goodbye to their home of 17 years isn't easy for them, but I'm thrilled that they'll be living within a reasonable (5 hour) driving distance once again. There were many "lasts" this week along with quite a few tears, but it's time for them to start a new chapter of their lives. Anyway, because I was away, I am way, way behind on my blog reading and commenting. I'll really try to catch up with your blogs this week. Please know I've been thinking of you and I'll try my best to visit everyone. I really love to comment on blogs because you never know what a difference a kind word may make in someone's day. I know how one caring comment in the midst of a not-so-great day can bring me a smile :)

In closing, how about a bit of humor to start your week? My sharp-eyed husband spotted this sign outside of a newly remodeled restaurant a few weeks ago. Look closely now! Hmmm... I wonder what color scheme they've used in their newly "remolded" dining room; perhaps a nice black mold or maybe the more common green variety? We've had such a laugh over this and, embarrassingly, I had driven by this sign numerous times myself and never noticed the spelling error. My husband has been wanting to try this restaurant for a while...I think we'll pass!

Thank you all for your sweet comments, emails, and thoughts--I so appreciate each and every one. Hopefully, the next time I post, it will actually feel like spring here... Bye for now...

Spring Giveaway!

Good morning, everyone--it's SPRING! Yes, spring officially began at 7:21 PM last evening. Finally--I don't ever remember a winter as long and cold as the one we just experienced, do you? So, in honor of the arrival of spring, my 100th post, and the special day that is today, March 21st (I'll tell you about that later), I have created three little pieces for three lucky people. Will one of them be you?


First up is an old Prairie Schooler freebie called "S" Is For Spring. This is probably the third or fourth time I've stitched this one--I like it that much. The chart is not available on the PS website any longer, but I was able to track it down for you via "The Wayback Machine"--oh, I love that name! Click here and be patient...it takes a while to work. I've found a number of older Prairie Schooler freebies that I didn't own via that site. It takes some patience, but there are a lot of goodies to be discovered. This is stitched on 32 ct. white jobelan and accented with a yellow/gold cord and ribbon.

Another oldie, but goodie freebie is this one from The Drawn Thread. Yes, the power of "The Wayback Machine" helped me track this one down, too. You can get it for yourself right here. Just wait a bit and then click on "Free" and you'll see where to click for "The Spring Keeper." The designer meant it to be a scissor keep, but I stitched it as a little spring ornament. Again, I used 32 ct. white jobelan with DMC and WDW threads. I love the little specialty stitches that are on the basket. And a new first for me--I made my own cording in the most luscious shade of soft purple! I finally used the Kreinik Custom Corder that I had been given for Christmas back in 2009 and I was so pleased with how the cording turned out.

Since I had so many wonderful comments about the little Just Nan "Spring!" ornament in my last post, I decided to make another little pillow to offer as my third giveaway. This is stitched on 28 ct. gray Monaco using DMC threads and backed with the leafy green fabric shown underneath it. I topped the white cording with a pale pink ribbon and pin (they're actually much lighter than my photograph is making them look). I'm sure the little brown bunny will find a welcoming home somewhere in the world.


So, now it's up to you to decide which one you would like to try to win. You may enter all three contests and the giveaway is open to my followers, old and new alike. Just leave a comment on this post telling me which ornament(s) you would like to win. And to make it more fun, please tell me your most memorable vacation spot or share with me a favorite memory from one of your vacations or holidays. For me, the image that sticks in my mind is the Cape Cod trip my husband and I took in the fall of 1981 before we had children. I still have a photo of me lounging on the beach in my pale pink bathing suit with my hair blowing in the wind. But, it is the look of complete contentment and joy on my face that makes this photo so special. You see, I was pregnant with my first child--my oldest son who was born 29 years ago today: March 21, 1982.

What a special day for any mother--the birth of her first child... I'm very proud of the young man he has become and it is so heart-warming to look back on that photo of myself, the young "soon-to-be" mother, and know that so many of my hopes and dreams for my child have come true. So Happy 29th Birthday to my firstborn son--may the coming year bring you every happiness!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your many kind comments. I so appreciate the time that you take in saying hello each time I post! I'll keep the giveaway open until April 2nd--good luck to all. Bye for now...

Paying It Forward

Good morning, my friends! Last year around this time, I was lucky enough to receive a beautifully stitched piece from Andrea as part of a PIF (Pay-It-Forward). You can see what she sent me right here--gorgeous, isn't it? Well, I had one year to stitch three treats for fellow stitchers who signed up to continue the kindness after they received my gifts. I squeaked right in under the deadline and I'm happy to say all three PIFs have been received and the recipients seem quite pleased with my efforts.


This little bird flew all the way to New Zealand and is now making his home with Lee. She is a major bird-lover, so I knew this would be the perfect piece for her. I've stitched it before for myself back in 2009, but mine remains unfinished in a dark drawer--I really need to get to it! I finished this one with some tiny brown beads and a brown ribbon hanger that I thought complemented the shades of brown in the bird. It is stitched on 32 ct. twilight blue Permin linen using DMC threads. "Painted Egg" is from the Cross-Eyed Cricket Design No. 109 chart called "Eggs...etera." (By the way, I will forever associate this little design with the beginning of my friendship with Myra as she asked about it and our friendship was born!) Anyway, I'm so glad you like it, Lee--it was a pleasure stitching it for you...



My next PIF has hopped it's way into the hearts of Melanie and her family in the United Kingdom. She told me that not only did she love it, but that her children were trying to claim it for their own, too! This is from Just Nan's "Spring!" chart and is stitched on 28 ct. gray Monaco with DMC. I backed it with the pale green leafy fabric shown and added a trio of pink, green, and white ribbons. I'm sure the little bunny will be very happy in his new home "across the pond."


I actually sent my third PIF to Shari in Indiana back in December. Most of you will recognize this as another Just Nan piece called "Snow Faces." Sweet Cindy had given me the chart as a gift last year and I thoroughly enjoyed stitching it. It is finished on 28 ct. blue Monaco with the suggested DMC threads. I did add a little border around it to give it a little something "extra" and trimmed it with snow-white cording and a pretty ribbon. I hope you enjoy it for years to come, Shari...

So, that completes my portion of the PIF--I look forward to seeing what creations spring from the hands of these three talented stitchers...





Oh, and look what we woke up to again this morning. After days of rain, surprise...the snow has returned. This is the view from my front door taken just now. Seriously, Mother Nature--did you know that spring begins on March 20th--nine days from now? It looks more like Christmas outside doesn't it? Time to get out the shovels again...

And, finally, finally, after two+ years, I have reached my 100th post today!! I think this calls for a bit of a giveaway--what do you think? Look for a little stitched something as a giveaway prize on my next post... Nothing huge, just a little token of my appreciation to say thank you for visiting me and taking the time to say 'hello!' Your comments never fail to bring me smiles. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. Bye for now...

Tweet! Tweet!

Good morning all! Hope everyone has had an enjoyable week so far. This week I stitched and finished my March ornament, LHN's "Cardinal Winter" which Valerie gave me for my birthday. I stitched it "over one" on some mystery fabric using the suggested Crescent Colours and DMC threads, with a few substitutions. I had to change the word "Tweet" from the suggested white to a dark green to make it show up on this fabric and I also changed the rabbits to more resemble the color of the little bunnies that appear in our yard each summer, fluffy white tails and all! I then finished it off as a little hanging pillow and trimmed it with ric-rac and a little red bird button. What do you think?



Speaking of "tweeting," do you "tweet" on "Twitter?" Maybe it's just a generational thing, but I just don't get it... My sons keep telling me it's useful for business, but I don't understand who has the time to "follow" all these people/celebrities on Twitter. Can any of you younger stitchers enlighten me (I guess that would be most of you!)? As I said, it probably is a generational thing; after all, I just found out that I'm eligible for the "senior citizen" discount at a national department store and I'm only 56! Oh, don't get me wrong, I love the idea of a few extra dollars off my purchases, but I think that actually, they're just calling me "old." And I honestly don't feel old...I'm just slowing down a bit.

This collage of cardinal photos was taken from my kitchen window this winter. To me, there is something so striking about those brilliant red birds set against the snowy landscape. Our snow has finally melted, and I'm not sorry to see it go. I'm so envious of all of you who have little buds appearing and flowers blooming already. Hopefully, our spring will be here before long.



I also began stitching Drawn Thread's "Sunflower Bellpull" that Brenda surprised me with. I'm just loving the colors of this one and all the new specialty stitches that I'm learning. I'm probably about one-fifth of the way done--it is going to be a long, long piece (but then, again, it is a bellpull!).Thank you again, Brenda--I'm thoroughly enjoying myself with this one. It is so nice to stitch something that reminds me of warmth and sunny summer days!



This wonderful treasure trove of charts, fabric, and thread arrived through the generosity of Becky in one of her recent giveaways. Twelve gorgeous charts, some pretty opalescent blue fabric, and two skeins of DMC 115 greeted me when I opened her package! Becky, you are such a generous soul (not to mention the very fastest stitcher on earth!)--I truly am thrilled with everything. I only hope I can make these pieces look half as nice as yours did when you stitched them. Thank you again so very, very much...


And just look at this Christmas gift, (yes, I did say Christmas gift) that finally arrived in my mailbox last week after three long months! My sweet blogging friend, Edit, mailed this from Spain on December 2nd, 2010! Just where has it been hiding all these months? I'm wondering about your experiences with international mailings...have you ever had a package disappear or take an extra long time to arrive at its destination? Edit and I had both just about given up on it when it decided to make its appearance. But, oh, it was so worth the wait; just look at what she sent: a beautifully sewn stitching pouch featuring one of my favorite woodland designs, some lovely ribbon, tiny aqua blue beads, handmade felt ornament and threadholder, and some brown floss that says it smells like chocolate when you stitch with it! Have you ever heard of such a thing?! What could be better than combining two of the things I love most: chocolate and stitching? Thank you, dear Edit--I'll treasure the pouch for years to come and enjoy using each of the other treats you included. I'm thrilled that we've become friends across the miles...








Finally, the winner of the Hillside Sampling "Seasonal Samplings" chart giveaway from my previous post is Hilda from "Hildi's Good Life" blog in Austria! Hilda, please send me your mailing address and I'll get the chart off to you as soon as I can. I hope you enjoy stitching it as much as I did. Thanks to all who entered--perhaps it will make its way to one of you in the future as it is passed on from stitcher to stitcher.

I have a nice day to look forward to. I'm meeting Lee, the Lake Stitcher herself, for some lunch and an afternoon of stitching. I can't wait--it's always nice to spend time with others who share your passion, isn't it? Enjoy your weekend everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit my little corner of the stitching universe! I always love reading your comments and seeing what you've been up to each week... Bye for now...

Seasonal Samplings

Hello everyone! Sorry it has been a while since my last post. I've just been working more than usual and haven't really been "in the mood" to write. Is it just me, or do you have to be in the right frame of mind to compile a post, too? Many of you are so good about posting each week (or even multiple times a week!). Here I am with over two years of blogging and I haven't even reached my 100th post. Sigh...

But, I do have a "year's worth" of stitching that I've done over the past couple of weeks to share with you. Hard to believe? Well, I...

Started with a bit of Spring...

Added a touch of Summer...

Threw in a pinch of Autumn...

Topped it off with a sprinkling of Winter...

And I had stitched a full year of all four seasons!

I honestly can't remember the last time I enjoyed stitching a piece so much! "Seasonal Samplings" by Hillside Samplings is a chart passed on from dear Melissa over at Words and Blooms last year. I don't know what it was about this piece, but it instantly calmed me down as soon as I started stitching. (Well, except for the point when I realized I had mistakenly stitched eyelet stitches for the apples rather than Rhodes stitches and I had to rip every single one out!) What's the most relaxing piece you've ever stitched?
I used 28 ct. natural brown linen for this piece along with the suggested DMC colors, but I changed the rabbit to brown so he would show up better and resemble the little bunnies that visit my yard each summer. The lettering, rabbit, birds, and year are all stitched "over one." And I love the specialty stitches--they just add so much dimension to the piece.

Since I enjoyed Seasonal Samplings so much, chances are one of you will, too, so I'm having a drawing to pass it along. Just leave a comment (on this post only) letting me know that you would like to be included and I'll announce the winner when I post next (which knowing me could be a couple of weeks!). I only ask that, when you are finished stitching it, you pass along the chart yourself and keep the kindness going...

I've been on a lucky streak lately and want to thank two special bloggers for their generous giveaways. First of all I won a very nice $25 gift certificate to 1-2-3 Stitch from the generous Riona at Oubliette. She was having a giveaway to celebrate her 500th post! Can you imagine?!! At this rate, I'll be 100 years old before I reach that milestone. Thank you so much, Riona--I can hardly wait to go shopping and I'll be sure to let you know what goodies I choose...









And from one of the most entertaining bloggers out there, Barbara at Mainely Stitching, I won this quartet of spring-themed charts. Aren't they so cute and, well, spring-like? Most of you are probably familiar with the adventures of Barbara's four kids and the house rooster (yes, rooster!), but if not, please pay her a visit...There is always so much fun going on over there. Thank you so much, Barbara--I need a touch of spring more than you can imagine after this never-ending winter!









A big winter storm caught western Pennsylvania by surprise Monday night. Things were so bad it took my dear husband almost three hours to make the normally 20-minute drive from the city to our house. Cars were abandoned everywhere and driving was treacherous. I can count on two hands the number of days we haven't had snow on the ground since early December--winter just seems endless this year.

But, the next day dawned sunny and, oh, so beautiful. It almost made up for the fact that spring doesn't seem right around the corner any longer! Just the day before this storm hit, I had seen my first robin and a tiny violet poking it's head out of the ground. Maybe next week things will turn around. Please...enough is enough!

Your comments on my last post meant so much to me--I'm glad you enjoyed my little story about the young mother. Thank you all for your visits, your comments, and your friendship. Hopefully, the next time I write the snow will be gone. And to all of my New Zealand blogging friends dealing with that horrible earthquake, please know my thoughts are with you...

Have a wonderful week everyone and take some special time to do what you love most. Bye for now...

Saying Thanks

Hello everyone... Hope each of you is enjoying a good week so far! I'm just counting each of these frigid wintry days as one day closer to spring. It can't come soon enough for me... This sage green Prairie Schooler Santa is my latest finish--my monthly ornament is actually done early for a change! He can be found in Prairie Schooler's "Santa Moon" book and is stitched "over one" on black Monaco using the suggested DMC threads. Would you believe the most difficult part of this was putting together his little bundle of sticks? I used some tiny pieces of branches that had blown down during a recent windy day, glued them together, tied them with raffia, and sewed them onto the finished piece.


Isn't his large, ruddy nose funny-looking? Hope he is just cold and hasn't been imbibing in too much "Christmas cheer!" I wanted a rustic looking finish for this one, so I used the idea suggested by Vonna for the new LHN "Cardinal Winter" ornament--a twig frame. My husband helped me carve the grooves into the twigs so they would fit together more snugly. (As he says, it's our first collaborative cross stitch ornament!) I then glued the twigs together, tied raffia around the corners and used it as the hanger. What do you think?










My mailbox was overflowing with goodies last week... First of all came this glorious rainbow of hand-dyed threads that I had won in a very generous giveaway from Between Crosses With Nina last month. The talented and generous Nina let me choose 25 skeins of her hand-dyed threads as my prize. I waited and waited and waited--so worried that her package had been lost in the mail, but, one month later, it finally arrived. Oh, were they ever worth the wait--they are amazing!


Of course, I wanted to try them out right away, so I stitched up this Lizzie Kate "Be My Valentine" piece over the weekend. This was the second time I've stitched this--I sent the first to my dear parents as a finished card last February. Aren't the colors pure loveliness? For this piece, stitched on 32 ct. dirty linen, I used Nina's "Old Jeans," "Moss," "Eggplant," and "Raspberry" threads along with DMC 3865 for the border. I'm just thrilled with the color variations and how easy it was to work with her threads. Thank you so, so much, Nina--your gift brought some much needed color and cheer into my gray winter days!



I was truly touched to receive a wonderful package from dear Brenda, also. I had admired this Drawn Thread "Sunflower Bellpull" chart on Brenda's lovely blog (if you haven't been over to visit, please do--I promise you you'll be thrilled with her stitching and darling punch needle finishes!) and she offered to send it to me since she was done with it. Well, imagine my surprise when I opened the mailing envelope and found not only the chart, but the linen, the beads, and all of the threads as well! Brenda, your generosity touches my heart...I can't wait to start stitching this (sunflowers are one of my favorite things as most of you know) and you can be sure I will pass on the chart when I am finished. Thank you so very much!



Last, but by no means least, sweet Valerie sent me a belated birthday gift. She was worried that I might have the charts already, but they were all new to me and each and every one is something I would have picked myself. And look at the tiny packet of BBD fabrics--don't you love them?! I'm sure you'll be seeing some of them incorporated into my ornaments in the future. Most of you are probably familiar with Valerie's blog, but if you're not, why not stop in. Although I am just a "bit" older (okay, I'm old enough to be her mother!) we have become email pals and I love reading about her life in San Francisco and the ups and downs of life as a single young woman. So, thank you Valerie, for your wonderful gifts and for your friendship--both are so special...


Since the title of my post is "Saying Thanks," I want to tell you about a very heart-warming "thank you" that I received myself not long ago... As you know, I'm a librarian and am thanked countless times by people whom I've helped. One evening, a while back, I was walking back to the reference desk with an elderly patron and I noticed a young woman waiting there presumably to ask a question. When I finished up with the older woman, she said: "Thank you, you've been so very helpful." And the younger woman piped in: "She always is." I looked at her quizzically and after saying goodbye to the elderly patron, I walked over to her...


"You may not remember me," she began, "but, I was here a while back and you handed me the books that helped me diagnose my son's condition." Shivers ran up my spine and it all came back to me; a rather distraught, scared young mother, with a stack of medical books surrounding her, looking for anything and everything that could possibly help save her young son's life. None of the numerous doctors she had taken him to had been able to diagnose him and she was bound and determined to find out what was wrong with him. I had pulled every pediatric, neurological, and brain-related medical book that I could find and piled them on the table in front of her as she frantically searched for an answer.

"Because of your help, my son will be operated on at The Cleveland Clinic on Friday and I just wanted to thank you," she whispered, and then began to cry. I came out from behind the desk, hugged her and cried myself. How scared she must have been. You see it was a brain operation on a two-year old. This mother had diagnosed a very rare condition using the books in our mid-sized public library! I told her that I had received many, many thank-yous during the 20+ years I've worked as a Reference Librarian, but hers was like the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae.

I saw this young mother soon after the operation and was almost scared to ask about the outcome. Thankfully, her son had come through it with flying colors and, with rehab, would live a normal life. A miracle... I recently saw her in the library again with a "Nursing School Entrance Exam" book tucked under her arm. Yes, she's decided to go to back to school to become a nurse--I know she'll be an excellent one...

I told you this story not because I did anything special--I was simply doing my job. But, the fact that this young woman took the time to come back and thank me for my help--now that is special. Try saying "thank you" to others for even simple things--it might just make someone's day. (And you just might feel better, too!)










I'm so appreciative of the friends I've made over my two years of blogging--I hope you all know how special I think you are. The fact that you take the time to leave a comment or send an email means so much to me. Special thanks to my international friends who take the time to translate my posts and leave a comment. I am really touched at the amount of effort that it must take you to do so... Have a wonderful weekend everyone--only 39 days to Spring--yippee!!