March 2013

Well, another year has come and gone.......and yes, I'm still around.  It has been one of those years when I wasn't sure if I was coming or going.  My 96 year dad had many challenges as the year had begun and several trips back and forth to Ohio/West Virginia kept me in a loop.....loopy!  Dad hung in there until my sister, Carma, arrived from New Zealand, her home, in early September.  She headed to Pennsylvania to visit here a bit.....and Dad, an answer to prayer, decided it was time for him to "jump off the mountain"  with the Good Lord leading the way.  He passed away on the 12th, and we all headed "home" to celebrate his life.  And......Carm's return to New Zealand stayed right on schedule.  We have been blessed. 

Having said that, even though I was totally prepared for his leaving and had given him my blessing to meet up with Mom (she might even meet you with an apple pie, I told him, and say, "What took you so long?") I was missing my parent/s and the holidays ahead were different.  His birthday was January 1, so was always a part of our holiday time.  God is good.

Just weeks before we began preparation for Dad's leaving, Jimmy, my older grandson, 11, was diagnose with IBD....intestinal bowel disease....and getting him diagnosed and treated is still going on some 7-8 months later.  We must have a genetic connection to this "gut" problem as Abby, his mother, my younger daughter, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease...small intestine....years ago.....and my brother's youngest was diagnosed 9 years ago in Texas.   So I haven't been doing "nuthin", but my head just couldn't get around chatting. 

I actually had a hard time even finding how to get back on my 2 cents....and will see if this works.  We are beginning our 34th year as one of the largest cross stitch shops in the U.S........and now have the blessing of being one of the few with a door to open and invite you to look around.  Things are changing as mail order and internet worldwide are impacting our approach.  With that we are meeting many challenges, going forward with sharing our store worldwide and now and then having long traveling friends show up at the door so pleased to see a real shop.

I am planning on introducing some new ideas and will progress with that in the coming weeks.  Beth and Molly are coming home from the market so excited with new stuff for all of us.  Check out her "gabbing" on our home page......and I look forward to getting back "with it".    

Make today count..........and make a difference in someone's life......Ruth Ellen

Would you believe that the front of the "barn" is almost the same......the daffodils are stitcking the green leaves up.....no flowers yet.....but the tree is saying "BELIEVE" and will come down after Easter.