Stella's Stocking

OK, so it's December 22 and I just finished grand-girl Stella's first Christmas stocking:

Don't look too closely at the free-motion machine quilting, except that I hope you can make out "Stella".  I'm getting there with the quilting, still need lots of practice.

The red fabrics are some used in my "Red and White--By the Numbers" quilt.  I am very particular about who gets quilts with those fabrics.  I purposely kept them separated from the rest of my stash and use them for very special gifts.  Since I no longer own that quilt, it is my way to enjoy the memories associated with that very special time in my quilt career.

So why did this simple project take so long??  My husband retired from his civil engineer career December 4 and was getting acclimated to the idea he had lots more time when, on December 9, he tripped in a parking lot, 40 miles from home.  He did a face plant, broke his eye socket and nose, injured his collarbone, ribs, and did a big number on his left leg.  He was transported by ambulance back to Huntsville Hospital where I met him.  We spent most of the day there as they determined he only broke the eye socket and nose, minor fractures each and all still aligned so no treatment was necessary beyond the stitch in his eyebrow.

He came home and seemed to be healing pretty well when his leg really started causing him a lot of pain.  December 16 we returned to the ER and he was ultimately admitted for 4 days for IV antibiotics, bed rest and the chance for the hematoma and deep tissue bruising to heal.  He came home Saturday December 19 and has been doing pretty well.  He needs a walker to move through the house, he still has pain on standing but walking helps that subside.

Christmas preparations took a back seat to sitting in his hospital room, stitching and resting myself.  To say this was stressful is putting it mildly.  It will be several weeks before he can expect to be significantly better and several months before he is back to normal.  He's getting a bit irritable now about being laid up.  Guess that's a good thing...

Our kids and their families arrive starting tomorrow and we are very excited--here is who we are really looking forward to getting our hands on:

Stella, 6 months old now and our wonderful daughter-in-law, Lauren.

This is today--our son is her full-time caregiver and chooses to dress her in his own style, usually black of some kind.  I see a ballet dancer in the making--look at those scrumptious toes!

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas--count your blessings, we have so many things to be thankful for!

And oh, yes, let's quilt!

Barbara