Quilt of Dreams

I am blessed with so many wonderful friends. One of which makes me happy and sad. When I first met her she scared me! LOL! We're total opposites. Physically we're different-she has fair skin and is blond and well...I'm not. :) As far as personalities-she's a very strong, opinionated woman. She's not afraid to speak up and she works well under pressure. Me, well, I'm a little quieter, more timid (kind of) and just not the leader that she is. So, what do we have in common? We're both nurses (well, I was), we have girls and we're both very tender hearted.

The one thing I've figured out about Cheryl over the years is that she may have a hard exterior, but I've never met a woman with a kinder more giving heart. She's been through a lot in her life. Some of which I can't even imagine. Yet she's chosen to take the high road and find the good in the not so pleasant. She's a go-getter, a terribly hard worker, a wonderful mom and wife and the most amazing friend. She's always there for me. I know that if I need her all I have to do is pick up the phone and call. She would be here in a heart beat if I asked her.

Only one problem....she lives over 2000 miles away from me. :( I'm in the deep south and she's on the prairie in Canada. I get to see her for about 2 weeks every year. That's it. She's been to my house once. I talk to her often, email , text and think about her daily. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God put her in my life for a reason. She's truly a rare treasure to me.

So...when her birthday came around I wanted to do something special. That was hard because I didn't know what to do. She's very good about inquiring about me but doesn't like to dwell on herself.

I like to sew things. I don't think I'm creative or talented. I just know that I put a whole lot of love into everything I make. I hope those who receive my gifts can feel it.

For Cheryl I chose a mini quilt. She likes old things. She appreciates handmade gifts. The fabric I chose is my absolute favorite. I've been saving it up. It depicts scenes of Paris, one of my all time favorite places. Why would I choose this for someone who is in Manitoba, Canada? Because one day in the future I'd love to go on a trip with her. Somewhere fun and different where we could really get to know each other while experiencing something new. How fun would that be?

Therefore I made a quilt that she could look at and I could remember. Hopefully every time we think about it we'll dream about the time we may be so fortunate as to travel together and grow in our friendship.

But if it never happens I'll be completely happy. She's such a breath of fresh air, a kiss from heaven that's been shared with me. Such a dear and loved friend. I SO look forward to those 2 weeks every fall and truly cherish them. Happy birthday Cheryl.