Saturday, August 28, 2010

Time flies...

The older I get, the faster time flies!  

After working most of June and July, I am finally enjoying about four weeks off, but it is going by in a giant whirlwind, with very little sewing accomplished.  

I went camping with 300 women:

Yes, that's right.
Don't knock it till you've tried it :)

Solid Rock Women's Retreat 2010 -- camping on private property near Wilsonville, Oregon.
We called it, Camp Honor.

All the tents and other camping paraphernalia were set up before we arrived by the men, 
bless their hearts,
so we could have fun


and learn a lot


and share with each other.


Three amazing women: Diane Comer (Solid Rock), Sarah Eggerichs, Joy Eggerichs.

Even sleeping in a tent in a horse pasture, I slept so well.  I even slept through coyotes making sheep-like noises to sneak up on the goats (in the pasture next to the tent area) before they were chased away by the camp dogs.  My husband called it:
Little Church Retreat on the Prairie.

Best Women's Retreat EVER!

After coming home on Sunday, I quickly repacked and drove to Seaside to spend the better part of a week with Michael (age 19), who has been working in Seaside and living in our beach cottage.  


I had a wonderful time with Michael, despite coming down with a horrendous summer cold, and I got to have lunch with Monica (Happy Zombie).  Monica is a wonderful person, and I'm so glad I got to spend a little one-on-one time with her.

I became quite overcome with emotion as I drove home yesterday evening -- I was leaving Michael, going home only to pack and leave again (with precious little time with my poor husband), and Molly had moved back to Multnomah University while I was gone.  I cried as I drove and almost had to pull over.  Silly, really, because I will see my husband on Monday night, Michael will be home in about a week, and Molly is only across town, and I will go see her new dorm suite on Tuesday.  I deeply love and am so blessed by my family.

As far as quilting goes....
I've added many more blocks to this, but I don't even have time to download new pictures as I really should be packing right now.  You're just going to have to take my word for it.

And I'm going to use this gorgeous Plume (Tula Pink) jelly roll in the Fat Quarterly quilt along.
 Anyone care to quilt along?  All you need is a jelly roll or stack of FQs.

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan


17 comments:

  1. Time certainly does fly! The camping sounds wonderful, and so does Seaside! I've got a Neptune Jelly Roll that I'm planning to use for the Fat Quarterly Quilt Along. What fun!

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  2. I'm so jealous - that retreat sounds like a blast! I love those kinds of trips. Very energizing and inspiring to spend time in the outdoors.

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  3. Joan... you are soooOOOoo sweet!!! everything you do is from a loving place!! xoxo friend!!

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  4. The treat sounds amazing!! I truly enjoy the "Love and Respect" team. My husband and I have been through the book a couple of times and have watched the Love and Respect conference on DVD twice. This conference sounds truly special.

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  5. you've been so busy....but a very good kind of busy!! You're in that time of life where I am too...saying goodbye to kids....It's a hard thing, but I keep telling myself it is NORMAL.

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  6. That retreat sounded GREAT! My son lives 1000 miles away, I cry alot too.

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  7. I love you cross quilt, it has such beautiful, clean colors. Sound like a lot of things going on, Joan. I think life can be a bit overwhelming at times, too. Take care!

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  8. The retreat sounds wonderful! I am not looking forward to my kids leaving home in a few years...thinking of you.

    xo,

    annie

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  9. Looks like you had a special time at camp...pretty place! Sad when children are not home in their beds every night...I miss mine too! Thinking of you!

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  10. The retreat looks amazing. Time spent with children--precious.

    And I won a Fandango jellyroll and am using that for the quilt-along.

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  11. That sounds like such a wonderful retreat! I would love to go to something like that sometime...

    Your cross quilt is really beautiful! I am falling in love with the blue & green combo because of you!

    Jennifer :)

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  12. Oh Joan, my momma's heart beats for you and I will sleep in a tent with you and the coyotes any day to come away feeling like that!

    The quilt is just beautiful!

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  13. Oh Joan, the retreat sounds fantastic! Being in that kind of environment "detoxes the soul" (so to speak) and can defintely bring emotions to the surface! Your quilt is beautiful, and It's huge that your children are becoming so independent. Sending you love!

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  14. wow! that camp sounds amazing. you sound refreshed and energised, just right for tackling the changes now happening. i'm just back from a weeks camping & working with my amazing youth theatre - it restores the soul to be outside and so communal.

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  15. You poor thing! But, the good news is your kids are still within easy driving distance. :) And think of all that quiet time around the house, perfect for filling with the sounds of the sewing machine. :)

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  16. What a fun retreat location. I'm interested to know more about it: Were the women there only from your church? How did you hear of this retreat center?
    Also, I love the colors you chose for your crosses quilt (is there a more official name for it? ;)

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  17. Loved seeing your pictures of the retreat! If you know of any other women who have posted pictures I would love to see them as well. So glad you had a great time--I was SO encouraged by the event as well.

    Blessings~

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