11/9/10

Birthdays are hard, but I finished a quilt

Birthdays are hard, especially when you're 13, and more especially when the person that birthed you doesn't even send a card. And, all the nice things in the world that other people can do for you don't make up for it.

But, this was the best birthday so far. We only had one little meltdown on Friday night. We're blaming it on the ice cream that Rob ordered at the restaurant. (Yeah, we're sticking with that.) Unfortunately, it's when my Mom called to sing happy birthday. Sorry, Mom. You didn't want us to answer just then. But, the next day, we were both really good and let her start with a fresh slate.

Anyway, a couple of days post birthday, and the parents seem to be back in control of things. There's still some inappropriate mumbling going on, and I swear if she wheels around and says "Oh my God" one more time, I'm gonna pound her into the earth like a nail. But, we'll get through that part, too.



Anyway, around all the birthday buying, I managed to finish the machine binding on the Irish Chain quilt. And, we're sleeping under it. And, it's so nice and cuddly and just warm enough without being too heavy. We'll probably go back to the old quilt with the policy batting for the really cold month, but this one will be nice when it's not quite so cold, but we need more than a sheet.



The white blocks. I realized the other day that I made this exactly opposite of Bonnie Hunter's, without even meaning to. The result is the optical illusion that makes me feel like I'm unable to focus. Bonnie's medium colors went in the middle "chain" and the outer chains are dark. Mine is just the opposite.



Someone asked about the Greek key. It was a stencil that I stamped on with my pounce and then FMQ.




Take care and have a great Tuesday. Lane

11 comments:

andsewon said...

A girl at 13 with burdens and baggage can be so sad and hard to deal with. At that age our emotions are in control.I know you and Rob are giving her unconditional love and security but has to be hard for her to let go and wonder why her birth Mother does not want or love her.Only time can show her how lucky she is to have such loving adopted parents and it will. ;-)Hey I say OMG..God or Goodness depends on the issue! hahaha!
Love how your quilt turned out Lane!!!!! Outstanding work as usual!!! Love the way the reds pop out at ya!
Hugs,
Lola

Freda said...

My oldest son has a similar problem with children and birth parents. Hopefully everything is better for your daughter. I love the Triple Irish Chain. I have a UFO of one I need to finish.

Pati said...

Lane,

I deal with the same issue with my adoptive daughter as you do. The anger and hostility are tough sometimes, but be patient...she will work through it. Mine started saying something a lot worse than OMG and rolling the eyes at the same time. I told her that her language was inappropriate around adults and if her friends were okay with her using that around them, that it was fine, but not to use it around adults or me!

Mine is now 17 and I'm dealing with all sorts of other problems, such as picking out the boys that are abusive, with no clear direction in life, etc. I've been preaching the same song since I got her and that is to make better choices than her biological mother did.

Keep up the good work! You are making a difference in her life!

Hugs,
Pati

Hazel said...

You do such great work ,I just love this quilt .
My girls used to say "what ever "drove me crazy ,I don't think my son was half as bad as the two girls .

Becky said...

Your quilt reminds me of Tetris - AWESOME!

Becky said...

Love the quilt! I hear ya' on the teenager...be strong and consistent....you'll want to bang your head (or her head) on the wall....but it will work out eventually!

Shay said...

Love the quilt Lane!

Yep-I think almost every teenage girl in the world has been afflicted with "OMG/Whatever/mumbling eye roll " disease at some point (usually for about 6 years between the ages of 12 -18) That's because as an adult you're an idiot and your 50 odd years on the planet count for diddly squat.

The only consolation is knowing that at some point her kids will do it to her. Enjoy the thought.

Piece by Piece said...

My eldest daughter gave me a lot of grief during 12-16 years, I swear I could have done her some serious injury during this period. She is now in her late 40's, a wonderful girl. She got paid back double from her two daughters.
Love the quilt, looks cosy on your bed.
Patricia

lw said...

As I recall, thirteen was the toughest year of my life. Even if everything is perfect, physically, it's hard because your body is changing so fast and it's difficult to separate the real angst from the hormone-fueled angst.

I love the quilt-- it looks lovely and pixelated and it's fun to look at.

Unknown said...

Glad to hear there were some good parts of the birthday. Teenagers will be teenagers, that will never change. The pounding might help, but it won't change things.

The quilt is really beautiful. You did a great job, as always.

Elizabeth said...

Love, love, love the Irish Chain! Love it! About birthdays, or the birthday girl, rather. So sorry that someone so important in her life inflicted so much damage. Kudos to you for picking up the pieces.

xo -El