Ups and Downs

We started Science Day Camp today. It didn't go as well as we hoped, but it wasn't horrible either. One little boy fell off the big toy and landed smack on his head and face, and a couple hours later this same boy gets shot with one of those pressure guns right in the eye.

Some kids worked well together, some didn't work with others at all. And most of them wanted to get their science stuff done and play.

Favorite things; trying to figure out how many balloons it takes to lift a toy, and electron tag.

Dislikes; measuring the paper airplanes and measuring the distance in which they flew.

We were done an hour early, so tomorrow we'll plan more for the kids to do. I think most of the kids had fun.

After camp, I took a couple of min. to start on a burial dress for a baby that was stillborn. I think it's fitting to make this dress after the post about the lilies. The kindness of others is what we remember most about the death of our little boy. I'm pretty much making up my own dress. I wanted it to be kimono style so it will be easy to get the baby into. I also wanted it to be pretty and look a little like a baptismal dress. I hope it works! I'll be working on it tonight and will hopefully finish tomorrow night after camp. I'm thinking the funeral may be Wed. or Thurs.

I've just been so sad lately, in the past couple of weeks a friend of mine lost a baby to a ectopic pregnancy and another will most likely lose her baby right after birth to a severe heart defect and then this. I should say that I don't actually know the family who's baby daughter just passed away, but I do know her cousin, who is helping to make the arrangements. I offered to make this dress, because I know how hard it can be to find burial clothes for a tiny baby and how expensive they can be. And really who wants to be shop for burial clothes for their little baby?
Wish me luck that it will do justice to this little angel.

So, after returning home from returning the helium rental, and trying not to cry for all of these families who are struggling with death and loss, I came home to....drum roll please...

MY SWAP PLACEMATS!!!!!!!
WOOHOO !!!!!!!!

What better way to snap me out of my sad little thoughts!!! And guess where they came from?? All the way across the Atlantic, across the United States and across Washington State to me in the Puget Sound. Yes, all the way from the UK.

Debbie,

I love, love, love them. They are so me. And to prove the point they are totally me, my neighbor came over to see the placemats and declared they looked just like me!!!! They really are so pretty!! And look how beautiful they look on my table!!

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How in the world did you know I love lamb!!! I don't have it very often, but I love it when I can get it!! I can't wait to try the recipe. I think you must be partly psychic to have made and sent things that are sooo perfect!!! Tell me truthfully...what's in my future???:)

The kids loved all the goodies you sent. My oldest, who turns 11 next week, picked up the Tudor book and declared it a really cool book and will be reading it for bed time tonight. The three younger kids loved the pencils! They are so great. We've already picked out a couple of recipes we want to try from the Devonshire recipe book. We just have to wait until the weather is cool enough to turn on the oven. You were so sweet to send my family little gifts! Thank-you!!! I hope the person who gets my placemats loves them as much as I love mine!!!! So when are you coming to the United States to visit??? I'll make sure all my laundry is put away, and that holey old couch is out of the room, and you can stay with us! !!! We'll go see the Washington Rainforest and Pike Place Market in Seattle!!!

Lots and lots of Love,

Sarah