Is it Thursday Already

The days are blending. We had to convince someone tonight that it was Friday tomorrow.  It took some talking to convince her.  Time is going very fast, even though we are using a lot of the day.  The mornings have been early and we tend to talk until we can’t any more.  Who would have thought?!

 

Here is a picture of the Coin of Excellence that we each received looks like.

We were also presented with the Commander’s Award For Excellence.

Our conversations keep circling back to yesterday and the wonderful Soldiers that we met.  Remembering brings both joy and tears.  Some of the stories were so hard to imagine.  Being mom’s and grandma’s we want to comfort and support each and every one we met.  We can only imagine how challenging it is for the Soldiers and their families not only to be separated but also to be worrying about their safety.  Please if you know a Soldiers wife give her a hug!  Yesterday a gal came up and was looking at the quilts, she had a little boy with her and a husband close by. The husband, the Soldier, stood back with a baby that didn’t stay in his arms for long with so many grandmas around.  As I chatted with his wife about the quilts, I asker her how she was doing.  A simple question.  She looked at me and the tears started.  She said her husband had been in the service for 8 years and she thought that this was the first time in 8 years that she had been asked.  A hug was in order!  We need to take care of our Soldiers families so they can take care of themselves while they are go.

One of the officers told us that both he and his brother came home before their unit from Afghanistan and so his father picked them up at the Airport.  There was no welcome home ceremony to great them.  He said that the quilts given was a lasting sign of Welcome and Thanks.  He also felt that as a lasting cymbal, that they would help with the closure of returning to a different life.  Let’s pray that that is the case.

 

The stories are many, the respect for these men and women grows every time we tell the stories.  Please ask the gals that went about their experiences.  It is so hard to express the things we experienced.  Thank you to all that have served in the Armed Forces, you are our HEROS!

 

This morning was the first time the wheels didn’t turn on time.  I was posting and you can’t rush a computer.  They graciously waited for me.  As it turned out things are meant to be.   A few gals thought they would make a quick trip to Hancock fabrics (a very large, well known store, kind of like Cabalas)  which is about 2 blocks away, making it back in time to take the bus downtown.  Wearing the QOV shirts that were made for the Underwood Legion/Lions benefit (by the way they have been the best conversation starters ever!  We have even washed them out so we can wear them more!)  Anyway – The conversation started with the clerk about our trip and our day at Ft Knox yesterday.  The clerk asked if the girls had business cards.  Being good girls they pulled out their cards.  The clerk said that management was in a meeting but she would give them the cards.  Next thing they knew Justin Hancock came out and introduced himself.  The girls said they excitedly told him about our mission and our adventure.  What amazed them was that he listened so attentively (we can get a little excited when we get to talking about our week,  just a little!) making them feel like he really cared.  He asked how he could help.  They said they looked at each other and each one said “Fabric”.  He in turn gave us 4 box’s of fabric to be used for QOV.  Thank You Justin, Thank You Hancock family!!

 

We then went to the National Quilt Museum here in Paducah.  We were once again interview and entertained by Quilt Man.  As quilters we enjoyed ourselves.

Do you think we took lots of pictures! 

We toured the museum, sorry we couldn’t take pictures, you will have to take our word that they were works of art.  We went exploring and met back at the Museum for a picture at 12:40.  When we got there the gentleman in the picture happened to choose today to bring a quilt top his mother had made but was unable to finish to the Museum to see if they would help him find someone that would finish it and give it a good home.  We were honored to accept the quilt to be finished and given to a deserving Soldier for them. 

Read the words on the wall.  This picture was taken by the Museum director for us.

This is what happens when you are late for the bus!

We couldn’t stand it, we had to open 1 box of fabric!  Thank You again!!!

I just realized that some of you might not know what the labels on our quilts look like.  Please enlarge it and read the poem, it often brings tears.  Following is the card that goes with each quilt.

These are all hand written and signed by as many of our workers as we can get on the day the quilts are packed. 

 

We are off early tomorrow so I wish you a good day.  By the way we have been blessed with beautiful sunny days.  Someone said 80’s yesterday and it felt like it today! 

We are hoping to bring nice weather home with us.