Made with Love and Ladybug Hugs: February 2014

The last 3 months have been crazy in Kat-land. Lots of good, lots of very bad. I've been sewing (not as much as I'd like) but not been taking a lot of pictures and (obviously) not blogging.

In December, I lost my "adopted" grandmother after a long illness. Growing up, my grandparents lived far away and she lived up the street, so we always considered her our grandma. There's never a good time to lose a loved one but right before Christmas was especially difficult. She was 90 and was sick on and off for several years so this was not a surprise, but it was hard to not be there (in New York) for the funeral.

We did make it to New York for New Year's and had a great (freezing cold and snowy, but great) week with my family (parents, brother, sister, nephew) there. I took a few home-made gifts with me, including this play mat I made for my little nephew, Liam. I didn't take many pictures of the finished quilt, but here is one of Liam enjoying it. It measures 48" x 48".

In late January, my world stopped when I got the call that my dear friend Billy -- who has been my brother's best friend and I've considered another "little" brother for close to 25 years -- was killed in a car accident. Billy was a hulk of a man -- he was 6' 6" tall, weighed 300 pounds and was all heart. He was a police officer, U.S. Navy veteran, and one of my most favorite people in the world. I traveled back to New York for the hardest days of my life -- his funeral services, complete with full police honors. I am still heartbroken and not a day goes by that he is not heavy on my mind.

Billy with each of my daughters and my brother, at their high school senior prom.

This video is called "Final Farewell." I still cannot watch it without tears or that now-too-familiar "punched in the stomach" feeling. I know it may seem a little sad to post a video like this on my blog, but it is a true testament to the enormity of our loss.

In between the very bad there was also good. We adopted two guinea pigs. My older daughter earned her orange belt in karate. My younger daughter found a passion for reading. I completed another one of those crazy, 12-person, 200 mile overnight running relay races (from Miami to Key West, Florida). I treated myself to a new sewing machine (a Husqvarna Viking Eden Rose 250c). I saw Billy Joel in concert. Many more "little things" as well, that remind me life is good.

I would really love to get back in the groove of sewing and blogging and maybe (hopefully) I will... but in the meantime, I leave you with some photos of my last 3 months and hope you are all finding time to stop and enjoy the ladybugs.