It’s been a health-care day for me.Close to the end of the year when my travel slows down I make a day of getting nearly EVERYTHING done at once.
Physical, pap, blood work, flu shot and mammogram.
I can now mark all of these goodies off of my list for another year. It’s a great way to know I’m going into “sick season” with a healthy start.
Being as I sit in air pressure controlled metal tubes with wings – trapped with hundreds of other passengers of dubious health, I feel safest getting a flu shot. I know some don’t – but I can’t keep myself in a sterile environment for the entirety of the winter, so I consider it as insurance. It might not work, but at least I took steps to TRY.
As I was driving home through the rain, I was just mesmerized by the brilliant color of the trees in my own neighborhood.
I thought I’d share them with you today.
Glorious golds and russets as we continue up the road.
In front of my drive where I turn in --
My house at the end of the driveway below, almost hidden by the trees and leaves.
Looking back up the drive – someone is going to have a LOT of leaf blowing to do as soon as the rain stops and the ground dries a bit!
I’m spending some time with batting scraps, getting ready to transport my great-grandmother’s china to the cabin where we plan to spend many family dinners – starting with this Thanksgiving. I love this pattern. It’s made in England and has been present at almost every family dinner I remember growing up, and every family dinner we've had since my babies were born.
This year my dad is coming from Arizona to spend Thanksgiving with us, and as this china came from his side of the family, it is only fitting that we celebrate Thanksgiving with these pieces that hold so many memories --
For those who are prayerful, for those who can spare positive thoughts of comfort and acceptance, please keep my brother Mark and his family in your thoughts, prayers and close to your heart. He called me last evening to tell me that they discovered a brain tumor. He is in surgery today to have it removed. It’s almost too scary to think about, and difficult to talk about ---and to calm my soul, I gently wrap family china between scraps of batting and hope there will still yet be many family dinners to come.
108 comments:
Mark is in my Prayers. I pray all goes well. You have a Beautiful treasure there to remember uour gramdma.
Thoughts and prayers are with all of you ... moved you right to the tippy top of my prayer list, Bonnie! Your dishes are beautiful as are the memories they bring with them. Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday of the year ... least commercial and a wonderful day that is spent with family/friends in a loving environment. We are so blessed each and every day. God bless you and yours. Linda
Oh, Bonnie, I am SO sorry to hear about your brother! Is he by chance the one here where I live? I will keep him and the family in my prayers! I can see how the wrapping of that special china, holding so many family memories, would be soothing at this time. So hard to be far from loved ones when tough things are going on.
I will keep praying and hope for comforting news for you soon. I'm so sorry your family is having to go through this.
Oh Bonnie! Prayers for your brother and hugs for you.
Hey Bonnie. I heard you mention something about your brother last night on quilt cam. I know it's a difficult painful time, but try not to loose hope. My mother had a brain tumor removed in 1997 and is still alive and kicking. I promise prayers. Hang in there.
You, Mark and all family members are in our prayers. I believe in the power of prayer, as this past summer a friends 18 month old daughter had a tumor on her brain stem. Yes, they removed it, she took 6 radiation treatments and there is no sign of the tumor. God is good! I will lift you all up at church on Sunday.
I don't have anything from my great grandparents, so I can only imagine how precious this china is to you. I do have the china from a lady I delivered newspaper to as a teen. At least once a week I use it. I also like it because the size of the plates are the correct size, not the huge ones of today.
Take care and please keep us updated if you feel you can. I think we are all a little sad today. Hugs <3
Prayers sent up for you, Mark, his family and the team working his surgery and recovery. I'm glad you find ways to soothe your frazzled nerves. I'm glad you have the cabin to escape to and "nest" in. Your family china is lovely and knowing you will continue to make memories around the table make me happy for you. Safe travels to Buck Mountain!! Hugs to you, Allison
Definitely in prayer for Mark and all the family. Lovely china; what a treasure.
Thank you for the autumn color photos. I miss it so much.
I don't comment often, but know Mark and his family including you have been added to my prayers. I read and watch you and know what a positive person you are and wish for you hold those good thoughts for Mark as he travels this path and I will do the same.
Bonnie you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers, take care and thank you for the pictures of the fall leaves, it is good to see your lovely china being used and making more memories
My prayers go out to Mark and his family. keep us posted on his condition.
Oh Bonnie, wish I could give you a hug right now. Last night when you mentioned it, I knew it was serious. Thoughts and prayers for Mark, your families and the medical team he has working for him.
Packing that china is something I would do too, so connected to others, family first!
Bonnie, will be lifting your brother Mark, his wife and children, you and all the rest of the family up in prayer.
I will be praying for your brother and all of your family.
Prayers to your family, lots of positive thoughts too. I love your china, you are blessed to have family heirlooms.
Oh Bonnie, serious news, will keep him, the doctors and his family in my prayers for the weeks to come.
In light of that news it seems inappropriate to get super excited by your grandmothers china but I am a plate turner and these plates are beautiful. When you unpack them at the cabin perhaps you would turn one over and take a picture of the markings?
In the mean time will look for updates on your brother. Hugs from Texas
Prayers for you and yours....
You have a lot of people praying for your brother right now Bonnie, that is for certain.
Will be keeping your brother in prayer, you too. Praying for healing.
Keeping good thoughts for your brother, doctors and medicine can do amazing things these days
Please know that your brother and family are in my prayers. Try to find some peace and have faith that he is in God's hands. And give yourself permission to cry. You're human!
Hugs for you, and prayers for you brother and family.
Prayers of coarse! We just went through similar with my sister in law. It was 2 years yesterday! Praise God! she is still with us...
Oh Bonnie, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I hope that the surgery goes well.
I will keep Mark and the family in my prayers! My niece had a brain tumor removed several years ago and is still alive & kicking. She is expecting her first baby very soon. Your dishes are quite beautiful as are the memories they bring to mind. Thank you for the autumn color photos. We have had great color out here in Colorado, but nothing like the show that hard woods give. ((Hugs))
Bonnie dear, my thoughts, prayers and concerns are with you and your family. Please know we ALL are holding you close and hugging you snuggly too.
Please post asap anything you might mind out about Mark's condition.
Quiltie hugs
JulieinTN
Positive thoughts and prayers for your brother and family. May the doctors do their best for him. Love the pictures. Take care Bonnie Hugs from Brazil.
I will be thinking of you and your brother and sending healing thoughts. (Hugs!) Dig into a project -- my quilting and knitting is what keeps me sane when life gets rough.
Prayers being sent for wisdom for the health care providers, and strength for family friends and Mark.
Gods Many Blessings to you,
Irene
You, your brother and your family and friends are in my thoughts and prayers. My heartfelt wish is for your courage and comfort during this difficult time.
Bonnie my thoughts are with you and your family at this time, I hope everything goes well for you all. You're right about the only really important thing in life being those we love! Enjoy your family time. Julie
Thoughts of best wishes and prayers for your brother and his family.
I hope everything goes (went) well Bonnie. Will say prayers for brother, the hospital staff and your family. Wrapping your grandma's china seems soothing and appropriate. Hang in there.
sending warm and comforting hugs to your family and Mark...
LOVE the pictures to ad from your home...ah to be nestled i trees as I was when I was a child...I remember the rich colors ad earthtones are my favorite to this day! where in Arizona is you dad? maybe you can see him when you come out in February!?!?!?
Prayers will be sent your way this evening from synagogue. Lynda from Chicago
Good thoughts and positive energy being
sent your way for your brother and his family.
I am praying for you, Mark and his family, and the medical staff. Please keep us posted. Hugs to you!
Bonnie, I will keep your brother in my prayers. Praying God to guide the surgeons hands to safely remove this tumor. Keep us posted on his progress, I have 2 friends that had brain tumor very successfully remove and fully recovered. Will pray that your brother recovers quickly.
Prayers going up for your brother and his family for a fast recovery.
Hugs for you! Praying for your dear brother and your family that God will give Mark healing and each of you comfort during this time. I too spend time with memories when I set my Thanksgiving table with my grandma's dishes.
keeping Mark and your whole extended family in my prayers this evening. Our leaves are turning color here this week as well, and should be in full color by next weekend, if they stay on the trees for that long. love that beautiful china!
Beautiful china to make beautiful family memories. Thoughts and prayers for all your family and especially your brother Mark.
We will be praying for Mark and all of your family in these difficult times......
Big Hug on this very special Thanksgiving...
<3
Ria. (the Netherlands)
Mark, his family and yours are in my prayers. I am a firm believer in faith and the power of positive thinking and will send all that good energy Mark's way.
Prayers and positive thoughts for Mark, his family and for you and yours. The dishes are gorgeous and such a treasure. I can't imagine how you managed to get through quilt cam last night. You are so generous with your time. It was a pleasure to meet you in Hershey this year.
May your brother be comforted through this scary and difficult time by all our positive energy and healing prayers . Bonnie , I hope also that , having some of those dear to you under one roof this Thanksgiving helps ease & comfort you as well . God bless & take care
Prayers for Mark, his family and for you. Try to enjoy your time at Quiltvilla knowing that many are lifting you all up in prayer.
Bon, sending you lots of love and good wishes for your brother's recovery!
Praying for Mark and his family.
I am so sorry that Mark has this problem. I will keep him in my prayers. We serve a wonderful God
Bonnie, Sorry to hear about your brother. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers!
Prayers from across the pond for Mark and his family - and you too, Bonnie. My brother died of leukemia 8 years ago and I know how precious siblings are.
Praying for your brother, the doctors, and the family Bonnie.
Prayers for all of you!!
Oh Bonnie, so sorry Prayers for everyone.
Paula in KY
I will say a prayer for your brother and for you too,
Your china is just beautiful, I hope you share a picture if it in the cabinet you bought.
Bonnie, I will most certainly keep your family in my prayers. I know just how you must be feeling. A year and a half ago my sister was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It was Mother's Day weekend, the first since we had lost out mom to cancer the previous summer. Prayers helped us all get through. Thankfully, our prayers were answered, the surgery was a success, the tumor benign. She underwent radiation treatment and is doing well today. I am praying for a similar outcome for your brother. Hugs!
Bonnie, I will be sending healing prayers for your brother Mark. Keep us posted.
Bonnie, you can tell your brother, Mark, that a thousand prayers from people he doesn't know are being said for him and his family.
Bonnie, coming from a family who has survived cancer, I, too, believe in the power of prayers. Prayers are coming from our home to yours and your brothers. Let us know how he's doing.
Praying for love and comfort and healing for Mark and your whole family.
Praying for Mark and your family. Healing hugs for all of you!
So sorry to hear about Mark. Many prayers are going his way.
Love you family China and let's hope you get to have many more meals
with all of your family real soon.
Best Wishes
Your brother and you all are in my prayers.
And wouldn't that beautiful china pattern lend itself to a wonderful table topper for family holidays? My wish is for many more family holidays for you all.
Mark and his family are added to my prayers. Blessings to you all. You have the hugs from a very large worldwide community!
Prayed for Mark, your family, and his doctors. May all be well!
Lifting your brother and all who love him up in prayer...
I am so sorry about your brother, I pray for good results. Pictures are gorgeous and the picture you painted of Thanksgiving sounds you will have many memories :)
Jan
Bonnie, I hope Mark's surgery went well today. I will keep him and family in my prayers.
Judy in Las Vegas
I am sending up prayers for your brother and entire family!
Sending thoughts and prayers of love and comfort to you and your entire family.....
WHOA, that really hits home with me since that's what took my DH from me. Discovered the brain tumor and surgery in July 2011 and he was gone in just over a year. Praying much better results for your brother. Please let me know if you can whether or not it's a glioblastoma as I have some really good sites with info and such.
Prayers and hope for a complete recovery for your brother and strength for you and your family.
Hugs, positive thoughts and prayers for Mark and the family, as well as the attending medical staff and of course for you Bonnie. The china is beautiful. What a lovely heirloom.
Thoughts and prayers are with you during this painful time. I'm glad you have your great grandmother's china. Such things link our present with past generations and hold special memories. We use my grandmother's china for our family dinners and I always share memories of family dinners with grandmother when I was a child. We are all praying for you, your brother and your family.
My prayers go with those of a long list of friends you've never met. I can't speak for all of us,but I think most of us think of you as a sister. I hope you feel some peace and hope while you wait for good news.
First and foremost, your brother is in my thoughts and prayers. I pray in earnest that the surgery went well and he'll soon be on his feet again and I pray that all your tests come out squeaky clean. Secondly, I love your great grandma's china. What a lovely thing to focus on when your mind and heart are so troubled. I hope you gain some comfort in the magnificent view surrounding your beautiful home. I bet you can't wait for your dad to visit. Hugs, Lois
My brother-in-law had a malignant brain tumor diagnosed a year and a half ago and was given 6 months to 1 year to live. He had chemo to shrink it, then they removed as much as they could of the tumor. He's had radiation and chemo since and last week they told him THEY CAN'T FIND THE TUMOR! It is GONE! So, if this good thing happened for him, it can happen for your brother too. And that is what I will pray for him, Bonnie. I will pray for complete healing and peace throughout the process.
My brother-in-law had a malignant brain tumor diagnosed a year and a half ago and was given 6 months to 1 year to live. He had chemo to shrink it, then they removed as much as they could of the tumor. He's had radiation and chemo since and last week they told him THEY CAN'T FIND THE TUMOR! It is GONE! So, if this good thing happened for him, it can happen for your brother too. And that is what I will pray for him, Bonnie. I will pray for complete healing and peace throughout the process.
Praying for healing for your brother Mark.
--C.B.
Your brother and all of your family will be in my prayers and in Gods hands...
My thoughts and prayers are with you an dyour family.
Praying for your brother Mark and family. As well as your dad's trip that will be coming soon. I hope your beautiful China traveled well.
Bonnie, You and your family are in my prayers, my DH had a tumor removed in February, and is still fighting. Love the dishes, and I hope you have good news to share at Thanksgiving.
You and yours are in my prayers...God Bless you all.
Lots of prayers to you and your family during this time. May God be with those who administer to your brother. I understand what it is to hold something like your Grandmother's dishes in your hands and wrap them in simple scraps of batting to protect them. May God hold all of you in His hands and protect, comfort you, and give you peace.
Take care,
Emily
I will pray for your brother and I will add his name to our prayer book at church tonight.
My thoughts are with you Bonnie and your family .
Prayers for your brother's safe recovery. Through all the students you have touched, you have so many prayers and good intentions coming your way to buoy up and support your family through this difficult time. On to a brighter subject - I absolutely adore that china! I have never seen that pattern and it's beautiful. Best wishes!
Thinking of you and your family.I have been there and it is a helpless feeling, but having family things near by and knowing friends far and near are thinking of you and sending prayers for your brother I hope will comfort you. Hugs
So sorry to hear about your brother. I will be praying for him and all of your family.
What a shocking phone call that must have been for you, I will be thinking of you and praying for your brother. Be kind to yourself and remember to breathe, the scary stuff is not so bad when we take time to think about it quietly.
Praying for your brother and his family and you also. I went through this exact same thing exactly a year ago with my BIL. Praying all goes well and the Drs are successful in removing the tumor.
Sending good vibes to you and yours.
Will definitely being saying prayers for Mark and your whole family. My neighbor is 5 years out, endured a couple of surgeries and treatments, but is showing all clear now. Hoping for an even better outcome for Mark.
Oh Bonnie - Definitely praying for Mark and his surgeons and doctors - and for you! Love you dear friend. James 5:16 "....the earnest heartfelt prayers of a righteous man make TREMENDOUS power available and can achieve much. " (Amplified Bible)
I'm so sorry to hear about your brother Mark, Bonnie. I'm sending many prayers for his complete recovery and healing. The china is absolutely gorgeous; what a treasure. I love the autumn photos. We here in Minnesota have had some gorgeous colors also, although the rain and winds have taken a lot of the leaves down. God bless you and your family as you await the news on Mark.
Prayers for you and your family. xx
Know that my prayers are with you and your family also. Our extended family has been
touched with cancer sooo many too many times. And I must tell you that the last tumor scare we had was with my BIL. When they went to the dr.'s for the consult he told them
he would highly recommend his younger associate to do the removal. They do it will a lazer... (older) dr. said, "The younger ones have more hand eye dexterity with the remote they use for the lazer.... because of all the video games they play/played as kids/adults. So... being as he is also in Arz. hopefully all went well with the surgery and it will go well. Your working in the right direction... people who go thru chemo etc... tend to get very cold easily... a quilt will work great! Besides it giving you something to think about he will think about you when he uses it.
Love and hugs from a sister who has had 7 family members go thru it all. Any many of those are doing great.
hanging in doing great!
Prayers for strength, mercy, guiding physicians' hands and their knowledge, and peace for you, Mark and the whole family. God will never give you more to handle than you can deal with when you lean on Him for everything you need. Many times our circumstances take us to our knees, in prayer...where we need to be - we aren't meant to handle all this alone! Praying for you all.
Bonnie,
Prayers coming your way and for your brother Mark as he faces this challenge. Stitching calms the soul and sends many prayers lofting above.
Blessings,
Shelia
Prayers still going up for your brother Mark. I am so happy you will be pouring love into every stitch as you make a quilt for him. I have done that for several sick family members and each time the recipient really loved, needed and used the quilt. I felt I was doing something which helped me too...so stitch away and we will pray he will have years and years to wear that quilt out! HUGS!
Bonnie, I'm sorry to hear about Mark and add my prayers for his recovery and comfort.
About that china: that pattern would look GREAT as a quilting fabric. Maybe it could be your start in the fabric design business!
Sending love, positive energy and prayers Bonnie.
Will continue praying for your brother. And do pray that you will use that gorgeous china as a family for years to come. God Bless
I'm late in catching up on post but wanted to know that I'm praying for your family as well. May healing thoughts surround your brother and help all of you to cope.
Oh Bonnie I am also just catching up on your posts as I got behind due to things going on in my life, and I want to say that I am so sorry to read the news about your bother, praying that the surgery will go well and he will come through this with flying colors. I know how hard it is seeing a sibling going through cancer and treatments and I am sending all my prayers to you and your family. I saw the posts about the quilt you are making and it is beautiful and he will love it.
Gwen
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