A Special Year

This is a special year for my oldest GrandGirlie, my beautiful Evelyn Grace.

She turned 9 in February.  Miss E has been asking me since she was wee for a sewing machine.  "A Real Sewing Machine not a toy."  I think she was about 4 the first time she asked and I just pulled a number out of the air and said "When you are 9."  She has never let me forget that and has continued to remind me several times every year.  As soon as talk of her birthday began this year, she reminded me that this was THE YEAR for her sewing machine.  "A Real Sewing Machine, not a toy."

She spent part of her birthday with us and she knew that "the Real Sewing Machine"  would be there.  We were a bit mean at first and told her that we hadn't been able to get her "Real Sewing Machine."  We hid the big gift under the play table with a few other gifts on top of the table as a decoy.  Being the sweet child she is she responded  with "that's okay Meme, I understand."  This is her trying to be excited about her other gifts.

a heart horse box

The blue birthday bag had a piece of horse fabric, some pins and a pair of scissors in it.  Left handed scissors.  And she began to smile.

She was very happy to get her "Real Sewing Machine, not a toy."  But it stayed in the box to go home.

Which was okay because at Meme's house the playmobil farm gets all of her attention.  She absolutely loves this farm and it was purchased to be at her house.  It has stayed at my house because it comes apart very easily and I am the only one that can put it back together.  Okay, let me rephrase that.  I am the only one who will put it back together.  We have a daddy and a papa who are quite capable of putting the one million and one little pieces back together.  They just don't.   I'm not sure whether it is impatience or procrastination and it doesn't matter because "Meme will do it." 

Meme really did it this time.  With super glue.  About 4 tubes of the stuff.  The playmobil farm no longer comes apart at all and the picture above is when she found out her beloved farm got to go home with her this time too.  And yes, that was very special to her.

Back to her home and the Real Sewing Machine came out.  We had our first simple sewing lesson.  She picked out the fabrics, she cut, she pinned, she pressed and she sewed.  On her own "Real Sewing Machine, not a toy."  And on horse fabric, of course.

See the totally serious concentration on that little face?

 She even put a pocket and trim on her first skirt.

A topstitched pocket with a little pleat.

  Pretty cute, right?

I can't tell you how special that time was for me nor can I tell you how proud I was of her.  Maybe it is enough to say that I am pretty sure her "Grandma in heaven" and her Mama Byrd were smiling down on her.

But the biggest  reason this is such a special year will happen next Sunday.  She has been preparing for this day for quite some time.  Attending classes to fill her little head with knowledge and her little heart with joy.  Next Sunday my beautiful girl will participate in the sacrament of her First Communion.   A HUGE day in her little life, the day she begins full communion in our faith.  Most Catholic children receive their First Communion around Eve's age because this is considered the age of reason and understanding.  First Communion is considered one of the holiest and most important occasions in our faith.  It is the first time that a person receives the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the eating of consecrated bread and drinking of consecrated wine which is the food of eternal life given by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Just a peek at what I've been working on this week for that special day..

   
We are so proud of her and can't wait to stand there with her and witness this special and holy occasion.