Grattitude...........

.........ever since I saw the snowball bush on pamkitty'sblog I have been thinking about trying to grow one of my own. Then when we went to Virginia, there they were everywhere taunting me, so I had to share this picture with all of you. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you will really see it's beauty. It was taken at Monticello, once the home of Thomas Jefferson. Such a pretty bush!!

My plan this evening was to post my zillions of pictures, but today life had a twist. Tuesdays I work with Susan at the shop. In the morning we have the sweetest group of ladies that come every week and there is always lots of laughter, lots of gabbing, and tons of creativeness going on. Susan and I have
a fun teasing thing going on between us, which spills over on to everyone else I'm afraid, even the unsuspecting customers that come in!! Laughter is definitely the rule for the day. The afternoon is also a drop in class and during both times Susan is at the ready to help with any and all quilting related issues. She amazes me....I tell her this all the time...because even after I have been quilting all these years I am always picking up something new from her!

After the morning class we decided to be bad and get Chinese food. Orange Chicken and rice to be exact.....yum......even though I was determined to get back on track with my eating after my grazing for two weeks while on vacation. We sat and chatted and ate our lunch, Susan finishing up early because the afternoon group had started to arrive. Class was kicking in to gear and I got up out of my chair, suddenly the bite I was chewing became lodged in my throat.Instantly I could not breathe...no air at all...instant fear and then I turned to where Susan was and she took one look at me and grabbed me from behind and did the Heimlich Maneuver which dislodged the chicken so I could breathe. I absolutely had no air coming in and the room was starting to go dark. I can't believe how calm and fast Susan reacted. It all happened so fast I don't think for a while the class really realized what had happened.

Coming home tonight I have replayed the scene over and over and am so grateful for her being there. Saying thank you just does not seem to be good enough words, but that's about all I could say to her. If I had been alone and that happened I would not have been able to help myself. Then thinking of my wonderful family and how much they all mean to me and the new little one on the way....I have so much to be grateful for in my life and so very grateful to Susan.

Since humor is the basis for our relationship, about an hour after our ordeal I answered the phone and it was a call for Susan. My response to Susan was(and please I hope I don't offend anyone), your holiness, the phone is for you!Well at the very least she is an angel to me! This evening I got a call from my girl and filled her in on the day and then had a good little cry after hearing her voice and thinking how things might not of turned out so well. Life is always full of lessons. For me, don't take for granted what I have. This evening I am feeling extremely lucky.

More pictures in a day or so!!