A couple months ago while staying at my mom's house I spied her old sewing machine sitting on a shelf in the basement, un-used and forgotten. It took a while to find a way to get it down here, and find a place in my house to put it (gotta love apartment living!). But yesterday I finally pulled it out of its old box and sat down to start a little sewing project for Leah. I sat there for a minute, suddenly stunned.
I could feel my mom. I could feel all the hours and hours and days and years she had sat at this very machine. I could feel her warm worn hands and see her brow furrowed in concentration to make it just right. I could see my Christmas nightgown and bathrobe from when I was 4, all my girl scout badges, the piles and piles of my hemmed pants, even my senior prom dress. So many late nights. So much time. And I suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion.
Does she even know how much all of that meant to me? How much more it means to me now as I sit, a mother myself, about to spend hours on a project that my daughter may only wear briefly. And suddenly I realized how stitched I am, heart to heart, with my mother. My angel, ever-sacrificing, ever-giving, and never selfish mother.
She is in every stitch of me.
And so I sat there, sewing an apron for my little Leah, and hoped, in some similar way, I was stitching us together as well. Adding my love for her to the tapestry of love created by my mom, and her mom, and her mom...
14 comments:
Beautiful Michelle. Well you most definitely made Leah's day. Look at the precious face! I love making things for Brielle just to see that look on her face. It makes her feel special to know you made something just for her...priceless!
Really neat! I can relate. The apron turned out adorable! Little Leah is so precious!
I had my grandmother's sewing machine for a long time until it broke. It is really special to have something that belonged to someone you love and who loves you. Don't you love being a mom and making things for your girls? Every time Issac puts on his Jedi robe I feel proud!
What an adorable apron! I'm totally impressed. My poor children will have the kind of feelings you have towards your mom, but for Target. :)
Oh Michelle, Thank you for the sweet blog that made me cry... I have many memories of that sewing machine for sure. Those were some good times for sure. Ahhhhh. The apron is adorable, and so is Leah. Love you all!
Ok. Lucky you found the old sewing machine first, because you know we all would have tried to claim it. I love mommy, and you two really are twins! Good job on the apron, it's darling!
love you
okay so cute, so proud of you and your sewing abilities mavis bacon! And I agree with lisa, we will need to rotate that antique!
Man, I wish I would have called you that day...Oh well, thanks for having us over tonight. It really was fun.
I also think you should be a writer!!! That post was so beautiful!
That apron is Darling, Michelle! I am really enjoying your Blog-so sweet & heartfelt!! You are a WONDERFUL Mom!!! An inspiration =)
Well, don't worry I wont be like our other sisters and fight for the antique sewing machine..because we all know i cannot sew and probably never will be able to. Lack of desire I think is the reason. Because someday in that fantasy world I live in my sisters and I will all be in the same city..and so my kids can go to aunt michelle- SEWING PRO..well pro-mom I will say. Then they can have everything they need. Okay but on a serious note...love the post. made me cry, made me miss you even more. come home to me my little mommy. I love you :)
WOWWWY!! Michelle I can't believe how longs it's been since I've checked your blog! You've posted atleast 7 times since I've last checked and your last one was 3 weeks ago! Where have I been? What have I been doing!? I need to be so much better. I just subscribed to follow your blog so I can stay up-to-date :) Even though I see you about twice a week :) Love ya!
crying right now.
Michelle, you have an amazing way with words. I wish that I had wrote something like that to my mother and maybe I still will. Missing you and California. The girls still talk about it lots. Now Leah matches her little table. How fun, I have had it on my list to make aprons for my girls, for a while, maybe this is the inspiration I needed.
I have heard the slow drumming of the sewing machine softly lulling me to sleep and waking me in the morning the past few days...though the machine changes our mother does not. she's been working so hard, this post STILL holds true. :D love you mushy.
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