Quilting Memories ~ Sewing Love

 My beautiful and talented friend, JoEllen, took a bunch of the tee shirts I have received at each race I have entered and turned them into this treasure ~ a one of a kind quilt. I knew she was making it and have been impatiently patiently waiting for the finished product! All I can say is, it was worth the wait!! Pouring over each square helped me remember the good, the bad and the ugly of running. Some of them reflect a race where I got a new PR (personal record). Some of them remind me of an injury that nagged me during the race. All of them together in one place, allows me to relish the huge strides I have made as a runner.

 The back side is made of the softest fabric in which you'd ever want to wrap up your body. It also holds a tiny square with HUGE importance. She, somehow, (she is magical!), printed my running mantra on a square and added it to the quilt. These are the words I say to myself during every run, every day, every race. Not sure how it started, but these words are as big a part of my runs as my shoes.

I am not sure how you adequately thank someone for a gift like this. Words fall short. All I can hope is that she knows me better than most, she is in my heart til the day I die, and she knows I love the physical gift (quilt) and intangible gift (her love) more than I can ever say.
Some birthdays are better than others. This one was, all around, a GREAT ONE!!