Sewing a Little Family History

The other night, we were prepping for our trip to Florida. I was mending a significant tear in Future Farmgirl’s beloved blankie.

I’m no seamstress. But at this age, my children think I’m a marvel because I can thread a needle. The repair was shaky and in a slight zig-zag pattern. Still, they told me I was doing a great job. That’s actually what they say as they cheer me on, “You’re doing a great job mama.”

When I demurred, my Future Farmboy volunteered that if Aunt Margaret was here, she could do an even better job.

Indeed. And I’m so pleased that her memory lives in my children. FFB was born the week that Aunt Margaret died, so I’m especially happy that our memories of this Farmgirl Hero have had an impression on him.

Of course, he remembers Aunt Margaret as a seamstress because we have her sewing basket and an antique Mason jar filled with wooden thread spools and another filled with thimbles. Every time I dig into one of these containers, I talk about Aunt Margaret.

As a parent or teacher you wonder if anything you do actually makes an impression. Clearly, even the little things do.