Quilted and Bound and a Loss

 Keeping up with my reading this week.  Finished this one and now reading Barbara Kingsolver's "Lacuna."

 I picked up FOUR quilts from the longarmer down the street.  She quilted my sister's Midnight Flight Christmas Quilt and now it is bound and waiting for a label.

 She also quilted my daughter Hannah and son in law Jeremy's wedding signature quilt.  Also bound and waiting for a label.  I used to label ALL my quilts, then somewhere along the line I got lazy and stopped.  I need to get back to it!

 The grandbaby's quilt with sloth in the center (Hannah and I saw sloths for the first time at the Dallas zoo and we have been in love ever since!).  The embroidery on this is awesome.  My friend Barb decided to make the blocks for me as a gift to Hannah who she has never met.  SO SWEET!  Of course then I had to figure out a pattern and since they are not finding out the gender it had to be gender neutral.  These thirties fabrics worked out well.

 Here is a peek at my lion for grandbaby.  I am hand stitching the binding on so not quite done, but I love the leaves the gal at Blue Whale Quilt Studio put on him (at my request).

Been doing lots of resting, reading, etc. but in the evenings lately I have found some time and energy to sew.  Taking each day as it comes and getting so excited for baby.
If you do not want depressing news click off here.

My nephew Christopher passed away a week and a half ago.  He was thirty years old and six weeks older than my daughter Hannah.  He is the only son of my sister.  She is heartbroken as we all are.  He is above with Coleman as a packer for Halloween.

 Above Coleman, Hannah, Jay (Mac) and Christopher on the bottom.  I took them all to the pumpkin farm and we had such a great day there.

 Christopher smiling in #3. And with my kids below too. So many memories with him and hard to even believe he is gone.

 I wrote his obituary and tried to capture who he was and how much he was loved.

With deepest sorrow, we announce that Christopher Jordan Simons, age 30, of New River, Arizona, died suddenly on Friday, July 17^th, 2020, while undergoing emergency surgery.  Christopher, endearingly known as CJ by his family and friends, was born on December 26, 1989, to his loving mother Tina Baeza (Neff) and his father, Brad Simons in Burnsville, Minnesota.  He was a son, grandson, nephew, cousin, and a friend to so many.  As a child he was always smiling and finding new and clever ways to get into trouble.  He was beyond intelligent and had a knack for math, spelling, and grammar. He was our go to guy for setting up electronics or troubleshooting computer and TV issues!   He would regularly correct others for using improper grammar.  CJ graduated from Career Success High School in Cave Creek, Arizona, at the age of 16 in 2006.  He followed in his family's footsteps and joined the Navy soon after graduation.  During his service he was part of Mission Enduring Freedom and visited much of the world while serving his country.  CJ had many friends, and if you were one you knew you were a brother to him and he would always be there if you needed anything.  He was as loyal a person as anyone could ask for.  He was known for giving advice (our “Dr. Phil”), love, and his daring and brave demeanor.  He could be stubborn and a bit quick tempered, but CJ never seemed scared.  He would never back down from anything. CJ always loved animals, playing poker, video games, going off-roading, cheering for the Packers, and spending time with his friends and family.  He could be regularly seen in his Boondock Saints shirt and seemed to always wear a hat.  He didn't like to smile in pictures, but his smile was larger than life and if you saw it, it would warm your heart.

 He will be greatly missed by his mother Tina (New River) and his father Brad (Eau Claire, Wisconsin); his grandparents Toni and Gary Hirn; his aunts and uncles (Sam, Ashley, Angela, Kathy, Steven, Cheryl, Mark, and Sue);  his cousins (Coleman, Hannah, Jay, Benjamin, Christian, Colton, Barrett, Stephanie, Billy, and Sarah), his girlfriend Jennifer, his ship mates and Navy brothers,  his “New River Mafia,” as well as many others.  CJ was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents and his maternal grandfather Lenny.

We feel if CJ could tell us one last thing he would tell us to hold our heads high. To smile at all the fond memories.  To cry tears of joy of the time spent with him and not tears of sadness.  To hug those you love, forgive those who need it, and know he is looking down on us smiling, and drinking a Faygo.

We love you to the moon and back CJ and always will.  You will always hold a place in so many hearts.  

A Celebration of Life and military funeral honor ceremony will be held as soon as we are allowed to gather the many family, friends, co-workers and all the people who loved CJ.