A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world

What a beautiful day to be alive :) Thank YOU Lord.

Yesterday, when Isabella, my second grader came back from school, she asked me to have a mother and daughter's moment in the kitchen and make cupcakes. I had some order I had to get done last night and I asked her: - Can we have this moment after I am done with this order here? She was OK with it, then I remembered that on Tuesday night, she goes swimming with her daddy at the YMCA, so I said: - Isabella, Daddy is picking you up for swimming today, if you want to, you don't have to go, you can stay with mommy and we can make cupcakes. She thought for a little bit and replied: 

- I am not sure what to do because I want to go swimming with Daddy but I also would like to make some cupcakes with you. I told her it was OK, we would make the cupcakes another day.

After they left and I had my work finished, I started feeling so guilty for not have stopped and going to have the "daughter and mommy" with Isabella...

 While they were away, I went to the kitchen to do the dishes and clean up, I decided I would make the cupcakes and she would decorate them when she'd come back home, and so I did.

When they were back and she found out I had the cupcakes  all made on top of the stove for her, she was so happy and so thankful :) She said:

-YOU are the best mommy in the whole entire world! She would come once in a while and thank me for making her cupcakes, I think she really understood that I wanted to have the "daughter and mommy" moment but I couldn't, so I did the best I could.

This morning, when she woke up, I always bring her a cup of milk in bed every morning, she grabbed her cup, looked at me and said:

-Mommy, thank you so much for making me the cupcakes last night, I really appreciate it!

All my guilty feeling are gone now and I am so glad that she is only 7 years old but she really appreciates the little things in life. She takes what she can get and move on.

God bless our day!

Zee www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com

"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."Agatha Christie 

TOMATOES... TOMATOES...TOMATOES

 Good morning Yall! (WOW, I sounded like Paula Dean without an accent LOL)

Well, I was supposed to blog about My First Birthday Dresses or Embroidery or Embroidea but, forget about it, I want to talk about tomatoes. Would you like some tomatoes??? LOL

I guess this year my lovely husband planted more tomatoes than we can eat. We have been giving tomatoes to Customers, friends, Families and we still have TOMATOES!!!!!!

Juliana, my blessed friend and helper goes to the kitchen and comes back saying she saw a lot of tomatoes in the kitchen. Oh take some tomatoes home Ju!!! - I will take a couple of them. She says. - NO, take the whole bag!!! "I dont need the whole bag Zee" We are only two at home.

-Give to your neighbors! It's in the Bible, you gotta feed thy neighbors! LOL

- Nah, we dont talk that much with our neighbors. LOL 

- Oh dang! Can you at least take a few? 

- How many?

-I don't know, any amount that is more than a couple tomatoes...

 She took only a little bit of them LOL, I keep thinking who in this world is in need of tomatoes? My freezer has plenty of tomatoes in there. 

I had a brilliant idea this morning, I am going to text my friend Sherry Brown from Little India, my lovely friend who I used to work with. I know for sure that she loves tomatoes... I still remember both of us ibn our break time sitting on the side walk eating tomatoes...

Nah, it didn't work as you guys can see our text messages.

OH! OK, Another great idea!!! I am going to ask Brian to take to work!!! Wooooooo Hoooooooooooo:

-Bello, can you take some tomatoes to work?

- I am afraid not. Everybody that I work with grow their own garden, my boss has been bringing lots of cucumbers  also.

I give up on tomatoes... I guess I am putting a  sign here in my embroidery room. "WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN SOME TOMATOES?"

Its going to be a long "Looking for tomatoes lover day" other than "dentist appointment day" AND "Repair machine day" AND "Work day" but the most important of all, it has been for sure a really beautiful and blessed day because we are still ALIVE!!!!!!! :)))))

Have a blessed  day you all!!!!!!!!

Keep cool :)))) And SMILE :)))))

Sometimes I work with birthdays dresses, sometimes I work with goodbye pieces...

Today is Sunday evening. I have just gotten back from my bike ride. My legs are really sore, that is what happen when we get older I guess... LOL

I have always been working on First Birthday dresses, pretty garments, but, today I worked on embroidering the lid insert of a casket. Never thought I would do such a type of work someday. I never liked getting close to caskets, seeing one, or touching it, I don't like anything that is related to death, I have this feeling since I was a child. I was always  scared of walking on the sidewalk of a funeral home, it would remind me about losing my loved ones, not afraid of death  myself but, losing the ones I love, scares me so much. I know this is what life is about but, if I can, I'd rather not to think about it. Today, it was different though, I was doing my work with so much love and when it was done I kissed the piece and said: - Rest in peace young man, I pray that you find the light...

 The sad part is, it is for the casket of fourteen years old boy who killed himself over a girl. The entire time I was working on it I was praying that God give strength to the parents of this kid. I didn't know him,  just an embroidery work that I had to get done for the funeral home but it touched my heart. There is no way in the world that one could do this job and not wonder what this family is going through...

It made me feel like holding my kids close to me and never letting them go. It made me think so much about that mommy and daddy...We hear all kinds of stuff happening out there but, we never think that it can happen to us. We parents, never imagine our children passing away first than us.

I guess when we need to get something done, God give us the strength we need to. It was just like when my grandma passed away.

Last time I saw grandma Virginia Pecanha

My grandma and I were very close, sometimes I would get myself thinking, grandma is over 90 years old and how will it be like life without her? I was always scared.

But it happened. I knew my grandma was getting weaker and very sick. My mom told me, Zee, if you want to see grandma  still alive, you should come soon because I have the feeling she wont be here for too long.

So, I decided we better plan a trip to Brazil soon. I got there late afternoon, it was a tiresome trip, over ten hours in an airplane, I was exhausted when we finally got to my parents home. Some cousins were visiting, one of my cousin told me that grandma had been asking about me the whole day, she wanted to see me when I got in Brazil. I told my cousin I would wait until the next morning, when I would be more rested. She said, you should not wait Zee, grandma wants to see you as soon as you got here. So, there I got to my grandma home. She was so thin, sad expression but her eyes brightened up when she saw me. We talked a lot about all kinds of stuff, but for some reason grandma kept asking me what I thought it would happen to us when we die. Do you believe we will be born again? I didn't like that type of talk with my grandma... So she held my hand and told me: - Zee do you remember that vacation when you were fifteen and we went to Sao Paulo to spend couple weeks at your uncle's home? I said: Yes grandma, I do, why are you asking me this?

She then said: I never forgave myself for shortening the trip and wanting to be back home earlier than we planned before. I remember how mad you got about me, you had planned having a lot of fun with your cousin... I always wanted to ask you to forgive me for that, I felt like I ruined your vacation... Can you please forgive me in the name of God?

I was so weird, I said: -Grandma, that was a long time I go, I never hated you for that, I got over it next day, I cant believe you held that in your heart for all these years! There is nothing to be forgiven grandma. I always loved you and was thankful for you...

I couldn't believe the relief feeling that she had on her expression: _ Oh thank God you were never mad at me, I have always thought about that and couldn't forgive myself for doing that to you. I can die in peace now....

We talked some more and my daddy took grandma to her bed.  That same night at 3:00 AM we were called that my grandma had passed way...

Grandma had nine children of her own and raised two nephews, eleven children total. Guess who was the one who took care of all arrangement for grandma's funeral?  Yes, you are right, it was me, the one who is afraid of cemetery, caskets and everything related to death. I even took care of all my grandma's burial place and picked the clothes she was buried with. I was so strong... After all was over with, I couldn't believe all the stuff I did. I was telling my uncles and daddy what to do and how, like a pro. I will always love you Grandma... I know you are resting and enjoying a better life now...

I've learned that when we have to go through something difficult, somehow we are given all the strength we need.

That is what I thought it happened today. It was a sad work but somebody had to do it. The kid used to go hunting with his grandpa and daddy, they wanted to have a deer embroidered on his casket inside. I did it. I am so glad I could do my best, work on a Sunday for a teenager who has ended his life so early...

God bless you...

Zee

Truth or dare with Isabella

- Mommy lets play Truth or dare?

- Sure Isabella, you start.

- Truth or dare mommy?

- Truth. I said

- hmmm... When and who was the first man you kissed?

 I never expected my 7 years old daughter to ask me such a question... What is wrong with my little baby ? She grew up so fast....

- Oh well... oh well... My first kiss was with Tammy's daddy and  when  we started dating...

-Yuk!!! How can you kiss Tammy's daddy?? By the way Tamy's daddy is my ex husband, I got married when I was 17 years old so, I got married to my first boyfriend ! LOL What was I thinking??? duh!!! LOL

- Well... well... I don't know, I guess I loved him, that is why we kissed.

- Well you don't have to love someone to kiss him. I have kissed John at school! Said Isabella

Oh my goodness, I wasn't prepared for that kind of conversation...

- How can you kiss John? and you don't love him??? How come? I replied

- Well mommy, Catie dared me to kiss him, so I did. But it was a very fast kiss!

- Well Isabella lets play Littlest pet shop now. I think that I like it better!!!

-OK mommy...

She kissed John because Catie dared her... I really didn't know what to say.. If I got mad, she would start hiding stuff from me. I guess it is just one of those things that we play along?

Well, just a little advise from me... Don't ever play Truth or Dare with your little one, you might get surprised... Just saying.... LOL

Today has been a better day at Embroidea with the new helper. I stopped working earlier and I am ready to rest.

Shipped a little First dress to Canada and I love it !!! I cant wait for the Customer to get it.. Oh I love my work so much :))))))))))

Have a nice evening you all and God Bless

Just me

First Brazilian party without you Beth Hall

What a beautiful Sunday! Sun is shinning , life is good :)))

Yesterday we had our Brazilian get together party and had lots of fun. Each one cooked a Brazilian dish and we celebrated Springtime at Juliana and Greg's home. It makes us feel good  and appreciate that even so far away from home, we have each other to speak our Language, laugh, eat, drink and have fun together.  This is how Brazilians are, we always get together there in Brazil, we forget about work, problems and everything else, we enjoy life. When I lived  In Brazil, on the weekends, we always did something fun like having barbecue, going fishing, dancing, having friends and family over, it was a lot of fun. We miss that type of lifestyle living in the USA, so, whenever it is possible our Brazilian community get together and we always find a reason to celebrate. Life goes to fast we have to enjoy it while it last, do the best we can, help others, laugh and be happy. Last year, we lost one of our members and dearest friend Beth Hall  who battled against cancer. She found out she had it when her second child was born and she fought for 17 years straight. She was one of the people who helped me in so many ways when my daughter and I moved to the USA in 2003. She knew about everything, whatever I needed, all I had to do is call Beth.

Last night we missed her at our first get together after she passed away. Beth was always present at our parties, always cooking good food, always full of energy, always laughing, joyful, always looking for something to help with. She said she couldn't stop moving because if she stopped she knew that the cancer would kill her. Last year my friend finally gave up, the cancer got her liver and took her always from us. Although I was making people laugh last night, what I know how to do the best other than my embroidery work, I was feeling her presence with us. I told only to another one of our friends that I was missing Beth because I didn't want to cause sadness to everybody but, God knows I was thinking of Beth, her contagious presence will always be among us. I am so glad that in her last years of life we started this Brazilian group and we got to spend time with her. At the end Beth and I so close, I didn't want to let her go, I wanted her to stay longer but she told me she was ready, she was tired of that fight, her two boy were in college, all grown up so, she felt she was ready. A day before she left this world, she called me and invited me to her house to eat a Brazilian dish that her mommy had made, she knew I loved "coxinha" she called at 4:00 o'clock in the evening and asked me to come over. My husband, my daughter and I went to her home and when I was living to come back to my house, she held me very tight and I felt like that was going to be the last time I would see my friend alive. I was right...

At the end my friend Beth didn't look like herself no more, her skin had turned dark, I guess it had to do with her liver shutting down... Just want to say Beth, right there where you are in heaven, I know you were watching us with that big smile of yours, I knew you were there. I've promised you to run the Relay for life every year in your honor and I will do that. You will never be forgotten my friend...

There is no more chemo, radiation, surgeries, medicines, no more suffering, you are in God's arms. I was so glad I could tell "I love you" before  you left. God bless you!