Before I wrap up and put a bow on our month of guest posts, there will be two, possibly three, more guests, one of which is by my 8 year-old daughter. Below I've transcribed what she shared with me about her first sewing machine project.
Mrs. Abernethy came to my house this week and taught me how to use our sewing machine.
A few weeks before Mrs. Abernethy came over, my mom and I went to Home Goods and picked out two different placements. I chose the tiger placements, because I love animals, and then I chose the other placement with the flowers because my mother liked it. Both had orange and brown in them.
I made the bag and sewed on the pockets; I came up with the idea to put on pockets. Mrs. Abernethy started to sew the handles together for me, and then I finished them.
Now that the bag is finished, I use it for all sorts of things. I put my bathing suit in it yesterday to go to the Hutchins. Today, I'll put my scriptures in the bag when I go to church.
I may do more sewing. It was fun. And I liked sewing with Mrs. Abernethy.
Do you remember when you first made or did something in which you felt your self emerging, establishing your own ‘I'dentity? How did you feel? I certainly remember learning to play the piano and to sew.
It seems that Miranda's choosing the animal print for her, and the flowers for me, is a metaphor for how we hope our children will develop: become their own person while carrying some small piece of us with them.
Mrs. Abernethy is now on Miranda's dream team – and mine. Who was on your ‘dream team' as a child? Are we surrounding our children with family, family friends and teachers who can teach our children in ways that we can't?
What if each of us were to accomplish one ‘I'-dentity project this summer? And help our children to do the same?