Anniversary of THE CALL

One year ago today Kevin and I received the Phone Call that changed our lives.

On Thursday, November 20, 2008, I was at the Monona Public Library at an all-day workshop, one that I had planned and presented at earlier in the day. Lunch had just ended and the afternoon session had just begun -- I was standing next to my friends & colleagues, Jean A. and Anne H., when Kevin called to tell me that not only was Ivy coming home, but that she was being escorted to the Detroit airport in mere days. My friends literally held me up as I spoke to Kevin (who was being held up by his own colleagues across town) and when I got off the phone Jean looked at me and said, "Go call your mom. Now."

So what does this photo have to do with today's special anniversary? The night before we received The Call I spent the evening with a creative friend who surprised me with a gift of lovely hand-dyed balls of fabric. (Earlier in the year I had casually mentioned that I wanted to make a rug for my study; my lovely friend dyed thrifted sheets, cut the fabric into strips, rolled them into balls and presented them to me in a beautiful repurposed basmati rice bag.) I crocheted an old-fashioned rug for my study and every time I see it, which is about 3 dozen times a day, I think about how our family and friends supported us, held us up, and kept us sane during those months of waiting. Thank you to our community, to the far-flung as well as those across the alley, who have helped us nurture our little family. Ivy is growing up surrounded by loving, supportive Ones.