My Absence Explained

Into each life some rain must fall

It was so wonderful to see old friends, and meet new ones at the February 27 -29 Arizona Quilter's Guild Annual Quilt Show, where I had a booth at the show. It's hard to believe that just a few short weeks later, everything changed for all of us, with the various responses to the corona virus pandemic.

My son and daughter-in-law began to work at home the last week of March, and felt the need to have my 3 yr. old grandson, James, stay home as well, from his day care. I left for their home in Colorado the first weekend of April to help out by babysitting James, for as long as they needed me.

I was in my second week of babysitting (and enjoying my time with James!), when I called my brother, Scott, who had been readmitted to the hospital. He had recently been given the good news on March 26^th that he was in full remission from his acute myeloid leukemia. However, when I called him on April 15, his doctor got on the phone with me, and told me that cancer had spread throughout Scott's body. He was told he had a few weeks left to live and was sent home to live out his final days. That weekend, I flew to Kansas City to help out with his care, as did my sister. My brother and Scott's 18 yr. old son (a senior in high school), were already living with Scott, and it was a team effort to take care of him. Scott passed away last week on Tuesday night, April 28^th.

I know so many of you have had Scott in your prayers, and it really means a lot to me. I told him that there were a lot of people he doesn't even know praying for him. Thank you!

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Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;

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When you hear from me next, it will hopefully be happier news to share, but I wanted to explain my absence. I will definitely be looking forward to sharing news of my upcoming book with Martingale. Things are progressing rapidly now, ...... and we have a 

And …... we have a cover (which I can't share quite yet) --- more news to come!

I'll leave you with the third stanza of the poem, "The Rainy Day", by the great American author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

                                                                            ~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

                                                                              From his poem, "The Rainy Day"

Until next time,

Martha