Wednesday, December 14, 2011

the purple knickers...

twenty years ago today
that's how sarah and i
often start posts over...
.

it's fun to see what
we were up to
twenty years ago today
at times i think
twenty years is so long ago
and then i look
 at the photos
and it seems like
just yesterday
tonight
as i looked at what
we were doing
i huge wave of emotion
comes over me
first off
it's the purple velveteen
the true color doesn't shine
 in the pics
tj's knickers were made
of a rich deep
luscious purple
the top of sarah's dress too
the matching plaid
 was heavy, gorgeous taffeta
brought in especially for me
by jay broida the owner
of cutting room fabrics
he knew about my obsession
 with purple
so on one of his
 new york city buying sprees
he had me in mind
and my little girl
he was so excited to show me
i couldn't bring myself
 to tell him
that sarah was not doing well
in fact
the doctors were
starting to loose hope
her lungs were
continually collapsing
filling with fluid
she was aspirating liquids
to cause pneumonia
that would not respond
 to medicine
still i sat in my sewing studio
in the wee hours
 of the morning
to stitch up this
matching ensemble
for brother and sister
today as i look at
these photos
i recognize there
was a greater journey
one of immense teaching
the brother
the one who stood beside her
who protected her
without question


is right beside her
nearly every single day
i truly could not be more proud
of the man he has become
my heart swells with pride
each time i see the two of them
i hear them
engaging in grown up
conversation
yet my heart allows them to go back
to the day they
were wearing
taffeta plaid and
 fancy purple knickers

4 comments:

Adelaide Dupont said...

Hi Joyce!

Wondering if I could have this straight.

Taffetta is the fabric, and plaid the pattern?

Kristen's mom said...

I'm starting off my day with tears running down my face. What an amazing teaching journey we have all been on, and because of it, blessed beyond words.

Kim said...

How cute are they?! I can only hope my boys will be the same with our Katie.

Kate D. Spain said...

Oh Joyce, you have such a way with expressing yourself. Your thoughts are so beautiful and loving, and you have so much to be proud of. Each day is a gift. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! xxoo