Being disabled comes with a wide range of emotions every morning. Today, for example, was exchange day, the day I hand my children off to my ex-husband for some much needed Daddy time. In general, I love having the uninterrupted thoughts that come with child-free time, but today I found some loneliness setting in with my solitude. When my children left they took with them the constant needs and demands that make it easier to forget that I am as sick as I am. As the quiet settled in around me my mood began to sink and I felt the potential spiral that is depression wake up and take notice.

Usually the best thing for me to do at times like these is get moving on something low energy but useful, like making the bed or folding laundry. As the dog had done her hurricane Penny act on the blankets, crawling to the exact middle of them and turning around and around until they are a tight spiral of warmth around her, I decided to make the bed.

I am so glad I did.

I am blessed in this life to call two excellent quilters friends. One is also my mother-in-law so I also call her mom. In my life I have been gifted with gorgeous, warm, hand-made quilts from them. Today I have three of them on my bed. One, from Mom, is a warm flannel shag quilt that she gave Dan. It is rarely off our bed. Another is a gorgeous batik quilt Ellen made me. The last is a smaller rainbow comfort quilt mom made to cheer me up when my headaches are bad.

As I smoothed out the wrinkles in each lovingly made layer of quilt on my bed my mood began to lift. Here, under my fingertips, was proof that I was loved. That two people cared so much about me that they would spent countless hours and money to make comfortable, beautiful reminders of their support. I can literally wrap their love around me every time I feel the slightest bit alone.

I hope quilters know how much the time and energy they put into their creations means to those of us who cuddle underneath them on cold days and warm, not just our bodies, but our hearts.

Thank you Mom, thank you Ellen. I am so blessed to have you both.