Mama's Christmas Present

This is a counted-cross-stitch picture I started for my Mom as a Christmas gift in 2007. I gave it to her on Christmas Day; however, I still had a few tobacco leaves around the edge to finish and some backstitching to do. I took it the sampler home with me and intended to get it back to her before the end of the year.

Fast forward to April, 2009! I explain it this way - Life Happened! When I started the project, I had just finished my degree and had started a new job. I had all of this free time on my hands because I no longer had papers due or tests to study for. That didn't last long as my new job led to finding a child who needed a Mom and Dad. We started the adoption process and I got side-tracked with all the paper-chasing and then preparing for the baby, taking care of my girls, etc. Our little bundle of joy finally arrived and THEN, along came the divorce which pretty much shattered my ability to function for awhile.

Anyway, I finally returned to the land of the living. I pulled Mama's Christmas present out of its hiding place and went back to work on it with a goal of having it finished, framed and on her wall by Easter. Mission accomplished! Many hours was spent on this project and it was worth every stitch! I knew, as soon as I saw this pattern, that I wanted to do it for my mom. The pattern is a Shaker pattern and it reminds me and other family membrs of my PaDaddy's tobacco farm. PaDaddy and Nannie were my great-grandparents.

While typing this blog entry, I started thinking about all the jobs I had while growing up in a tobacco farming family. I know I have some blog followers and bloggy friends who are not from Kentucky and probably have no clue about raising tobacco. I come from a long line of Kentucky Burley Tobacco growers! I am proud of my heritage and although I do not smoke or chew tobacco, I understand the hard work that goes into raising this crop. As a young girl, I helped my mom and dad with their tobacco crop and it is probably some of the most tiring work I have ever done. Raising tobacco keeps a farmer busy through all seasons and it keeps their kids busy during summer break and on winter snow days!!! If I have time, I may finish this story another day...