Baby Dress

So, a couple weeks ago I had the idea that now was a really good time to practice sewing, since I actually have a reason to sew stuff right now. For awhile I resisted making stuff for this baby, not because I didn't love her but because it's just scary. But it's important to have some things and I always wanted to be able to approach this pregnancy with optimism. So a couple weeks ago I decided it was time to start sewing.

Here's my finished product! I have to say I'm quite happy about it:

I'm not good at following patterns, and this was a 1985 Butterick. But after a lot of time of staring at some weird pictures and googling some sewing blogs, I got it all figured out--trim, gathered skirt, collar, and all. Go me. Personally I think the little panties are kind of weird. Is it just me, or does the crotch part look a little skimpy? Whatever. 

I even learned how to do buttonholes. Obviously I improved over time: 

One of the hardest parts was gathering the skirt, not because it was complicated, but because my stupid thread kept breaking. Once I did it in sections and stopped pulling so hard, it got easier. The other hard part was figuring out the button placket thing and the self facings on the back, but once I did some searching on youtube it made WAY more sense. I can use single-fold bias tape like a BOSS now: 

I made a little headband with some pretty elastic to match. Hope it doesn't squeeze her head too much. 

It took me kind of a long time to figure everything out and get it done just the way I wanted it. At some point, my mother-in-law's borrowed sewing machine turned into a hat rack. That's okay I guess. Go Round Rock Express. 

How I Understand Easter

I thought tonight that while Greg is at Priesthood session I should study about Easter. Honestly, I haven't done a great job of thinking about it recently and I wanted to change that, even if I'm late. So I pulled up a talk that Elder Oaks gave awhile ago about the Resurrection. The scripture John 14:19 really stuck out to me: "Because I live, ye shall live also." 

This scripture encompasses all the things I believe about Easter and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It gives me hope as I think about the past and also the future. 

Maybe I need to say here that much of my scripture study right now is very colored by what's going on in our lives. For anyone who didn't know, I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant with a very healthy, very active little girl. Things are great so far. We are happy. We are optimistic. We feel blessed beyond measure. 

But I have to admit that sometimes I'm also a little scared. So as I read about Easter and the life and death of Jesus Christ I was thinking also about our little girl. While I've tried not to think about it too much, I began to wonder how I would handle it if I delivered her too early. It occurred to me that maybe I could ask Heavenly Father to allow her to be born alive so we could be with her in life, even if just for a little while. Then I thought about how beautiful and wonderful it is that God may allow her to be healthy and full-term at birth and she will live with me and Greg and go home with us. That just feels amazing to me. 

This joy and amazement I feel at contemplating her life is the same joy that I can feel for myself and love ones because God has given all of us the incredible gift of life. I mean this for Austin and Daniel too. We all can live together in happiness because of what Christ has done for us. We all have this incredible gift of life because of His sacrifice and love. It really is amazing. Almost too good to be true--but true all the same. 

This is the meaning and purpose of celebrating Easter. Life is beautiful and it is good because of Him. 

"Because I live, ye shall live also." 

There is nothing more true than this. 

Happy Easter. 

Love,

Heather