Best Gift Ever! (39 weeks)

So last week was all about the things that I have made and done - so this week is all about what has been made and done for me!
I have been given one of the most incredible gifts that I have ever been given and I want to share it with you.  On Tuesday I had a dinner with all of the people from my office.  My actual last day at work, for various reasons, was a bit odd.  I just sort of finished my stuff and left.  But I was totally ok with that because we had already decided I was having a separate "saying goodbye" meal later.  So it was actually quite good for me not to get too emotional and just pick up my plant and go, without any big hullabaloo.
So Tuesday was my opportunity to have everyone all together to say have a lovely meal and say goodbye.  And they surprised me with an incredible gift.  Completely in secret (which is in and of itself a hugely impressive thing to pull off around the ever-nosey-and-suspicious me!) they each completed two squares that were pulled together into a beautiful baby quilt.  But not just any squares - each one has meaning and was personally relevant to me, and to work, and to the people I work with.  To other people it must seem like the most bizarrely random hodgepodge of things but to me it is absolutely perfect.  And not only that but it is the exact size to go on the cot - but we haven't got the cot set up yet... and in the meantime I have discovered that it is also the exact size to fit over the rocking chair.  So I get to see it and enjoy it all the time - it makes me so happy!

Here are some pictures:

These two are from Sevinc - She loves art and all things art related.  I recently made her a birthday card where I replicated a famous work of art in craft foam... so these are her hugely impressive versions of Andy Warhol's soup cans in quilt form!  Amazing!

These two are from Adam - I may or may not frequently mention things that are Ohio-related (hey, it comes up a lot!) and I don't think anyone is in doubt as to where I hail from... but besides that I love the fact that James' Manx square is on there too, and the way they match is quite cute and pleases me a lot.

These two are from Anna - she assures me that the two deer are just two cute deer and are definitely NOT Bambi, because, of course, Bambi's mother dies at the very beginning and she doesn't want anyone to think that she was at all implying anything of the sort... I like the way Anna's mind works :o)  I also like the crazy turkey which will always make me think of Thanksgiving and crazy turkey arts-and-crafts!

These two are from Lilly - the monkey makes me laugh because I actually found it when I was tidying up and complained to Sevinc about it - something along the lines of "What is wrong with Lilly?  Who in their right mind just stores stuff on the top of the dishwasher?!  That's so bizarre!" The second is an incredible rendering of the Apollo 10 command module (a favorite icon at the museum).  I bow down to her skills.

These two are from Charlotte - She often tells stories about her time working with sea-turtles.  Some of those stories are incredible and some horrific, but always entertaining!  The second is from when Charlotte and I worked together to make a prop for a show involving a huge piece of white cloth.  The importance was to have it to not just be shiny, but SHINY-SHINY.  It's hard to see on the picture but on top of that she has hand-sewn loads of snowflakes!  Again, I am amazed and humbled by her sewing skills!

Lastly, these two are from Alexandra - the first is from one of my favourite stories to perform.  On of the sections is about the first test of the the first hot-air balloon where they sent up a sheep, a duck, and a chicken.  In the story we dress kids up as the animals and it's such fun.  The second should be obvious and gives me huge smiles!  Alexandra and I were obsessed with the Royal Wedding and everything that surrounded it - and it was with her that I went down to watch on the day.  Such an amazing memory that will last my lifetime, and now I have it recorded it quilt form!

It is truly an overwhelming gift that makes me swell up with emotion and happiness every time I see it.  It is going to be quite hard to allow a baby to use it and potentially get it dirty!  I want to frame it and hang it on my wall!  But I have always been one to say that items are to be used and not saved away, so I will have to get over it.  But I am certain that it will be treasured by me for a lifetime and long after it has been outgrown by my children.