2013 ZOIE

The first post of 2013!  I've had a little blog stage fright, since late December and January are always big on "Resolution-making".  Everywhere you go, folks have their lists of "dos and don'ts" for the new year.  In the sewing blog realm, people like to summarize and post pictures of all things that they made in 2012.  I enthusiastically crouched into a Super Mario squat position, ready to LEAP onto that badwagon and post, post, post pictures of all of the garments/ quilts/ gifts I made this year.  I was gonna BLOW it up!  You know?  So.  What happened there?

I sort of got embarrassed.  Embarrassed-- ashamed?-- at the sudden reality of what a "passion" looks like, when it has sort of gotten out of hand. When it goes from "positive passion" to "spiritual illness" passion. 

Sewing is a great skill to have, and I've enjoyed it immensely.  But I think that, at some point over the past 4 years, it crossed the line from "hobby" to "obsession".  Maybe not in a way that required critical intervention.  Maybe not in a way that drained our family's finances and caused great amounts of tension with my husband and children.  No, thankfully that wasn't the case.  Simply put, my mind was on overdrive with projects: the current, the unfinished, and the backlog of "to dos" on my mental wishlist.

Without yammering on much more about it, I think I'd like to have a more balanced approach in 2013.  I'd like to sew more for my kids.  My KIDS!!  Imagine that!  Readers, I have THREE adorable, beautiful daughters now-- I've got nerdorable dresses to sew in matching sets of three!  :D  

I don't regret sewing for myself, because it did largely come out of a real need:  I needed nicer clothes for church, and I hate shopping at the mall and buying cheap stuff made in sweatshop somewhere.  Sewing at night was much easier than bringing 2 or 3 small kids shopping, even at a thrift store where I wouldn't even have time to try anything on.  I still plan on sewing for myself, but I don't want it to become obsessive (again).  Or compulsive (again).  Or a disorder (hehehe?  again).  Ahem.

Did you know it's impossible to read a book and operate a sewing machine at the same time?  It's true!  And that's why I've barely ready ENNNEEETHEEENG over the past few years.  My brain seriously feels like it has atrophied.  Case in point:

Job:  "Have you thought about doing little lessons at home with Susy lately?"
Me:  "Um... she plays really well independently"
Job:  "I think it could be fun, you know, just like when you taught Sunday school years ago"
Me:  stares into space. Tries to think about such a concept but only stares at her husband blankly, spurting phrases like:
"5/8" Seam allowance!"  "Shirtdress!"  and "JoAnns coupon will expire in 3 hours..."  

Christmas Eve, sweet, controlled chaos

SO.  Here's to more balanced Xenia Kathryn in 2013.  I want to continue reading Scripture, and hopefully gain a greater familiarity with it.  I hope to do more spiritual reading, and to become a little better-versed in my faith, and what we believe as Orthodox Christians (funny-- even though I'm a convert, it has been 10 years now, and I need to go back and get refreshers, so I don't take anything for granted!).  I hope to be more and more and more present and intentional with my sweet children.  I hope to complain less.  Minimize/ get rid of junk, and have better mastery over my time, chores, belongings.  Continue to love, support and serve my husband.  Seek God first and foremost, and let everything else fall where it may/ needs to be.  

And who knows?  Maybe show up here more often... :)  I hope you are well!