Thursday, March 13, 2014

The Adventures of Turning Twenty "On The Road"


We just returned from the Dallas Quilt Celebration.  What a great show.  So many beautiful quilts!  

Normally, I would be sharing about the show, but I have a much more "exciting" story for you.

Let me begin...

As you know from my last post, we just returned from a Quilt Cruise with Cactus Quilts and we had quite an adventure.  
We rested up and prepared for the Dallas Quilt Celebration - expecting a "normal" show (if there is such a thing!).  
Here was our plan: 
Our daughter (Michelle) and  her daughter (Hailey) normally work this show, but Hailey's husband (Lucas) had to work Thursday and Friday, so she could not come until Saturday and Sunday so she could be home with their 2 year old son (Jude).  
The backup plan is always Michelle's husband (Stephen) fills in when we need him.  However, he could not get off work either.  
So, we adjusted our plan and I would be going with her Thursday and Friday, Gary would be staying home.  
Stephen and Michelle's son (Kyle) is in the Army and would be coming home to see his daughter (Lily) Friday.  Lily is in Graham with her mom.  
Stephen, Michelle, Hailey and her family all live in Granbury and we live in Graham.  

Are you still with me?

Stephen and Lucas would get off work Friday.  
Lucas would head home to stay with Jude.  
Stephen would pick Hailey up and bring her to Dallas.  
He would then drop her off and pick me up and take me home to Graham where he would pick Lily up.  
Then he would drive home to Granbury to spend the weekend with Kyle and Lily.  
On Sunday, Kyle would head back to Ft Hood, Stephen would bring Lily back to Graham to her mom and Michelle and Hailey would head home from the show in Dallas.  
Whew!  We had a plan!



Until....

Thursday as we are setting up, Michelle gets a call from Kyle.  He does not think he will be able to come home over the weekend.  
So, Plan B:
Stephen and Lucas get off work.  
Lucas goes home to Jude.  
Stephen picks Hailey up and comes to Dallas.  
I take their car and go home to Gary.  
Stephen, Hailey and Michelle work the show and head home on Sunday.  
This is getting easier!



Until....

Thursday night Kyle calls and says he WILL be coming to Granbury after all.  
Back to Plan A.



Until...

Friday another vendor at the show completely sells out of Gimme 5 & Make It Scrappy and urgently needs a case for the remaining two days.  
Michelle does not have any left in Granbury, so Stephen can't just bring them with him.  The books are in Graham!  
Plan C:  Reverse everything!!  
Stephen and Lucas get off work.  
Lucas heads home to Jude.  
Stephen picks Hailey up and they head to Graham.  
Stop and pick up Gimme 5 & Make It Scrappy and then Lily.  
They all head to Dallas.  
Stephen drops off books and Hailey and heads home to Granbury to spend the weekend with Kyle and Lily.  
Now, I have no way to leave, so I stay for the show as well.  
Oh no!  I only packed for one night!  
Stephen picks up clothes and toiletries along with the books while he is in Graham.  
On Sunday, Kyle heads to Ft Hood, Stephen and Lily head to Dallas to pick up Michelle and Hailey, they all head to Granbury and I take the truck and head to Graham.  
I think we are good to go! 



Until...

Michelle wakes up Sunday morning and remembers she and Stephen have theater tickets in Dallas for that evening!  
Plan D:  
Kyle heads to Ft Hood.  
Stephen and Lily head to Dallas.  
Lucas and Jude head to Dallas.  
Everyone helps pack up (and watch over the grandbabies!), Stephen and Michelle head to the theater, Hailey, Lucas and Jude head home to Granbury, and Lily and I drive the truck home to Graham.  I drop Lily off to her mom and fall into bed as soon as I get home!

Such is a family business - and I wouldn't trade it for the world!  You've heard "It takes a village to raise a child"?  
It also takes one to pull off a show!

What an adventure!!  We had so much fun at the show.  
Saw so many long-time friends and met many new ones.  
I'd like to introduce you to two of them.

This is Cynthia - visited with her in the booth - sweetest lady you will ever meet!  So nice to meet you Cynthia!


This is Marcus.  Marcus was a life saver!  When Michelle and I arrived on Thursday to set up, we dropped our very first load off of our dolly.  Marcus had just finished helping another vendor and he graciously helped us unload our entire truck.  What a blessing he was!


Here's our booth before we started.  Always looks so daunting!


And now the quilts are up!


And here is the finished booth.  All set up and ready to go!


Met some wonderful friends for dinner.  Shared a lot of laughs and now, where is that shower and bed?

Some pictures of us after Hailey arrived.  
Did I mention, she is 16 weeks along with our fourth 
great-grandbaby?!  
Little Ezra is on his way!


So, all in all, family, friends and adventure made a fun show and some very special memories.

Next stop - Baytown and Bay Area Quilt Guilds in Houston.  

Wonder what adventure awaits us there?!

Blessings,