Special Delivery - Hero Quilt!

March 30, 2015 ~ I received a very special package in the mail today.... it is what I am calling my "Hero Quilt"! As many of you have seen several quilt posts, I have been using Jane Haworth to make these unique t-shirt quilts and I can honestly say that she blows me away with her attention to detail and talent in each quilt!

This quilt was made for me to symbolize something important to me.... our veterans.

This quilt is made up of t-shirts from places I have been, organizations I am involved in, organizations I have supported and things that are symbolic for our country.

 I first got started working with our veterans when a group of dedicated volunteers got together using a social media platform called Google+ to take veterans too sick or unable to fly on an Honor Flight. Together we would take a veteran or possibly multiple veterans via a laptop computer to places that were meaningful to our veterans. We visited the various memorials in Washington, D.C. as well as places like the USS Alabama, Pearl Harbor, 9/11 Memorial and even the beaches of Normandy. Because of the dedication of volunteers all over the world we were able to coordinate multiple people in multiple locations to make these Veterans Virtual Tours (now known as Hero Tours) possible.

I am very proud to be able to help with something like this. Just because these men and women didn't qualify to go on an Honor Flight (maybe because of health issues or they weren't cleared by their doctors to take a flight) didn't mean that they didn't deserve to see their memorials. Being able to be among these heroes made a huge difference. I had to put my t-shirt from these trips on this quilt.

 When I found this t-shirt last year I knew this had to be a part of this quilt!
No matter if we are saying the Pledge of Allegiance with the students at Midway Heights Elementary School, at a baseball game or at any other function I get goosebumps. There is something very special about saying the Pledge of Allegiance and honoring our country.

Many of you know how much I love supporting, helping and promoting the Central Missouri Honor Flight. What an honor it is to serve those that served our country. I never get tired of hearing veterans stories especially those that have been on an Honor Flight... you watch their eyes light up and how much these trips mean to them. Makes your heart full!

Last November I had the chance to visit Pearl Harbor. I can't tell you how emotional it was to be there. I had heard so much about this place and even visited it via a Veterans Virtual Tour / Hero Tour but being able to see it with my own eyes was something I won't forget. Pearl Harbor is such a huge piece to our history and World War II.

I am also on the Advisory Board for Welcome Home #no1leftbehind campaign and it was a must to have this information in my quilt. We have to work together to end veteran homelessness and I want a reminder of my pledge to our community.

When it came to putting a message on the back this was a tough one. What message, poem or quote could I put on a quilt like this that would represent our veterans? I was sent this quote by a friend and thought it was perfect.... Now I have a perfect reminder when I look at my "Hero Quilt" of the sacrifices that our military men and women give to protect our country.

To all of our military men and women... I thank you!

Interested in having a t-shirt quilt made? 

Contact Jane Haworth today at:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HappyQuiltDesigns
http://www.janehaworth.com/

She is amazingly talented and can make just about any type of quilt you want! She is very reasonable and very good at what she does! Oh and tell her Michele Spry sent you!

Vietnam Veterans Day!

March 29, 2015 ~ Today is Vietnam Veterans Day and I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank all Vietnam Veterans for their service to our country.

When I see something like this it saddens me to think our country could ever mistreat someone that fought for our freedom. When these men and women left for war they were recognized as heroes yet when they come home they are spit upon and treated like less than a human for doing what they were instructed to do. I was born in 1976 and I can't change what happened in the past however  I do realize that you didn't get the respect you deserved when you came home but hopefully we can give it to you now.....Welcome Home! 

St. Joe Run for the Gold 5k

March 28, 2015 ~ We ain't got time to be sleeping in sugars... we've got another 5k to complete! It may have been cold with snow flurries flying but when you are determined to stick to a goal you push forward! As you know my goal for 2015 is to complete 15 5k's and this would be my 4th for this year! (Of course I had to wrangle a couple friends to do this challenge too!)

When I left home at 6:15 AM it was snowing (flurries) pretty good but by the time I got to Moberly they had stopped. When Roni and I got to Salisbury, MO it was snowing (flurries) again! Luckily by the time the race started the snow flurries had disappeared!

The St. Joe Run for the Gold 5k is an annual event benefiting St. Joseph Home and School in Salisbury, MO! (Love the colors of their t-shirts)

All checked in and ready to get this cold one done! 

(You had the choice to run or walk but you had to choose one and couldn't do both)

We chose to walk this one and put as much power as we could into our frozen bodies to push forward! Our time wasn't anything special but we completed it! As we crossed the finish line we hooked arm in arm and crossed together as it didn't matter who was first, second or third but rather a team effort to cross that line! It was fun and it's always more motivating with friends! 

Final Time: 46:25:5

Thanks Roni, Deseray and Dillion!

One of my favorite quotes!

Happy 16th Birthday Olivia!

March 23, 2015 ~ Happy 16th Birthday to the first little girl to call me Aunt Shell. Olivia is the daughter of my best friend and I can't believe she is already 16 years old! It seems like yesterday that I received a phone call from Misty saying that she had arrived. It's been fun watching this cute little girl turn into a beautiful young lady (who is taller than her momma and Aunt Shell)!

Charles (her dad) took her to get her driver's license this morning so look out Columbia... you have a new driver on the road! I wanted to see her for her birthday because she would be leaving for Walt Disney World with the Rock Bridge High School Marching Band to participate in a festival as they would compete against schools all over the United States and I wanted to give her some spending money to buy something fun for her birthday! (Aunt Shell found out that they won 1st place in each category they entered.... Awesome job!)

Happy "Sweet 16th" Birthday Livy Lou! 

Aunt Shell loves you!