Grateful for School days

WE finished our last day with the middle school students. During  This  3 month journey the girls made bags for themselves, pins for us, a flyer for us, they pulled apart fabric sample books, made bows and tags for bags. We hope they enjoyed learning about the process of hand making things and being creative, because we enjoyed teaching them a few things. Most of these young women we may never see again as they move to a new school next year.

We hope to continue this program during the next school year. 

I think these young volunteers enjoyed making bags for breast cancer survivors and the enjoyed the process of working with us. We got help and support in our project.

 Volunteering is an exciting thing where ever we go we give time and attention to people who need it and they give time and help to us.

On the last day we gave these ladies a pillow to take home…. they have to finish it so they can use it.  We also sent them home with fabric supplies; we hope they will continue to be creative making things they like...

The Bible at Ecclesiastes the 11 the chapter verse 9 says in part " Rejoice young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth."

This is our wish for the young ladies we met at Springer Middle School.

This is Jessie’s Bags legacy…

Encouraging others one bag at a time……

Grateful for the positive things Breast Cancer brought to our lives.

…….a wonderful program that demonstrates a purpose and meaning as well as a way to give back to our community.  This is how one person described our bag building workshop….

We visited Genesis Health Care High Gate at Paoli Point for the bag building workshop last week. The ladies all enjoyed the activity and made some beautiful Bows for use on our bags. One resident helped me cut the linings for several bags.                                                Jessie was out on the road at this event along with 2 other volunteers who helped with the process.

       






 One  volunteer that worked with us was also a survivor. She also likes to sew and now works on bags almost as much as Jessie does. I think the experiences we go through really do shape us and mold our lives. This experience with caring for my Breast Cancer survivor is the thing that has led us to ….making bags…visiting nursing homes, senior centers, middle schools….. Meeting wonderful supporters who donate fabrics and supplies… & excited volunteers who process and help keep us organized.

 Grateful for the positive things Breast Cancer brought to our lives.

4/21/15 The Solana Willistown on west Chester Pike

We had a wonderful day working on Jessie's bags with the ladies and a gentleman on Tuesday. They helped us process bags ready for delivery. They also supported our project by helping us make items for use on the bags. we enjoyed this fun lively group of new friends. Hope to see you soon! Thanks for the support.

4/20/15 Grateful for help on a rainy day

Truthfully it was hard to find something to be grateful about when water flooded the basement. 

 Did I mention that is where most of Jessie’s Bags takes place? The fabrics and work area are in the space where all of the water came in … so…. First we had to move things around. Any wooden furniture had to be shifted so it was not sitting in water. 

 One thing we could not move is the pool table. Several plastic storage boxes we had fabric in we shifted so they would not get any moisture in them. I turned on a fan to help dry the water up. Wonder what’s wrong with the sump pump it usually works and keeps this from happening.

Well upon further investigation outside. The sump pump pipe outside of the house was under water. Leaves had built a dam and water was pooled in it.

 So I put on my waterproof boots and husbands rain gear and set off to clear the pipe. Let’s just say that was a long 2 hour project in the rain and mud. I had to actually dig a trench from one end of the house to the other for the water to run off. The ground cover had to be pulled up and back to allow me to make a path for the water....

And the leaves from at least 10 trees had to be in that area…. so snow shovel in hand I began to lift wet leaves into a leaf bag. Fortunately at this point my 80 year old mother in law came out to help me. (she also had to take pictures of the process). I would still be working on it two days later if she had not helped me. So I am grateful for the help. Did I mention that was the day I decided to rest? I had not taken a day off in about 2 weeks. 

Grateful I was home to take care of the problem & I didn't have to do it alone. I could have had to do all of that after I spent the day working outside of the house.  I do have something to be grateful about.

4/18/15 grateful for saturday morning yard sales

As we were taking care of necessary business on Saturday morning we noticed a 

garage/ yard / whole house sale. 

 we decided to  walk through............. every room was packed with items......................................... The two small ones I was with spotted every toy train, doll, doggies & bike.

 I kept reminding them we are just looking……look but don’t touch …put that back…..

colorful Flowers

Then we go to a room that has crafting supplies  there was lace & flowers and ribbons in all colors…now I had to look but not touch… 

I told the family I would be interested in getting the whole box for .... .......Jessie’s Bags .....we make.............. Bags for Breast Cancer Survivors......... They gave me a price I couldn't refuse. 

Purple & Yellow  & white

Love the colors!!

Two big boxes.....................only we only spent $10.00 

Thank you! thank you! thank you!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) 

 Now I was the like a little kid. I couldn't wait to get home to start going through everything. As we put it into the car my husband reminded me I could look through everything in a few minutes at home I didn't have to do it at the trunk.

Ribbons all colors & sizes

We had a few volunteers stopping by to help with Jessie’s bags around 5 on Saturday evening. This turned into a sorting project.

coral & green & peach

Flowers & lace

 We sorted into boxes the items from the yard sale and added in other items to take with us to our bag building workshops at various locations.

  We want to stay Green....... keep recycling and keep our cost down and this was a perfect way to do it today!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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We finished up around 8. Definitely not your typical Saturday night of fun but a fun Saturday night laughing and sorting.

We are especially grateful for the friends who volunteer to spend Saturday evenings working & sorting Jessie’s supplies!

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4/18/15 grateful that I’m a morning person

I am an early riser. 

I’m not sure why. I may have learned this from Jessie. 

She grew up in a farming family. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

They were share croppers in Arkansas, before moving to Philadelphia. Farmers are always up early. Their day starts with sun up and ends at sun down.  To this day she and I are usually up at 5:00 am and sometimes even before.  

I am a morning person. I love the way the air smells fresh and clean. Sometimes I wake up and will lay in bed thinking about my day. I notice at times I am up before the birds.

 Around 5:15 or 5:30 I will hear one bird start chirping. This must be the early Bird out getting the worm! I wonder are they singing to tell each other over here ...here is the food…. Or are they saying wake up everybody time to get started …come on before all the worms are gone… In a little while there are more voices different birds and sounds. Everything is waking up.

I love................................... this time of day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

You always see such gorgeous sunrises at this time of the day. .. Another reason I love early mornings.

 I like to read the bible early before I start the day. If I will walk into Jessie’s room early in the morning she is up doing the same thing, sitting in bed reading the Bible.  I think it gives us a positive start to the day. I think unconsciously I learned to be a morning person just like Jessie. I think we copy the patterns we see around us.

I notice in some families the people stay up late and sleep late. These people usually say I’m not a morning person. They miss out on a wonderful time of day. They miss the little things you see and hear early in the mornings…..like the birds singing

Oh what a beautiful morning oh what a beautiful day …….must have been written by a morning person

Soooooooooooooo  Glad 
I'm A Morning Person!!!

4/16/15 Grateful when the GPS works.

Yesterday we conducted Jessie's Bag Building Workshop at Rose Tree Place in Media Pa.

This was the first time Jessie’s Bags visited this location, so to travel from Wilmington DE .....we used the cell phone’s G P S.
 As we neared the location on route 1 bypass the G P S said you have arrived.


We were still on the highway and there was no exit. ....................What in the world! How do I locate this place? 

The G P S is never going to give me the correct directions. We turned around and got off on Providence Road. I knew if we were going to find this area it had to be off of this road. I then called the location and they directed me in to the parking lot.

If I didn't have a good sense of direction we might never have found it. …technology is good when it works. However The G P S  had no idea I couldn't hydroplane over the guardrail down the embankment to get to the parking area.

 I think I’m grateful that I know when to ignore the G P S and find a way out of A SITUATION.

There are some people in this world who have no idea their G P S in life is wrong and they constantly off course you have to feel sorry for them and their families who have to deal with the drama and aftermath.

I’m Grateful for Jessie Providing me with a working G P S....The Bible is my life’s G P S. It keeps me on the right road in life.

4/14/15 grateful for good friends

Good friends   :)

 will spend the day with you running errands, from 6:30 am to 4:30 pm…

............................. in the rain 

... making the day go faster and it  feels  sunny and bright!!!

Grateful for friends.........

4/13/15 grateful for time with the teen

We have been working with some young people who volunteer to help Jessie’s Bags. This week Jessie was able to show a few of them how she sews the fabric.

Passing on skills to a new generation of people is exciting. We are able to encourage creativity and we see them enjoying the time we spend each week........

 I am also grateful for the teacher who saw the potential of our community service program for her students.

 I’m  Grateful for middle school students who care.

4/12/15 Grateful note

4/12/15 grateful note

I am grateful that I can work on Jessie’s Bags on my own schedule. Some days are so full of doing things for others, doctors’ appointments, nursing home visits, taking care of a family, that I don’t have enough hours to get everything I want to do, done. I really like that I can work on the bags at 4:00 in the morning after a restful night’s sleep, or 3:00 pm in the afternoon after I've finished appointments. I don’t have to be subjected to someone else’s time schedule.  To work a traditional job at this juncture in my life would be extremely challenging. I am grateful to work the way I do. It’s early Sunday morning now and I’m done working I think I will take a nap! I’m Grateful for naps also!

Gratitude & Happiness

I recently heard a discussion about being Happiness. One person observed Happiness is a byproduct of things you do. You really can’t really pursue happiness. You can pursue pleasure or good times however these things are fleeting, they  stop after a while. The speaker mentioned a bible verse there is more happiness in giving than in receiving. People who give are usually happier. I defiantly agree with that. Throughout this journey with Jessie’s bags we have been giving our bags away to breast cancer survivors. This brings us much joy and satisfaction.

 The speaker mentioned People who are grateful are usually also happier. There was a group of people who for a month kept a gratitude journal and every day they wrote down something they were thankful for. At the end of the designated time they found that the participants had a more positive outlook and were happier. I like this idea a lot. I talks to Jessie and a few other people and we decided to keep a gratitude journal for a month to see what we can learn from this experience. One of the participants Jessie’s sister, lives in a nursing home and occasionally becomes a little down. I think this exercise will especially help her. Jessie dealing with constant health changes also can be a little downhearted at times. I think looking for reasons  to be grateful  will help her to keep a positive outlook.

I am looking forward to this because I can look for things to be grateful about personally as well as with this business of Jessie’s Bags.

So look for my grateful notes about Jessie’s Bags.