I had an X-ray done today. They found you in my heart.
The doctor said that if they took you out I would die,

because I could not live without you as an on-line friend!
Feel free to send this heart along to all of your on-line friends

that you could not live without!

I want to share a heart that was sent my way by Jane! As Jane mentioned, we met awhile ago, way back when One Skein Wonders first came out and we joined a swap. Over that time, we have gotten to know each other through our blogs, an online book club (Whoduknit) and through sharing our family and friends.

Isn't it amazing how small the internet has made the world?

While my middlest child was working on a project for school, I was going through some old papers of my parents. I "inherited" quite a bit of the paperwork. My Mom had named me as her executrix and even though she has been gone for over ten years, I still have much of her stuff around.

I have a copy of my Mom's parents wedding certificate. They both came to Cleveland from Ireland. When they left their family homes, they knew that there was little chance that they would ever see their homes and parents again. My Gram knew that she would see her sisters (there were 11 all told). A couple had left before she did and the reason that she decided to go to Cleveland was because her sisters were here.

While my Gramps never made it home, my Gram returned to Ireland in 1964, shortly before she retired. One of her sisters still lived in the family home and many cousins and other relatives still lived in the village of her birth.

But can you imagine, packing it all up, knowing that chances were slim that you would ever see the ones you love? I don't think I could.

One of the things I found this evening was a copy of her baptismal certificate. I cannot tell you how many times I have handled this piece of paper. I always laugh because she wrote a shopping list on the back of it. For the first time, however, I noticed that she had changed the year of her birth on it. She was born in 1927 but the year on this certificate was 1924.

I then looked at when it was issued and realized that it was the year that her Dad made her drop out of school and get a job to help support the family. She was 15. She loved that school. She had just finished tenth grade and absolutely thought it was the best thing that ever happened to her. The funny thing is that both of my daughters have attended the same school. Sarah graduated in 2004 and Lindsey is, strangely enough 15 and just now finishing tenth grade.

Again, I just cannot imagine telling Lindsey that she has to drop out of school so that she can work to help the family. Although I have to do have to admit that there are times when I get totally ticked at her and hold the privilege of going to an all girls Catholic High School over her head. It is always because she isn't doing her best or at least trying to do her best. We discuss the entire this is a privilege not an entitlement. Sigh.

I think my Mom would be even more fascinated with the internet and all the technology available today. She was one of the smartest women I know. Even before she died, she had her internet friends for her knitting and quilting and rug hooking. She was fascinated with the knowledge that was readily available to her, even at 2:00 a.m.!! I always loved starting my day with an email from Mom (and often knew, after looking at the time it was sent, that an early morning phone call was out of the question).

So take a moment and thank your internet friends for their time and kindness and friendship. We do only pass through this world but once!

Have a wonderful day!