How Memories are Made

It is time for Children's Book Monday graciously hosted by Elise. I thought I would review a new found favorite of mine:

So many times as a little girl I dreamed of living in the pioneer days. I can not count how many wagon trips I have been on, or log cabins I have lived in, or chickens I have fed - in my mind that is. :) The older I get the more I realize how hard life was during the pioneer days; but still the little girl in me thinks I would like to live back then - just for a little while - - where the days were simpler, life went slower and family was about all you had.

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I think that is why I enjoyed this book so much. Zak and I checked it out at the library - and sat down for a good read. I enjoyed it so much - I made him sit through and listen to it "just one more time!"

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Papa and the Pioneer Quilt by Jean Van Leeuwen is a story about a Papa whose heart was visionary for his family; and moving out west was his dream. Speaking of her father, Rebecca describes him this way:

"Those feet have taken us to a lot of places. From Pennsylvania, where I was born, to Ohio, where Harrison came along. Then to Indiana, where Jacob joined the family. And Missouri. Our new little baby, Susannah, was born there. And now Papa's feet have us wandering again."

In this story we followed the family as they pioneered out west a little further. It is while they were traveling that Rebecca met Rachel, a new bride, traveling out west with her husband to start their lives together. I absolutely loved how Rebecca describes her new found friend:

"She smiled all the time, even through all she had in the world was a copper kettle. One noon when we stopped for dinner, she showed me what was inside. Little scraps of fabric, that's all. Just old bits of this and that. "I'm sewing them into a quilt," she told me. "So when Thomas and I get to Oregon, we will start our life with a kettle and a quilt."

Thus the book progresses, as little Rebecca decides to follow Rachel's example and start collecting fabric of her own - for her own quilt. Fabric is precious and few and ingenious ways of collecting it cause Rebecca to find that her quilt will turn into more than a fabric quilt - but rather a memory quilt. Precious memories, of how she was able to obtain the material through their travels.

I loved this book - for it showed that even through hard times we can look back and have good memories. For the hard times are what bring a family together - what shapes our lives and molds our hearts to one another. I LOVED this book.

I hope you will check it out too - I am thinking it may be one that I need to purchase this one and have on our book shelves permanently - that way when the kids ask for a story - I will be able to pick it up and read it again and again.

Hope you have a wonderful week. I am going to strive to spend memory time with my children - doing special things with them and for them this week. I am become keenly aware that they grow up much too quickly . Where does the time go?

Blessings to you my friends. Thanks so much for stopping by - I'm glad you did.

Happy Reading,

~Martie