Goodness, let’s see here…starting from the lower left hand corner and going clockwise, we’ve got:

• a coat that will function all the way from maternity to babywearing to regular size mama
• pants that will hopefully be able to pull off the same feat (without the constant pulling up, that is)
• a loooooong overdue project whose negative energy has finally neutralized…enough to finish and finally send on its way anyway
• a new thought for an old idea:  flannel lined satin bloomers to wear under skirts
• version one of a design in the works for baby boots
• the beginnings of a sweater for the wee girl on the way (my first “serious” knitting project)
• a new diaper bag for the wee girl on the way
• a felted wool hat for papa (that one’s finished!)
• a funky original design hat for mama (that I’m praying I have enough handspun yarn for!)
• more progress on the boy’s quilt
• a patchy bear for the boy

I’m committed to finishing up a few of these loose ends within the next few weeks as part of the Gypsy Road monthly challenge:  Taking Care of Number One.

And on that note, the work on my website is underway.  After much discussion and thought, it has been decided that the most valuable way to approach website design is to–like most of our undertakings–do it ourselves.  Aside from the obvious benefit of being free, learning the skills of website design will ultimately give me a lot more creative freedom in the long run.

So far I’m placing the experience somewhere between childbirth and a root canal.

That’s what Ernie used to call himself all the time…  “Trust me,” he’d proclaim, taking a good swig off of his Bud Lite that was tightly nestled in a plastic coffee mug so he could hold it himself. “I’m your faithful Indian guide!”

He would usually announce this when we were driving around somewhere, lost beyond all recognition from his cattywampus directions. Luckily we were kindred spirits of sorts and both of us saw it as more of an opportunity for an adventure. We got lost in a lot of places together–in Billings on our way to one of his gallery openings, out in the woods many a time, and sometimes even on our way to the store. I guess we got lost pretty much any time we would get into the car and drive further than five miles. And every time Ernie would lead the way, cheerfully announcing, “Trust me, I’m your faithful Indian guide!”

I sure miss him sometimes.

Ernie really was my faithful Indian guide in a lot of ways–he taught me how to ride a horse, taught me how to punch a man clean in the jaw so hard it would knock him off balance, and as promised, he taught me how to be a good mother.

Last night I was putting our little guy down after one of the funnest days we’ve had in a long time. As most of you mamas know, bedtime is not always a quick and easy process when you’re dealing with an exhuberant toddler.  That was often the case with getting Ernie ready for bed too.  Being quadrapalegic, he of course needed help with the whole bedtime process:  tending to wounds and sores, basic hygeine, and getting into bed.  Generally it would take between two to four hours, depending on how things were going that night.

Always a man of good humor, he would joke about how he was training me to be a good mother.  And you know what?  He was right.

My faithful Indian guide may not have had the most accurate sense of direction, but he certainly was right about a lot of things that are far more important.  He taught me to laugh in the face of time and honor each process as it unfolds.  He taught me that patience and respect are far more important that riches and fame.  And this crazy old cowboy, Ernest Polite Pepion, taught me how to how to treat a tiny little boy that he’d never met with compassion, kindness, and humor even when I’m too tired to be compassionate or kind and think there’s no more humor to be found.

I’d put Ernie far above Tonto on the list of faithful Indian guides.  That’s for sure.