sherriknits

I pray you had a wonderful day filled with all you hoped it would be.

This Christmas, we were filled with a sense of gratitude for people and for God’s goodness in our lives.   It’s been a very interesting season leading up to today.  Even Sunday at church people were commenting on how difficult it was to get into the commercial side of things because of the storm.  We drove to Olympia after church and I haven’t really seen that highway in the daylight since the storm and I felt emotionally whipped after the trip.  It is just so shocking.  We’re not really stuck in the whole thing to the point that we can’t enjoy each other but as we continue to marvel…we really did go through something!  (and came out whole for the most part!)

It was an interesting week since I last posted.  The theater work was really affecting business in a huge way.  They had our street blocked off for several weeks and the last week especially, it was nearly impossible to find parking but we know in the long run, it will be a good thing.  Last Friday, they made good on their promise….

See the marquis reader board?  It’s still giving trouble, but they did get it running.  It will have the time and temperature along with whatever message they want running.

About an hour later, we were treated to this:

What was so cool was that there were quite a few people on the street clapping and whistling as it came to life.  It was pretty cool!  For our little town, this is a pretty exciting thing.  It is going to be fun to see the interior and I hear there is to be a little coffee shop opening soon in one of the front little shop areas.  We’ll get to have some big-name concerts here, evidently it’s something that can be done when bands come to the casino an hour away.  I don’t know how many I’ll go to, but I’ll get to watch the loading and unloading.

Moving along….

Our family always gets together with the extended family and the store crew (including some employees who retired 15 years ago) for a big breakfast.  The cafe we go to is closed on Christmas Eve, but they open to serve us and we get to order anything we want.  We put in our order a week ahead and we get seating with place cards and grouped by families.  I forgot to get my camera out, but we did have fun.

We had a crazy day at the shop.  I am closed on Mondays so my shop was not hopping although I did have several people pop in for last minute gifts.  For the most part, I gift wrapped in my family’s business and had a great time.  By 3 when we closed, I was really tired, but it was so much fun laughing and being silly when we were all getting pretty ready to be done.

We then go to my sister’s house for our big extended family gathering.  Poor number 1 son had a breakdown with his van on the way there so dinner was delayed while his girlfriend’s dad came to get them and take them home to our jeep.  We were only 10 miles away at my sister’s but her daddy was close enough to come help.  (we did get the van home today and it wasn’t as bad as we thought although the thing is on it’s last legs)

We got to come home and relax for about 2 hours before we headed to church.  Candlelight service is something we all look forward to every year.  We sing carols and have a brief message that is very low-key and personal.  Hubby only had had to schedule the music but actually got to sit with the family.  I was late getting to my seat because I went to find my friend who works in the office and we had a very special time of talking with each other.  The church has gone through some tough times that has divided family members and her family was especially affected, but we have definitely deepened our friendship over the past year and a half and we had a very positive time of talking and laughing together until we realized the service had started and my family was wondering where in the world I had disappeared to!

We have one little imp who evidently enjoys putting on his tux at least once a week so one big sis decided he needed to wear the jacket with his jeans to church on Christmas eve. 

The picture is dark but the smile is real.  One of the pastors took this picture at the candlelight service.  Notice the raw nose, he’s really been struggling with a whopping cold … owee.  He’s not very happy to blow the nose these days, it hurts.

I think hubby and I got to bed around 1 a.m. after we got home from church.

This morning, we woke up to the closest thing we see to a white Christmas.  It was kind of a fun touch.   

It was a little harder getting everyone together this year and we have come to the realization that life as we know it is going to be different now.  With one daughter married, one to be married and a son who will be married sometime in the near future, they have other places to go and other people who have become more of their focus. 

Most of us were together this morning and the little imp got a huge surprise.

A cell phone! Big sis has been trying to talk me into this for 2 years and we finally decided it was something to try.  The main reason we got this is to teach him responsibility…keeping ahold of it, keeping it charged, learning to call people, interacting a little more with others….then on top of that, he is a wanderer and with his phone we hope we won’t panic so much if we lose sight of him for a minute.  We know it won’t be a babysitter, but I can’t tell you the stressful times he has put us through.  Adding him to our family plan was pretty cheap.  And yes, we have all had several calls from him today but he received one call from one of our pastors and as he walked by the doorway on the phone and daddy asked him who he was talking to, he took the phone away from his mouth and in a stage whisper said, “it’s Pastor Rick!!!!”  He was pretty tickled.  We had anything that could cost us a lot of money blocked (texting, downloads, etc) and they assured us he could not call overseas.  I had a long talk with his case manager from Dept. of Developmental Disabilities and both she and our former case mgr. said they’ve seen families do this for kids who are a lot more involved than he is but for the same reason.  I’ll let you know if we made the right choice.  lol

And now to the knitting part, after I show you one of my gifts:

I know the lighting isn’t good, but can you see the knitting needles and yarn?  This is from hubby.  Here’s the front of the mug:

Can you read that on the inside rim?

Here’s another hint:

Yep, a week ago Saturday, we found out we’re going to be grandparents!  This is my wild knitting over the past week when I didn’t really have time.  These are Saartje’s booties and I’ve wanted to make them for quite some time.  They take very little time, I think it takes almost as much time to weave in the ends.  I tried the in the round version but wasn’t wild about knitting a row, purling a row and opted to do the original version.  Quite fun!!!

Here’s the inside of the little basket hubby put together for me

The new mommy really wants lots of hats. 

Baby isn’t due until the end of August so there is lots of knitting time from here to there but it’s going to be quite the year for us…another wedding and entry into the grandparent club!

As I was finishing this post, we got a call from #2 daughter and her fiance.  We had told the kids we were cutting back this year.  Our immediate family is now 9 people when you add the extras…and since we are not the main focus of their lives any more, we need to do things a little differently.  We have a tradition of giving pjs to the kids to wear on Christmas day and anyone who is hanging out here has to wear jammies on Christmas day.  We gave them to the kids before breakfast yesterday.  Today they got house socks (no, I didn’t knit them ~sad to say) and little Starbucks or Blockbuster gift cards and some money as well as their Christmas stockings filled with candy.  We had hung the tree with little Christmas buckets and put the money in those so when they opened their little gifts, we also gave those to them.  Well, the fiance was having his time with his family when we did that and then when he arrived, #1 son threw the little pail to him, it hit the floor and the lid popped off so the little bride handed it to him and said there was nothing in it so he wouldn’t be embarrassed looking.  It wasn’t until this evening as they were driving to his house that he thought it would have made sense if there was candy in it and when he opened it, he saw $$$.  They were embarrassed but laughing when they called.  She said she was so grateful for everything she got and was just fine with it all but now they felt terrible for not noticing or acknowledging it. Isn’t it funny how you think back to the things you said assuming they would know what you meant?  (like pooling $$$ and giftcards for something)  We just figured they could put their money together and get something or use it themselves but at this age, they usually want something that they appreciate the help getting there.  We’re all laughing now and I called the other kids to see if they had noticed there was anything in the pail.  I can only imagine how strange those two thought that was to be handed a silly little thing like that.  lol

The kids will be here soon for the exchange between themselves and games.  We’ve had our naps and are gearing up for the final round.  I haven’t even figured out if I’ll open my shop tomorrow.  (the nice thing about having it located inside my family’s business is if I’m not there, they’ll help out and call me if they need help).

My most sincere wishes for a very meaningful Christmas for you all!

It’s been a busy few days…hmm, I guess I wouldn’t be the only one saying that! 

Monday night I got exactly 1 hour of sleep…from about 5:15 a.m. to 6:15.  I had to get up Tuesday morning and be at the county courthouse at 8:15 for jury selection!  I had considered calling and begging to be let off, but from the stories I have hard, it didn’t seem like it would be worth the trouble.  Needless to say, I was exhausted.  I was #39 so I really thought it was highly unlikely I’d be picked.  The judge asked if anyone had a reason that it would be a hardship to serve for 3 days.  A number of us raised our hands.  He went one by one and asked us what our reasons were.  The week before Christmas when you were already forced to be closed last week because of the storm was not a valid reason.  I do understand, who does want to serve right now.  Well, turns out I knew one of the witnessess, too…in fact, he is my sister’s brother-in-law.  So, even though the judge didn’t release me, the attorneys didn’t want me but when they were naming the jurors, they got to #38 as the 12th juror and then they needed one more since one would be an alternate.  It took him forever to name the 13th name and most of us were holding our breaths…but he jumped over me and the fellow next to me and named the next lady who I thought looked like she’d faint.  Sorry to say I was glad to leave.

When I got to my shop, I was shocked to find this….

Take a day off and go to jury duty and they make major progress on the theater!  It was a constant source of my attention today, too.  I am so excited to see it lit up!

I had to take a walk to the bank today and while I was out, the heavens opened and there was rain like you wouldn’t believe.  My pants were soaked in no time at all. 

As I was running back to work, I was really pondering what it was going to take to put life back into me.  The teller at the bank told me that across the board, everyone seems to be struggling with getting into the holiday spirit since the storm.  I cannot tell you how many people have said they had bare trees in their living rooms.  It’s weird how it has affected the community as a whole.

Anyway, I was thinking about it and when I blew back into my shop, a dear friend was waiting for me.  She had brought me a gift and I literally lost my breath and got choked up when I saw what she gave me.

These are the Bohus Blue Shimmer Cuffs she made at a retreat last year and I have loved them from the minute I saw them.  Her daughter was able to take the same class this past October and it just made me want to get into a class even more.   

I borrowed her picture from Ravelry, but she borrowed my camera and my hands to take the picture so I hope she doesn’t mind. 

All afternoon, I felt so warm and encouraged that she would ever consider giving me such a treasure.  I struggled for about 30 seconds to accept them and I felt like crying happy tears because it meant so much to me but she said that they really aren’t her colors and she wanted me to have them so I tried to graciously accept them. 

I had an appointment this afternoon and all through it, the person I was meeting with was trying to figure out if they were part of my sweater or what, she thought they were soooo beautiful.  I will treasure these forever and most of all, it will remind me of a caring friend and that we have much to be thankful for.

I had a friend tell me today that she talked with a lady who had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness and she has about one year to live and you know what she said?  ‘08 is going to be the best year yet!

Imagine if we just decided that’s how it would be in spite of what we had going on.  I know I’m going to consider this a lot.

I hope everyone is getting done all that needs done!

The recovery continues.  You know, it is really interesting when you go through what we have gone through.  One one hand, there is huge gratitude that we are ok, there was very little loss of life (although the 2 deaths here were tragic and sobering).  On the other hand, the emotion is overwhelming.  I continue to hear incredible stories, most of the things I hear are positive…but it wears on you.  I fight feeling sad for the loss of our tree…our only one and the memories of our kids climbing in it.  #1 son once was up in it (wasn’t supposed to be) and fell off, his foot caught in it and he was hanging upside down.  Big sis was babysitting and heard him yelling, but thought he was just playing.  They’ve laughed over that for years. 

I am just so tired.  I find so many people are having a terrible time getting their decorating and their shopping started or done.  That’s me, too. 

I got a call today about wreaths being given for free by a company out of town who had a surplus, they brought them here (and I heard they were BEAUTIFUL) to share the blessing.  I heard several options of how to get reimbursed for food lost.  Some friends of ours told hubby yesterday that they haven’t gotten their power yet because a tree tore the box off their house.  They thought when the trucks came to their area to fix the lines that they would automatically fix that, too.  No.  They had to call an electrician (and they were far down the list).  Hubby called some men in the church who could help.  I don’t think they did the electrical work but they did help with generators.  The little kids in that home were coughing and getting sick from the dampness.

But look what I saw the other day.

The way I heard it, a construction company owner felt God told him to tarp people’s homes who lost their roofs (rooves?) for free.  He hired some extra help and started in.  Then Home Depot heard about it and started supplying the tarps.  This just happens to be my grandma’s old home! 

I was really intrigued by this trailer I have driven by several times.

Gosh, I hope no one was living in it.  The whole trailer park is a mess but I saw a sign that says it is going to become a mini storage.

Now…off that subject and on to what has been happening here.  We got a chance to do a little wedding prep the other day.  The bride #2 has been spending a lot of time on the Paper Source website and we got a chance to visit one of their stores on Monday.

This is in Bellevue.  I wish hubby and I could go stay up there for a couple of nights.  The streets are so cute with their Christmas decorations and we had a great time although it was a really rushed trip.  Here’s that cute girl after we finished shopping.

Last night was knit night and it was an interesting evening.  We had to call the police because one dear friend had some guy try to open her car door when she got there.  Then we noticed groups of rowdy young adults all over and heard clanging metal in the alleyway.  As soon as I made the call, that all stopped.  What’s going on around here?  It just feels so weird since the storm.

Remember the fair isle socks I have shown you the past 2 times we’ve met?  Look at the latest ones!

I tell you, this girl is talented.  These are not self-striping socks…she does this herself!  She even makes up part of the design as she goes.  When I took them to take a picture of them, one of the ladies whispered to me that they’d fit her!  I had to say if they were smaller, I’d be tempted to ‘borrow’ them.  (just kidding, friend!)  Is she talented or what?  These 3 pairs of socks she has knit have been probably my most favorite.

I’m working on the most simple project and enjoying it very much…Dashing from Knitty.  I wanted to do something quick for hubby just to say I love you.  It’s crazy, at knit night I had to have help doing the cable, though.  My brain is just out on vacation or something.  The pattern is so simple and its really a fast knit.  I may make some Fetching mitts before I go back to any one of the zillion other projects I have in progress.

Dashing is exactly what I needed to get a little of the knitting mojo back.

I hope I don’t sound too down, I’m really not.  It’s just a very sobering time and I feel very introspective.  I think it’s good once in awhile to take a step back and consider what’s really important. 

Blessings to you all…thanks so much for the caring comments and emails.  It means a lot!

No, I’m not losing my mind.  haha

2 heartwarming little stories:

• Some of the power companies who sent crews requested that they now return home.  The workers said no, they can’t.  The people here still need them.  So they stay.
  • Those same workers marvel at the resiliance of the people in the community.  Even when they have had no power for 5 days, they bring them coffee and donuts.  So, we are blessed by them, they are blessed by us. 
• Our friends began to move out of their house today.  Someone has given them a house to stay in and they are figuring out how to get their internet hooked up and all that fun stuff.  $10 to change it to the new house.  $45 for one month of cable since they are used to satellite.  Not so bad.  But that’s not the cute story.
  • People wen tto help them move their stuff today.  There were so many people that they told hubby not to come (he did anyway).  They had gotten their tree literally about an hour before the storm.  The wife/mom was lamenting that they bought and decorated their tree and she didn’t do laundry or dishes and they lost their power immediately after decorating the tree.  Some friends went to their house today with a trailer, put the tree on it and put a bag over it and moved it fully-decorated to their new house.  Is that cool or what?

We went on our date tonight and it was fun.  We went to the mall and saw several people we knew and heard lots of stories.  Some had power now, some not.  What a sense of community, though.  This young kiddo we’ve known since he was months old, he is now about 16, stopped and talked to us for about 20 minutes.  I don’t think in all the time I’ve known him he ever talked that much.  We all just need to connect.

I so wish I could get pictures of some of the stuff I saw tonight but it was dark.  The power trucks are out on the highway working.  And a sad one…this really cool restaurant that has been around forever…used to be really good, then went downhill, then new owners about 2 years ago brought it back and we have never driven by but what the parking lot was jammed. It’s out in the middle of nowhere.  On Monday, crews were there working and suddenly they heard a sound like a freight train and suddenly someone screamed “RUN!” and a huge wall of water and mud came cascading down the hill and totally demolished the restaurant.  Last night the news said the insurance will not cover the loss, now totalling a million dollars.  (not sure how that is, but that’s what they said).  We could barely see it when we drove by.

And listen to this.  There are some construction companies who are going to houses who lost their roof and for free putting tarps on them … the tarps are being provided free by Home Depot!

A grocery store has been giving out free ice.  An employee told me today that they are going to give a one-time coupon to everyone for 20% off all groceries so people can get back on their feet.  *smile smile smile*  It is so heartwarming.

Anyway, most of what we are seeing is the kindness of others.

I promise I will stop talking about this soon, still trying to sort through it all.  I do hope to pick up some knitting needles sometime soon!!

Power has been restored to most of the area and those who don’t have it should have it by this afternoon.  The area of town that holds Starbucks, Walmart, McDonald’s, etc is lit again.  I’m not sure what the problem was there because I heard it was a priority area…then one of the very last to get back up and running.

I forgot something important when I posted last night … I had meant to mention our gratitude to all of the teams of power company workers who have come in from all over the place.  This morning I drove past the one decent motel here in town and the parking lot was full of those white trucks.  It was still dark so I couldn’t get a picture.

Something that really affected me yesterday was the signs on businesses thanking the workers, one business was advertising dry ice for another business, others told of the availability of generators and then just the simple hand lettered “we’re open” signs…it all just affected me and I can’t find the words to explain my feelings.

And when we drove out to our friends’ house yesterday, I saw a gentleman from our church standing at the exit off the highway in the rain.  I turned to look as we drove by and hubby said he was working the food bank and wanted to let people know if they could get through the road or not (people were working on a downed tree right there).  Seeing him there made me cry.  It was cold and wet and I’m sure he could have sat at the food bank and let people figure it out for themselves, but he wanted to let people know they were open indeed, in spite of the fact there was no power.  The goodness of those who are giving! I think we’ll be hearing stories for a long time to come.

Here’s our tree.

When I turned around to come back inside, I saw this breathtaking sight.

Isn’t the sun just beautiful the way it’s shining on the house? And now we see the house until next Spring.  I think I’d rather have raked a few leaves rather than what we went through.  The leaves are probably 20 miles away.   lol

And now I think I will return to my knitting.  I probably knit about 10 rows on this square over the last 5 days.

Ok, this has been hard.  Our daughter and her hubby still do not have power, right in the middle of town.  I drove through their neighborhood on the way home from work and it is just creepy, so dark.  The temperature is supposed to drop into the 20’s tonight.  Funny thing for daughter, though…her hubby says it gets *down* to 72 in the middle of the night in their house so they’re not hurting for heat.  They’ve really been doing well, but from our short experience, I know the candlelight and lanterns gets hard on the eyes.

Today hubby bought a generator.  We just don’t want to get caught like this again.  The daughter didn’t want to use it so he took it out to some friends’ house.  I was at work for the first time this week, but told him I wanted to go because I wanted to see how everyone out there was faring.  They live right out of town and are not expected to get power back for up to 10 days although it could be sooner.  The devastation out there was amazing.  What used to be kind of like a forest behind our church now has about half of the trees cut off at the halfway point.  Someone said it’s almost like a helicopter chopped them off.  We saw power company trucks working all along the way.

Unfortunately, my camera battery went dead so that’s it for pictures.

Our friends we took the generator to have to move out of their house.  That had water coming through their light fixtures and so much damage in their yard.  They had baskets and baskets of laundry because when the ceilings started leaking they started using all their towels and spare blankets to mop it up.  Their ceilings are sagging.  They have been able to borrow a washer and dryer so what I saw was not even all of it.  They put up a good front but I could tell they were nearing the end of being able to cope.  They have been cooking everything on their barbecue, including pancakes….in the rain!  So now at least they have some power as they figure out how to move out for awhile.  Been there, not fun.  (but they do get new ceilings, sheet rock, paint and who knows what else…trying to look at the end result)

I talked to a few friends today and saw another one.  Go see Dip Lady to hear about her experience.  I was so happy to see her face today!

One of my friends called and told me they lost many, many trees.  Many of them had very significant memories.  It took them 4 hours to cut their way out of their driveway.  She had no way to reach her elderly father because even if they could have gotten out, the roads were blocked.  So when she did get out, what did she do?  At the grocery store she met a little elderly man who was confused (it’s so weird, when you get to the store when it’s all so nuts..you can’t think what you need when your ability to cook is limited to a wood stove or barbecue or in his case, no way to cook).  She gave him some money to buy sandwiches and then, get this, got his name and address and went home and made him spaghetti (on her bbq!!!!) and took a hot meal and more groceries to him and his bedridden wife!  She had to navigate through a pitch dark building to the top floor.  I was so blessed to hear that while she was going through much herself, she did this.

I walked to the popcorn store today.  I thanked the owner for standing on the street and selling coffee on Tuesday.  She said she was the one who received the blessing.  We talked a bit about how wonderful it is to see people coming together and helping others while they have needs themselves.  We both ended up crying.

Last night, we went to buy a chain saw (thank God for Home Depot gift cards) but who would be in that aisle but our son’s girlfriend’s dad.  He told us not to buy one and he came here today and cut our tree apart.  It was dark when I got home so I couldn’t really see how bad the fence was…but I was so blessed at his kindness.  

We’re starting to hear from family where the flooding is.  Thankfully they are doing ok.  We were supposed to take the little imp to get fit for orthotics in that very area but that has been postponed.

I got a call from a cousin tonight who heard that we were cut off from everything when she was in Hawaii.  Someone asked her if she wasn’t from our community and she came home not knowing what was going on.  She thought the bluff had come down at the edge of town like it did once before.  We talked a few minutes before she realized it wasn’t that at all but wind.  She kept telling me she loved us all and is here for us, will do whatever she can to help.

So, yes, it’s hard….but it’s also been a huge blessing seeing people pull together.  I think the emotion I have been struggling with all day is just that reality is setting in.  I so desperately want to hear that power is restored. 

Thanks to all of you who care, it sure helps.  To keep it in perspective, I think about the Katrina, Rita, Sept. 11 and realize it could be much worse.  It seems the people I talk to  are mostly aware of their love for each other.  Isn’t it amazing what comes out of us?

And those who do things like stealing gas cans out of pickups (dear daughter and fiance went to Wal-mart this evening and forgot to put their gas into the truck and it was gone when they came out)….I just feel sorry for them. 

Count your blessings!

Eek.  The holiday season is upon us and I feel anything but ready to do what needs to be done over the next month.  I’m quite certain I will get in the swing of it all soon, but not today.  I spent the day in the shop trying to get Christmas decorations up.  I can’t remember what I have but I know some of it is missing.  Hubby, kind soul that he is, came and took down my lights in the huge window that one section had burned out of and strung up new ones.  He also put a garland around my door.  That will help get me moving along, I’m sure.

The little imp is a little bugged.  He has this clock in him that says it is time for a tree…every year on Thanksgiving since he was about 5 he will start telling us on Thanksgiving day how the furniture needs to be arranged and where the tree goes…and it is TIME.  A few years ago, we changed where we put the tree and it took a few years to get over it.  He does not take well to change.  It’s life, buddy.  lol

Well, today, big brother asked him what he wanted for Christmas.  “Tree”, he said.  In other words, things must be done in order and he cannot move on until that tree is in place.  Thankfully he isn’t a greedy little fellow.  He usually wants one thing and is fine thinking about it.  This year it is High School Musical 2, available on DVD for the holidays.  That is exactly how he says it.  When an anticipated movie is coming out, we hear the commercial word for word. 

I happen to know that one new brother-in-law stood in the freezing cold for half an hour at Staples to get him something he knew he’d love.  I cannot stop telling all of my kids…my own and their chosen ones…how incredibly grateful I am.  I know that not all siblings are as patient and caring as mine are towards that one who had gotten much of the attention for many years, something that can’t always be helped.  But not only are we blessed with wonderful, caring children of our own, but they chose life partners who also love and value him.  It honestly makes me cry, good tears!

This year our extended family did something new.  We had a breakfast gathering at my sister’s.  Here’s a little glimpse.  I really just included my own family because I don’t know how the others would feel about being posted here.  (I couldn’t resist one picture of cousins and little baby, though)

The little imp had fun at therapy the other day.  I never could get a decent picture and even tried to take a little video but as soon as I started, he got distracted and it wasn’t worth trying to do anything with.  It was pretty funny.

Have I been knitting?  Yes.  i just haven’t gotten any pictures to post.  Nothing hugely exciting.  I was really wiped out on Thanksgiving day and instead of knitting, I vegged out instead.  After the breakfast, all of our kids went the other directions and it was just the little imp, hubby, my mom and I.  We had a nice dinner but after I cooked and cleaned the kitchen twice (while hubby undertook a huge project), I just did not much of anything when I was done until the kids arrived to play games.

Here’s our Saturday sky.

About an hour after I took this, I walked into the kitchen and commented on the moon….I tried to go out on the deck to take a picture of it but when I went out there, I couldn’t see it so hubby and #1 son both went out and started snapping pics.  Ahh, the joys of being tall.

I want to say thank you to all the friends I have made on here.  Tis the season to be thankful and I truly am.  It’s been a fun venture.  I was a little leery of putting myself out here like this, but have found it to be a huge blessing because of all the friends I have made.  I wish you all God’s best during this Christmas season.  Remember to stop and be thankful for the good things in your life.  Remember, too, that even the hard things work good things in us if we let them so there’s something to be thankful for there, also. 

Isn’t it just the coolest thing when you need a little extra hug, one comes your way?  This is how mine came.

I am just having an emotional day and when I got my mail today…here was a day brightener just for me and I am so blessed by it.  Although I was told his name was Carebear but that he’d answer to any name, I choose to keep his original name so he won’t accidentally be confused. 

He comes from Liz who had fun inventing these little guys last year.  I have had so much fun getting to know her and am constantly amazed at her talent.  She has great wisdom for her years and I’m so glad for the day I landed on her blog.  I consider her a friend and have enjoyed following her ventures.  You have to go see her wedding veil she knit and her gauntlets she is designing for her brother.

Liz, Carebear will get good care and I know he will bring many smiles to me through his life.  It’s always so nice to know when someone cares.  :)  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

What is that mess of tangled yarn?  (well, I guess you can’t see the tangles, they are out of sight)…but I am learning a new method of two stranded knitting.  Lauri ever so patiently tried to teach me how to hold both yarns but I was getting quite the tangle and twist and we both got distracted helping another friend get pictures for Ravelry that I forgot to have her show me again.

So tonight, I visited Philosopher’s Wool and watched their video and their method is really fun!  I’m just going to practice it on a small project and see what I come up with.

Gosh, my head is just full of thoughts tonight.  We went to a wonderful wedding tonight and saw old friends. 

The wedding was beautiful (in spite of the fact that the poor bride and groom both had the flu over the last 2 days…we’re talking sick!)  You sure couldn’t tell.  She just glowed.  I have watched her grow up.  When we first started going to our church, she was the cutest little girl with little french braids and big dark eyes.  Her mama and I have been friends for a long time…we did a Bible study years ago that started out being about 15 women and ended up after many months of being just the two of us.  We were friends before, but that just really cemented it.  She is a good friend and her children are beautiful. 

We visited with friends who have moved away and I just marvel at how touching it is to meet up with people and feel like you can just pick up where you left it and still feel a bond.  We’ve all walked different journeys and life has taught us a lot, has shaken up our thinking, hopefully making us better for it.  If we can’t learn from the hard stuff and let it shape character in our lives, then what’s it all about?  I hate to ever waste a hurt…but want to learn what I need to learn and move on to becoming that person I was created to be.

I feel like the theme of my day is appreciating who God has put in my life.  I had so much fun this afternoon at my shop with two good friends who I would never have built relationship with if I didn’t have the shop.  We took pictures for Ravelry and marveled at the excellent knitting.  I aspire to be anything close to these two.  But it’s not just that.  Isn’t it fun to get to know people and find that area that you share and build relationship from that?  I feel like my life is so rich with friends, good people.

And then there are the people I have met here.  It’s good.

My little imp was not interested in posing for a picture tonight.  He’s a teenager, what else can I say.  lol

I have so many busy days ahead and so much to do between now and then….gosh.  HELP!   I need to slow down, take a deep breath and take one thing at a time. 

Yep.  We have another wedding to plan.  We are happy, we have known this was coming for a long time.  This has been a mother’s dream in how the kids have handled it all, complete with the fellow coming to us to ask permission to get to know her and then meeting frequently with Dad.  We finally decided we couldn’t ask them to wait any longer so dad gave the go-ahead.  Not sure when the big event will take place (oh gosh, I am not sure I’ve recovered from the last one!) but I’m sure things will start to fall into place soon.

The little boy has spent the last 2 days working through it.  At church this morning, hubby and I were talking to someone in the office and we heard him in the hall around the corner saying… 4 boys, 2 girls.  3 brothers, 2 sisters (brudders and deesters).  Mom, Dad married.  ___ , ____ married.  Then he started saying the first and last names of the newly married couple and the name his other sister will end up with.  We asked him what his name was and he told us his first name and the last name of his big sis.  Gonna take some explaining for awhile.  :)  He is VERY excited to wear his new suit again.  lol

I did some lazy knitting today.  I got a new book the other day and wanted something besides socks to do today.  This is nearly impossible to get a picture of so I’ll just show you what I got and leave it at that.

This is from Hats On! by Charlene Schurch.  I love the book!