King Tut Dishcloth

One of the online knitting groups I'm in is having their first ever swap - dishcloths! I adore knitting these as there really is nothing better for washing dishes and faces. But I wanted to do something a little special for this swap - and I hope my partner isn't reading this because it just went in the mail - LOL!

The pattern is the Diagonal Ripple Dishcloth and I used King Tut cotton for the first time and LOVE it! I had gotten this yarn some time ago and after winding the yarn cake I set it aside for something special. That sort of thing is so silly! I got it out and let me just say that knitting with it was just divine. It felt so good on my hands. I'm very happy with how it turned out and plan on putting another one on the needles right away for ME! :)

Joe and Whining

I try really hard to not use this blog as a pity party for my illness. But darn it, sometimes I just do not feel good! The last 2 weeks it's been about all I could do to work and sleep. So this weekend I did not go scrapbooking with my friends on Saturday and I did not go to the yarn dyeing class with my friends on Sunday. Instead I slept. And I did weep a bit at having to miss out. But I do feel better and hope this prevented an out and out flare.

To make it up to everybody - since the above paragraph was whining - I give you a very cute picture of Joe. I am so loving this camera and think that once I actually learn how to use it I'll love it even more. ;)

Saturday Sky 022407

Very, very strange afternoon today. This was taken about 2:00 - middle of the day! The winds were gusting to 55 mph (just watched the news) and the dust and dirt in the sky was just unreal. When driving home during this we noticed many houses in our area with shingles missing, downed tree limbs, etc. The news also said that American Airlines alone cancelled over 500 flights to and from DFW today. You could even taste the grit in your teeth. Hopefully we won't be seeing this sort of thing again any time soon!

It's A Girl!

The ultrasound confirmed that we are having a granddaughter!

Will she be frilly or will she be adventurous?

Will she like dolls or trucks?

Will she like quiet time and reading or will she prefer to run like the wind?

It will be so much fun to watch a little one grow again!

It's Nascar Baby!

So exciting to have Nascar season back! I love Sunday afternoons with Keith and to have a season start off with the Daytona 500 just kind of sets the mood. The race was exciting, though both of our favorite drivers were involved in crashes, so that makes it a tad less fun. But the ending was so exciting and I'm looking forward to many more! And I'd been looking forward to making Potato Skins since I first saw them on this blog (scroll down to January 6, 07 entry). I'm happy to report that they came out wonderful and we didn't even eat half of them! Mmm....leftovers....

During the race I finally finished this sock and it fits! Always a heart stopper when pulling on the sock after knitting it. I do believe that this one silly sock was my least favorite knitting project ever and really could've even turned me away from knitting. The reason is that horrible wad in the picture. It took me at least twice as long to knit this sock as it should have because I kept having to stop and untangle. I have the second ball of yarn ready and waiting in a yarn clam and do hope it goes better. I'm still claiming this finish as a victory though!

All Day Crop

Saturday was time for another all day crop with friends. You know the day is going to be fabulous when it starts with meeting everybody at Starbucks - LOL! With coffee, coffee cake and cupcakes in our hands we headed out in the convoy. The hour drive was over before we realized because, at least in our car, the talking never once stopped!

We were at the crop for twelve hours and the only thing I have to show is the layout above. And, truth be told, I will mention that I already had a good portion of this finished before I even packed to go to the crop! That's ok - the fun of a crop to me is all the talking and so much laughter. It's good to spend time with Christian girlfriends.



And this is the prize I won from one of the drawings! Lots of laughter when I got this as well because I am the only one in our group without one of these bags, so we decided it was meant to be.

There were several ladies there that I hadn't seen in way too long and it was awesome to catch up. I am still amazed that sleepyhead me was able to be awake and alert for that length of time. :)

Last night as I lay in bed thinking about the day, what came to my mind was a moment last week while I was at a doctor appointment. I was sitting in my 4th floor exam room waiting for the doctor when I noticed a group of trees. They were very tall, rising above my vantage point on the 4th floor, but very narrow trees. This day a cold front had come through and it was quite windy, causing the trees to sway back and forth. What struck me while watching these trees was the tree in the middle. I do not have a green thumb whatsoever, so I can't explain why, but the center tree seemed to sway the most in the wind. With each gust of wind this tree would blow back and forth. It never toppled though, because each time it swayed it would knock into one of the other trees around it. Over and over I watched this same thing occur.

And now I know that I was witnessing something important about our lives in those trees. Many times things happen in life that cause us to stumble or sway. But the Lord places family and friends around us to catch us and keep us from falling. Even when a particularly strong "gust" might blow against us, there are those that keep us upright. And He is there with His arms around us all to keep us safe.

What a blessing to know that we are never alone.

I'd Be LOST Without You!

And this is my gift to Keith. Fans of LOST will understand right off the bat.

He loved it by the way. Sense of humor is one of the things that drew us together in the first place. :)

I Got You Babe!

He's just so sweet! This is what my dining room table looked like when I walked in from work last night. I don't know where he got the roses, but they smell better than any I've smelled in a long time.

Keith did apologize somewhat for getting me the chocolate. He knows I'm trying to watch what I eat right now, so he felt a little guilty. Luckily I couldn't really hear what he was saying over the chewing of my first piece of candy...(chocolate creme if anybody's interested!).

Then Keith, Lynne' and I went to eat dinner at Johnny Carino's. Really good food and we were so in the mood for italian. Even the salads were awesome last night. And one of my assignments for today is to look online at the top secret recipe site and see if the garlic potato soup recipe is there. Very good!

I Am A Daisy

This little quiz is going around one of my knitting groups and since I have the answer to post to them I figured I might as well post it here too!

I am a Daisy What Flower Are You?

"You are just a sweet person. When a friend needs a shoulder to cry on, you are happy to offer yours with a box of tissues as well. Once in awhile, you wish you could be a little more dramatic but then sensibility sets back in and you know that you are perfect the way you are."

Awwwww...........................

First Grandbaby Gift

Last night we met James and Loni for dinner, then we all went to Babies R Us just to look around. Loni saw the wall o' bibs and we went over to read them because really they can be just as funny as church signs. I saw this one and when Loni pointed out that the kitty was knitting, well that clinched the deal and I had to buy it. We don't even know at this point if it's a boy or girl, but if it's a girl I have her first bib now!

"When there's a knitting grandma around it doesn't matter if the kittens lose their mittens - we'll knit more!"

Bloggy Tea Party

Monica from The Homespun Heart had the great idea to have a Blog Tea Party this Valentine's Day and I have decided to take part. The rules are simple: Share photos and details about our wedding and share positive qualities that we enjoy and appreciate about our husbands.

The second part is very easy for me. We have been married almost 27 years now and I can honestly say that it just keeps getting better and better. Right now we are entering into another new season of our life where we will soon become grandparents. Sometimes that's hard to believe...especially when I think of last September when the two of us were out riding motorcycles together and playing Evil Knievel! We are young at heart though and eager to share our love and excitement and joy in life with our new grandbaby.

And it's so easy to love this man! One of our favorite phrases to each other is "I chose you" and that really says so much. When you think about marriage and realize that out of all the people on the planet the two of us chose each other to spend our lives with, well that can be a pretty amazing thought. We truly are soulmates and best friends. And this line from the song always makes me think of Keith: "God bless the broken road that led me straight to you."



The other part of the rules was a little tougher for me and actually was good to motivate me now - thanks Monica! I couldn't tell you where any wedding pictures are and I'm a little embarrassed to admit that! So now when things slow down a bit around here I plan on finding our wedding pictures and getting some displayed. I did pull out our Marriage Certificate though and scanned a portion of it to prove we really are married - LOL!

I guess I've always been somewhat of a rebel and this side of me came out when we got married. Keith and I met on a blind date.....and we eloped to get married. We headed west and stopped in to visit a friend of mine in a very small town in New Mexico. Our hope was to be married in a Lutheran Church and we did go and visit one and talked to the pastor there. I remember him wondering about the young couple sitting before him and he expressed his concerns over our choice of marrige ceremonies. I would love to be able to let him know that the wedding really did "take" and that we are still married today! He did agree to officiate and the day of the ceremony we headed to the church - me in a wool skirt and maroon velvet blazer and Keith in his denim suit. My friend insisted we stop at the grocery store and get some flowers on the way, so I really did have a bridal bouquet. And we had a little instamatic camera (126 for those that remember them) for our wedding portraits.

Though the pictures may have faded and the flowers and wedding attire are long gone, we are proof positive that the size of the wedding does not necessarily foretell the success of a marriage. We had the Lord's blessing and the love in our hearts and it has lasted all these years. He truly is my beloved....and I am his.

Socks and Showers

Sock #1 is still oh so close to being finished. The problem is that mess down at the bottom left of the picture - it is in tight, tiny knots. It takes me about 15 minutes to untangle enough yarn to knit a few rounds. I am just about ready to start the toe decrease - if I don't just throw the mess across the room first! But isn't the Vera yarn beautiful?

The only "knitting" time I had last night was doing this photo op. Partly because I have no idea what I'm doing with the new camera and partly because I spent a lot of time on the phone instead! :) It's all good....

I haven't mentioned yet that Saturday I went to a baby shower for a friend of mine who is expecting her first grandbaby! OK, technically the shower was for the mama, but I enjoyed watching my grandma-to-be friend. I happened to sit next to her and some of her friends that I'd never met before, but when they found out I was a grandma-to-be as well I started getting all kinds of wonderful advice! As the presents were being passed around the room these ladies were explaining to me how to use these newfangled gadgets. I am just in awe of all the new baby items! I'm not real sure how we managed to raise babies before this stuff was invented - LOL! So now I'm anticipating my own little grandbaby even more. :)

"More grandbabies are spoiled because mommy won't spank grandma than any other reason!" - Unknown

Step One of World Famous Photographer

Just a little picture of Joe annoying Meeko simply by existing.

Soon I will have pictures that will blow your socks off (and nothing like setting myself up here!). We went yesterday and purchased a digital SLR camera for me - woohoo! I've been looking at them for years and always said I'd wait til I had grandkids. Well grandbaby #1 is on the way now! :) We decided to go ahead and get the camera so that we could take the classes and actually be able to use a little more than just the Auto setting. I put the battery on the charger and hopefully tonight I'll get to play around with it. I am SO excited!

Beautiful Day

What an incredible day yesterday was! We were blessed with a high temperature of 71 in the Dallas area, which was just absolutely perfect. At lunch yesterday I sat in my truck knitting and had the windows down and the breeze coming through - I tell you it really doesn't get any better than that.

When I got home from work Keith had dinner waiting and after we ate and cleaned up the kitchen we took Joe to the park to play. Truly had a grand time. He put his nose up in the air and had a kick in his step. And yes, I even jogged a bit with him! Keith made me stop real quick though because he said I'm an accident waiting to happen. Ya think??? :)

And last night's knitting group at Starbucks was so much fun. Really a great group of ladies that I thoroughly enjoy. I was sitting next to Eunice last night, who is expecting her 18th grandbaby soon, and she was showing me some different baby yarns and what she liked best as far as baby afghans. Good information to know and I see a yarn store trip in my future! And Dawn was kind enough to help me out with my yarn barf mess. I was surprised by how late I stayed, which does show what a good time it was!

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9

LSSK Square #3

Yesterday's mail brought a square from Theresa, who is also expecting her first grandbaby! I keep all three squares together and have rearranged them in my head many times. I think it's fun that so far each one is a different color! My precious grandbaby will be so wrapped in love with this blanket. :)

Sometimes I Weep

Two years ago today was the worst day I have ever experienced. Two years ago today my father died. Two years ago today the bottom fell out of my world.

It was Sunday morning and Keith and I had decided not to go to church because we were tired. We were laying in bed when mom called to tell me that daddy had had a heart attack and they were waiting for the ambulance and my brother. She called again to tell me they were on the way to the hospital. My sister-in-law called to tell me that he didn't make it.

I remember hanging up and my legs collapsing, with Keith there to catch me. I remember hurting so bad and so deeply. And I remember that hurt lasting so long. And wondering if it was "ok" for it to hurt so deeply.

Two years have passed though and the physical pain isn't there so much. I still have times where tears well up in my eyes at inopportune moments. And I still think of him every day. But now it's more with a fondness and a sort of bittersweetness instead of the sucker punch of before.

In those two years I think I've changed from this experience. I'm hoping that I'm more compassionate towards the people I know when they have lifechanging experiences. Yet on the other hand I know I'm less patient towards many things that just don't matter. Life can change so dramatically in just an instant and I hope to live all those instants rather than waste them.

In all that time I never questioned whether or not daddy was better off now. I know that he is in heaven dancing at the footsteps of Jesus - and is now dancing with his mother as well. And I know that he is no longer in pain. But I do miss him.

I'm thankful in those two years that I have had a strong faith to see me through. For I know that without faith it would have been even more difficult. And I'm also very thankful that I had a relationship with my father that enabled me to miss him so much. I have been very blessed in that way.

And we move on. I now have a much closer relationship with my brother than ever before. Mom and I have been close for a long time - I've been lucky that way - and our relationship is even stronger now. You reach out to the ones that are close to you, that love you, and that you love. And you do survive.

I feel secure and honored by the love of my husband, who has stood by my side through it all. Both literally and figuratively. Through thick and thin. Even during the times he didn't really understand what I was feeling. His strength helped guide me.

This year the pain is not nearly as intense, but it's there. And I imagine I'll think of my father a lot today. And that's ok. Because I no longer will be concerned about those that say I should be "over it" by now. They simply don't understand.

I know that each year will continue to be better. And on significant days we'll all think of the ones we've loved and lost - and perhaps pine for them for a bit. Then we'll turn to those we still have and love and rejoice in them with every ounce of our strength. And praise God for all we have and for all we've had.

Life is good.

LSSK Square #2

It hit me last night that I still hadn't taken a picture of my second grandbaby square! Tasha gave this to me last Tuesday night. It's a beautiful soft baby lavendar color. And every time I think of a blanket made entirely of squares knitted with love it just makes my heart smile.

Random Thoughts

My little Joe is surely getting old. This was taken yesterday while he was sleeping on the bed with me. My real camera was in the other room, but luckily my cell phone is always by my side and I was able to get this picture of him.

Yesterday I wasn't feeling well, so didn't go to work. When I finally woke up late morning, in that brief three seconds or so before you're fully awake, I thought something was really wrong - I couldn't move my legs! I finished waking up though and discovered that I had a large golden retriever plastered against one side of me and a large cat on the other side, thereby cutting off any chance of leg movement on my part. It's good to feel loved. :)

Loni has on a maternity shirt today for the first time and this makes me smile. I remember the first time I put on a maternity shirt and was so filled with joy that I wanted to share it with the world. I pray that she will always feel that joy.

I did quite a bit of knitting yesterday on the 1 sock on 2 circs sock. I got the heel turned and started the gusset when I realized I had no idea at all how to do the gusset this method - and I was far too lazy to get up and look on the internet. So I basically made it up and have it almost finished! Today I'll see how it really is supposed to be done. I also have quite a yarn mess as the middle of my yarn cake came out and became a tangled wad. I have absolutely no patience for tangled yarn - none at all. I'm hoping I can eek out enough yarn to finish this sock before it becomes too bad because I'll end up tossing the project otherwise. What a shame... ;)

The negative part of having animals that love me is that I was startled awake last night by the cat. Apparently there was something very scary for kitties, because he jumped up, ran in place across my face, hissing and puffing, then ran down the hall. Let me tell you that when this sort of thing happens you don't really just roll over and go right back to sleep!

Tuesday night knitting with friends was really good. There were two new ladies that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to get to know better. And two "old" (?) ladies that I already adore. Put it together and what have you got? A great, relaxing evening. I actually even got quite a bit of knitting done, too, which is rather unheard of for me!

And that night Tasha gave me a square for my grandbaby blanket! The weather outside has been frightful, so no photo yet. Looks like it will probably be this weekend before I'm able to get a picture of it. There is no way to describe just how sweet I think this project is.

I highly recommend the blog "Laced With Grace" for daily devotionals. I try to visit there every morning as they give me blessings and food for thought before getting on with my day.

I keep thinking about the brunch we had at church last Sunday after service. It was catered by Chris Cakes and they were a hoot! Quite a production making the pancakes and then they would toss them at people standing on a rug that looked like a target! Too funny and all the kids loved it. The less adventurous people, like us, were served on plates.