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.