A Mile in My Shoes

Thank You!

Adoption

I just want to thank everyone that left a comment, as well as all of those that sent emails.  I will get back to you, one by one, but I wanted to say a big collective "Thank You" right now.  I really appreciate it. 

So far, we're still waiting to hear back from the agency.  They said they'd give us an update this week.  There is another couple that has said they'd like to adopt the baby, though they aren't from our agency.  Whatever happens, we're just praying for the safety and health of the baby, and clear direction for all those involved.

I told my parents, and although they have their reservations, they will support us however it turns out, like they always have.

I told Iris too.  I explained to her that God might have a baby for us, and it was growing in someone else's tummy.  I told her it was a little girl (YOU MEAN I MIGHT GET A BABY SISTER????)  and that she has something called Down Syndrome and it will never go away.  What it means is that even though her body will "grow up", she'll stay a little girl "on the inside" forever.  And that is hard for some people, but if God allows it, it means He thinks we would be able to do it with His help.  She was just sooooo thrilled about it, but understands that it might happen and it might not.  We just have to wait.

We have sort of decided that if we do get to be this baby's parents, her name will be Ruby.  God's precious jewel.  (I've tried to find Twila Paris' song "Jewels", the one I couldn't stop singing in my mind the day we got the call, but all I can find is the lyrics.  (Scroll down to the second song)  It's an incredibly beautiful lullaby.)

I love poetry, and two poems (or more like a poem and a short story) that I'm loving right now are Wait and Welcome to Holland.  Wait is something that was given to me 11 years ago when we started down the path of infertility, and it has brought me a lot of comfort over the years.  It's kind of a multi-purpose poem, and speaks to any kind of waiting.  I read Welcome to Holland years ago, and a dear knitter (thanks Laurie!) recently reminded me of it. In the midst of all of this, I'm trying to spend more time in my Bible, and one of my favorite verses seems to be popping up again and again:  Ephesians  3:20-21 (ASV) "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever.  Amen."

Amen indeed!

 

Christmas Stockings

I am never sure when St. Nick is supposed to come, is it the night of the 5th or the night of the 6th?  I looked it up on Wikipedia, and it seems it's the night of the 5th.  Bummer.  I am only 2 rows into Iris' stocking. I have to finish the shop's newsletter first, and then I can try to knit for 24 hours straight and finish the stocking in time?  Maybe not....

Bonne Marie had a link on her blog today for a festive slide show.  Check out the Scared of Santa site!  I have a few photos of my own I could have contributed!

Random Web Stuff

I decided to post some ideas for Christmas presents for knitters.  I'll try to include some in every post in December.  Patterns, notions, sheep stuff, whatever I come across.  Like:

The Amazing Sheep

Herd the Sheep Game

Knuddelschaf   (Snuggle sheep?) (teething toy for babies)

A wonderfully festive Christmas hat  (take some time to browse some of her other patterns too...  WOW....)

The already mentioned Sock Bag

Well, I'm sure you won't hear from me until after St. Nicks day (my kids are home-schooled, they'll have no idea what day St. Nick is supposed to come.  It could be the 20th for all they know.... Iris is just learning how to read a calendar, I think I'm safe... this year at least.) (Am I a terrible mother, or what?) 

Oh, okay, I'll try to finish it on time....

One down, one to go!

Yippee!  Harrison's stocking is finished!  Tomorrow I cast on for Iris'.  Three weeks and counting....

(You know, this turned out bigger than I expected.  Now I'm going to have to fill it!  I predict popcorn balls will be big on St. Nick's list this year....)

What's in the Bag?

I cleaned out my knitting bags yesterday, reprioritized, and now I have a "plan". 

First things first....

Harrison's Stocking.  (Has anyone else knitting stockings looked at the calendar lately?  St. Nick's is only 3 weeks away!)  To be immediately followed by Iris's Stocking. 

These will be simultaneously knit with my mom's scarf.  She picked the yarn and colors, after a trip to the yarn store where she discovered knitters don't make sweaters to save money.

I must finish Alicia's sweater.  (Not to mention her blanket, which needs to be done before Dec. 9th!  Ay caramba!  I guess I should carry that around too....)

And my Wallaby sweater that I'm teaching in one of my classes.  Let's just say my students are kicking my butt on this one.  I'm knitting both sleeves on 2 circs at the same time.  My favorite way to knit sleeves in the round from the cuff up. 

In real life, Harrison has really buckled down in his studies at P.U. (Potty University). Just look at the sticker chart we started just yesterday.  We boxed up the rest of the diapers and wipes (for the babies that really need them) and there's no going back.  To sweeten the deal, we came up with the sticker chart.  A brilliant young pediatrician in our area suggested wrapping his "prizes".  The element of not knowing what the reward will be is extra incentive (before he could just decide if going on the potty was really worth an m&m or matchbox car) now, who knows what the surprise might be??? Like today, his first surprise was an abacus!  Trust me, to my number-lovin' boy, this was amazing!  (I found it at TJ M@xx for less than $7)  The rest of the "prizes will be worth about $0.50 a piece, except the last one, which I haven't decided on yet....

It's been too long...

Should I write about recent events chronologically?  Or in matter of knitterly importance?  Or by cuteness?

Oh heck, I'll start with the weather, and then go chronologically....

Why the weather?  Because yesterday, it was 66 degrees F, we spent the entire day outside, and it was absolutely wonderful.  My nieces were over, and we had a ton of fun playing in the leaves

Today? It is 32 degrees F, cold, and we're in the middle of a thunder-snow.  Yep, thunder, lightening, rain, sleet, snow... you name it, it's happening here! Just a little different from yesterday!   I think we have about 2 inches of sleet/slush in our driveway right now.  The first picture was taken at about 3:30 pm yesterday, the snowy one was in the same place, about 4 pm today.  Unbelievable!  If you don't like the weather in WI, wait about 5 minutes, it'll change!

I'm so glad we spent the entire day outside yesterday.  And that I took pictures!

OKC (Obligatory Knitting Content):
For those of you that come here for the knitting (I'm sorry, I'm really sorry there isn't more of that....) Here is the Christmas Stocking: Pre-rip and Post-rip.  I realized, as I was about to do the heel the first time, that I missed the sentance that instructed me to decrease the stocking on one side.  Oops. So I put off ripping it.  It was too pretty. I waited until I was up at Lake Lundgren Bible Camp's Crafters' Retreat (it was so much fun even I was sick of crafting by the end of the weekend!)  It was good to have the moral support.  I've since re-knit, got past the heel, and as soon as I finish the gusset I'll have one band of fair isle and then the toe decrease.  Hallelujah!

Let's see, what else?  I think if I were to be chronological, I'd have to mention the Window Stars I've been obsessed with lately.    

It's kinda like origami, involving a little glue and double stick tape, and colored wax paper.  They are so cheerful!  I love them!  And I've made about 12 more since I took these pictures.  You tape them to your windows (hence the name "window stars") and the light shines thru making glorious geometrical designs from the different layers where the paper is folded.  These were all made using one sheet each of colored wax paper.

Let's see, what else?  Oh yes, Halloween.  We did a little trick or treating this year.  Iris was Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, and Harrison was not Major Nelson.  I was a little upset about this (their first year not in related costumes) but I got over it when I saw how adorable Harrison looked in his Peter Pevensie (of Narnia) costume.

 

Oh, and maybe one more picture...I've been busy this afternoon.  What's better on the first snowy day of the year but homemade bread?  Yummmmy!

Choo choo! Chugga-chugga, chugga-chugga....

I'm chugging along on these stockings!  The first 7 inches went by really fast, just about every row is different.  Now that I am on the main body, it's dragging a bit.  I do have the gold heel and funky gusset to look forward to.  After that, the foot itself is really short.  It looks like I can start the 7th pattern as soon as the gusset is finished.  Then the toe decrease is right after that!  I just have to knit 5 more inches to get to that heel!

I have found a few typos.  I should check online for errata on the pattern.  On the color chart, in the blue and white pattern #2 section, rows 4,5, & 6 begin with one white stitch instead of blue as shown.  Also, the same section pictured in the sample photo is a little different.  I preferred what was written instead of what was photoed, so it worked for me.

Check out Siri's blog, Knitting Iris.  I love her photos.  And those socks!  I think I've visited her blog 20 times today, just to look at her fall pics!  Now, where can I get me some Regia #5437.....

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells....

All this Christmas Stocking work has got me "dreaming of a white Christmas...."

It's working up faster than I thought it would.  That's the great thing about stranded knitting, each pattern strip is so easy to finish.  It's hard to put it down!  I'm going to duplicate stitch the smoke, smoke stack, and couplings.  I think it looks like a tractor, hopefully it will look more like  train when I'm done.  I thought about fixing messing with the pattern, but decided to just knit it as is. 

I have a sweater to knit, I got it ages ago and have been procrastinating.  Just for that reason, I'm messing with the pattern. I decided to  attack it this morning, and when I pulled it out I found this!  My Addis are dented!  I'm a little disappointed.  They are a size 9.  I can't believe they are dented.  They've been in my knitting bag the whole time.  Anyway, I'll have to get another pair. So, no sweater today. 

I mentioned the quilt show I went to with Paulette on Saturday, I got to take one picture before my camera died (stinkin' batteries).  I love this quilt, the colors are great!  The pattern is fun too.  I'd like to own one, but I'm not interested in making one.   I don't think I could ever quilt.  There is so much putzy stuff to do before the gratification of seeing the quilt finished.  And I dislike ironing.  When I tried quilting it seemed like there was a lot of ironing involved.  (I bet every quilter reading this is rolling her eyes...)  Oh well, maybe someday, if I ever get sick of string.

Do you read the Yarn Harlot's blog?  Did you see she and Joe tied the knot?  Most people, once they become "famous" go the route of divorce, not marriage!  I'm glad our Harlot goes against the flow!  It's funny, I'll bet they are the only couple that would register at the Yarn Barn instead of Pottery Barn!   I can only imagine where they might take a honeymoon, maybe the Shetland Islands?

I almost forgot!

I got my Christmas Stocking kits in the mail yesterday, how could I forget!  I joined Laura's Stocking Knit-a-long (better attended than my attempt at a stocking-a-long a year or so ago.)

I ordered the two kits from Patternworks.  There are more kits here, but the ones Patternworks are carrying are my favorites. I plan on using the patterns and changing the cuff motifs and colors to make two more for Tim and I.

 

The Reindeer Stocking will be for Iris, though I think I'm going to go with a flower/snowflake motif instead of the caribou.  And Harrison's is the train, of course.

I have a few other projects to finish first, but I could probably cast on and work a little bit on these. Don't you think?