Tormented Knitting. . .

After last week's fun-times in polymer clay, this weekend is looking a little more somber in Pretty-ville. Not to worry anyone, but Pretty has been feeling a bit tormented, and her heart is just a-drift in a sea of emotion. . .so she cast on something in blue to get her through the weekend:

Drift cardigan in Lamb's Pride Worsted, Tormented Teal colorway. . .

I even tried to lift my spirits up by their bootstraps, casting on some instant gratification projects, like this little pouch for me to keep in the shower with my leftover bits o'soap tucked inside to be all used up:

Peaches and Cream yarn, stitch pattern from this cloth

Then there are these little cuties! Leftover sock yarn made into tiny socks for key chains, or just for fun. They're barely big enough to go onto my index finger, and I am thinking that they would make great Christmas ornaments (if I were to get my knitting-tush in gear and make like a gazillion of them before the tree goes up)!

Just a basic sock pattern, cast on 20sts, top-down

Of course, thinking about Christmas is sure to lift a Pretty's spirits! But thinking about Christmas also makes me think of the thing that is the (whisper it now) S-N-O-W...and that does NOT usually lift Pretty's spirits! Of course, any excuse for a new, lace scarf does lift the spirits, so I guess this was also a good project to work on a bit this week!

Mirabelle in hand-dyed yarn from Cozy Spirit on Etsy

Still, you may be wondering what has Pretty a little down-in-the-needles today. . .and this is it: Army Boy is still in the Army, and the Army is still sending Boys (and Girls) waaayyyyy far away from their families in service to their country. It's Army Boy's turn again in the very near future, and I am sad that I will not see a sight like this for many months:

Peanut loves her Daddy.

I am proud of my son's choice to be a member of the military, to defend the country where he was raised in freedom and wealth, without worry (in general) about his safety and health. I am thankful that we live in the age of accessible Internet, Skype, Facebook and Blogging. I am happy that we will be able to regularly keep in touch with just a few strokes of the keyboard on many days. But, just as Hurricane Irene weeps over the east coast of this great land, I have shed a tear or two in preparation for his departure, and I am sure that I will shed a few more in the coming days and months of his deployment.

To ease the heartache a bit (both mine and theirs, I hope), I have stuffed into these two tiny socks some photos of this beautiful family. My hope is that Army Boy, Wifey-Poo and Peanut will all be able to look at these photos regularly, wherever they are. I hope that they will smile at the memories of the first few months of their lives as parents, and I hope that they will grin in anticipation of their sweet times of reunion.

There's a little prayer in there, too.

All in all, this is not as bad as it could be. We will miss him, and he will miss his lovely wife and daughter, but I keep reminding myself how much God loves my Army Boy. Oh, how he loves us! And, if God loves him (and us) with such immeasurable love, then I have to trust that He will be watching over it all. . .holding us up when we need the support, and rejoicing with us at the reunions when they come.

So, don't be sad for Pretty. Say a prayer, if you are the praying kind, and take every opportunity to laugh and knit with Pretty! Life is for living, and I am glad that I can share it with you. :)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!