Happy Birthday Boy!!!

This boy, right here, is having a birthday soon...his first! 

And these girls have come into town for the party!

That means this Gramma and Pop Pop will have a very busy weekend, and we could not be happier!

Of course, it also means an insanely busy weekend, so this will be a short post...but it is backed by an abundance of joy!

I hope that your weekend is joy-filled, and that you have something to celebrate.

Thanks for stopping by, and knit in good health!

Family Friends, Faith and Donuts

When I was a little girl, I had some very special friends. One of these lived in my town, but not super close to my house, so a play date meant getting Mom to drive me to her house. On summer and weekend visits, I sometimes snuck my PJs in with my toys, in hopes of extending the visit to a sleepover...the phone call went something like this:

"Mom, can I spend the night at Kathie's house?"

"Well, I'm very busy, and I can't stop right now to bring your pajamas."

"That's ok. I brought my PJs and toothbrush!"

"(stunned silence...)"

In truth, and to be fair to moms everywhere (who are NOT idiots), I am sure she was not stunned after the first couple times. Still, she remained silent for a moment, probably trying to gauge whether the other mom and dad were ok with having that extra kid overnight. 

"Well, if Kathie's parents don't mind..."

"They don't mind! Thanks Mom!!! (click!, before she could change her mind) I can stay!!!"

After some years, Kathie and I even started started referring to our moms as "Mom" and "Other Mom." Our moms were friends, too, and I felt perfectly at home in both houses. It was especially fun when I stayed at Kathie's on a Saturday night, because I got to go to church, and there were donuts after! As a kid, I thought the donuts were one of the best parts of the visit. Looking back, there was something far more important on those Sunday mornings.

I went to church with my mom most Sundays, but at our church, I never felt connected to God. I could get to Him, I was told, if I went through the priest and memorized the right prayers. But Kathie's church is where I first learned about a personal relationship with Jesus. When I finally went in search of that relationship, at the age of 27, it was that kind of church I wanted to be a part of. I am so thankful to Kathie and her parents for loving me and welcoming me into their family, even during my awkward years, helping to build the foundation for my faith today.

Last month, Kathie's dad passed away, and it feels like I've lost a spiritual parent. Her dad was not as involved in our childhood shenanigans as her mom, and I was not particularly close to him, but today I am so appreciative of the man he was...of the way he modeled what a man could be in my life. I am sure that he was not perfect, even though I don't remember witnessing his flaws...but he was a good man, a godly man, and a great example to me. 

Today, Kathie and her family have had one last goodbye to their dad, husband, grandfather, uncle and an all-around great guy. I was able to stop in for visiting hours, and it was great to see and hug them all again. But I know that my visit is just a small part of this day...so I wanted to take a moment here to leave some words of thanks for Kathie's dad, Frank Koci:

Thank you for being committed to Christ and to your family. 

Thank you for sharing your home, your food and your time with me.

Thank you for living your faith in a way that showed me that dads do love Jesus.

Thank you for loving your wife and children, and the extra kids who showed up on Saturday night...PJs in hand.

Thank you for raising a daughter who has loved me through thick and thin, because she learned that love never fails from you.

Thank you for never saying, "What? Pam again? Doesn't that kid have her own home?"

Thank you for taking me to church and being part of my introduction to Jesus.

I suppose it goes without saying that I am also thankful to Kathie's mom, the "other mom" of my childhood, for all of this and for the fun times and good conversations we had in your kitchen through the years. I am a little sad that adults don't pack a set of PJs and plan "impromptu," Saturday-night sleepovers. If we did, I would pick your house...because friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them.

Kathie, Betty, David, Bob, extended family and all of you who have come along since we stopped having sleepovers, I offer my condolences and prayers because I know that Frank will be missed. I also look forward with you to the day when we all get to heaven. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

Blog friends, if you have In-Real-Life friends like Kathie and her family, treasure them and the memories you have made together. And if you do not, may I introduce you to Jesus? He wants you know that he has people here who are just waiting to welcome you into the family, and he is eager to welcome you into a relationship with him. He invited me with donuts and a second family.

Thanks for stopping by, and if you knit, Knit in Good Heath!

November?

When did this happen?

Last week, as far as I know, I was writing something about snowpocolypse and setting goals for my knitting...then I think I took a nap...and now it is November? Just a few weeks ago, I am sure it cannot have been more than that, I was putting away the Christmas tree and starting my January sweater, and now it is time to start planning my next January sweater? When did this happen???

Maybe it was the #MondayswithAiden that made it go so fast. Just last week he was the tiniest, newest member of our family, all baby fat and snuggles, all the time...

...and now he is off and running! 

I mean walking...

No...I mean running!!!

But still snuggling a bit, here and there, too...but there is little recent evidence of this, because I am not good at the art of the selphie. See Exhibit A:

That right there is me not even knowing I was taking a picture, let alone pointing it in the right direction. Luckily, Dollface did not get this gene, and neither did her boy! See Exhibit B:

But I digress...I think I was saying something about how quickly this year is flying by, right? Right. Is it just me, friends? Or are all of you ready for the holidays looming on the horizon with yet another new year just two months away?

Perhaps I should just give in and put up the darn tree! Once I get that out of the way, then I could just knit in peace while I wait...no! Must. Be. Strong. Turkey, then tree. Turkey, then tree. Turkey, then tree. OMGosh! I HAVE TO BUY A TURKEY!!! IT IS NOVEMBER!!! Am I the only one freaking out here?!? 

Wait. I know what to do. I'll knit a monster. Yes, that will help. Pardon me, friends...and welcome to November. I will just be over here, knitting monsters and trying not to lose my mind...how will you be keeping it together?

Whatever works for you, thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Photo evidence that I can selphie...kinda! lol!

Darn Socks

Two things.

Thing one: I knit.

If you know me, even if you have only known me for a short while, you know this. You know that I knit like a fiend, and I am not ashamed. I knit at home, and I knit in public. I knit alone and in a crowd. I knit in meetings, I knit at meals. I knit where it is quiet and where it is loud.

Thing two: I knit socks.

When I started knitting, I really did not like it. I had started with crochet early in my life (my grandmother on my dad's side taught me when I was 10-ish), and I was a master at making yarn bend to my will with a small hook. When I first picked up needles, I was frustrated at my lack of control over the yarn and the fabric. Then...socks. 

One day, I realized that I could knit socks. Just like generations of women (and men) before me, I could make something practical and wearable with yarn...something necessary and also beautiful. I was enamored, and I dove in!

Unlike many generations that have gone before me, I do not have to knit socks in order to have socks. I know this, yet I still knit them. Factory-knit socks are cheaper, easier to launder and readily available around every corner. Still, there is something primal and connected for me about knitting my own socks. I am connected to previous and future generations of sock knitters. I am connected to the story of the yarn, and to the process of choosing and knitting the pattern, just as each stitch is connected with the last and the next. 

That is why I sometimes darn (mend) my hand knit socks. It is not because I am out of yarn and cannot get more. It is not because each pair of socks has its own purpose and must be saved. It is the connection. It is remembering on laundry day that this is yarn that came from a friend who is a local dyer (Jeanne at Destination Yarn). She made this colorway (America the Beautiful) when she was just starting out, and I am so proud of her success and the company she has built! I love wearing spacious skies, amber waves of grain, purple mountain majesties, fruited plains, seas and shining seas...even if they are a teensy bit faded after 10 years of wear and washing!

Every time I wear these socks, I treasure the times I have spent with Jeanne, her family and our knitting group. And every time I take these out of the wash and notice that the heels should be darned again, I just get my needle and yarn ready. I am not ready to give up on this pair, and all the joy it brings me!

All of my hand knit socks, whether knit with hand dyed or commercially colored, hand spun or mass produced yarn...each pair gives me the warm fuzzies when I wear them. And when I run the darning needle and yarn around the stitches that are worn, I also reinforce good memories...hours of entertainment, social interaction and great vibes...even if my hand knit socks never come out of my shoes. Of course, if you ask to see them, I will gladly oblige, and I may even tell you their story. Stop me if you've heard this one...lol!

So yes. I knit, and I knit socks (and sometimes I darn them, too).

Oh, one more thing: Bacon. 

Because...well...bacon!

Happy Saturday, friends! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Some Saturday Mornings

Some Saturday mornings look like this...

...but more of our future Saturday mornings will surely look like this!

Now that Mork and Mindy and the girls live in a neighboring state, I am hoping for a new view on Saturday mornings a little more often. While they lived in Colorado, there was only one visit to their house (although they did manage a trip home a couple times each year). But now we look forward to more regular visits to their house AND more visits for them to Ohio as well! Yay for car trips with knitted toys!

Yay for car trips with knitting!

Yay for pulling up to this house, even after dark, and even if we had to drive through the Friday afternoon rush hour!

But seriously...we think that our next trip will be on a Saturday morning! Hahaha! There were so many delays on this, our first trip to Michigan!

Oh, for the haters: they live here, but they are still Buckeyes! There are some things that are just in the blood...you can take a Buckeye out of Ohio, but you can't take Ohio out of the Buckeye! O-H...!

Where are all my Buckeye friends? 

Now it is time for me to be on to the business of Saturday in Michigan with my granddaughters...what should we do first?

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!