Knitting Progress

I've been knitting like crazy the last week. I finished Clue 3 of the Chrysopholis Stole on Thursday, just in time to get Clue 4 Friday morning. This is Clue 3. I finished knitting Clue 4 this afternoon, but haven't had time to get my camera out to take a picture. I think by the time the entire design is revealed we're all going to find out that Moni, the designer, has competely outdone herself.

Friday morning I also received Clue 3 of the Secret of the Stole. I knitted like mad and finished it on Saturday afternoon. It's really pretty, but I'm still not sure what the theme will turn out to be. DK, the designer, is giving clues, but I have no idea yet.

After searching for 20 minutes, I finally found my size 3 needles, in my sewing basket of all places, where I should have remembered that I put them a couple of weeks ago when I finished Andi's Horcrux Socks. I decided that I would definitely use my Knit Picks Turquoise Shimmer yarn for the Mystic Waters Shawl. I'm excited to get the first clue in the morning. I'm really looking forward to starting this shawl, the yarn is very yummy.

The kids are out of school tomorrow, so we'll see how knitting goes. It could definitely be interesting if they decide they don't want to behave. They're good kids tho, thank goodness.

Happy Birthday, Sissy!

Today is my beautiful Sissy, Lisa's birthday. I won't say how old she is, but she's younger than I am.

I'm very blessed that we have each other. We haven't always. We met 5 years ago thru our mutual love of the Bee Gees and Barry Gibb. I have to say that I definitely owe Barry a great big hug if I ever get the pleasure of meeting him in person. He's brought a lot of joy into my life with his music and in having a hand in introducing me to Sissy. I gained another Mama and Dad in the package too, and I couldn't be happier to have all of them.

I wasn't lucky enough to get to wish Sissy a Happy Birthday in "person" yet, tho unfortunately I never get to actually see her on her birthday, but I wanted to wish her one here.

She's a very special person and I love her very much. I thank God every single day that He brought her into my life. I've been given something that I've always wanted, a Sister, and my children have been given a beautiful Aunt and another set of Grandparents; and they adore all of them.

I hope and pray that today finds a much needed and prayed for wonderful solution to some problems that they've been having. Please God, give them all the birthday gift that we've all been praying for. In Jesus, most precious name. Amen.

Knitalongs

Am I crazy or what?? I have 3 different knitalongs started, a fourth that starts in 10 days and I joined a fifth one last night. Yes, I must be crazy, but I've discovered lace in the last two months and I absolutely love it. Sometimes the patterns are very intricate and take a lot of concentration and sometimes they're easier, but they're always beautiful.

I'm working on the third clue of the Secret of the Chrysopholis. Here's a picture of the Stole after the first two clues are completed.

This is the Lehmus Shawl that the All Wrapped Up Yahoo group is knitting. I've got almost 6 repeats of the pattern completed so far. I'm working in lace yarn so I'm not sure how many repeats I'll have to complete for it to grow as large as I want it.

I'm also working on the Secret of the Stole. I finished the second clue last night. Here's what it looks like so far.

I've joined the Mystic Waters and Muir Knitalongs. The Mystic Waters doesn't start for 10 days yet, so I'm very anxiously awaiting seeing the first clue. I have the pattern for the Muir, but want to finish the third clue of the SOC before I start.

Wonder if there are any more knitalongs going out there that I might be able to join?? Did I really just say that???

Now I just have to decide which one is for Sissy and which one for Mama. Sissy, help!!!

Good Grief

Good Grief!!! Has it been a month since I posted?? I didn't realize that it had been so long. I've been knitting away like a busy bee, working on scarves for gifts and two mystery stoles from Yahoo groups. One started last week, the Secret of the Chrysopholis and one started yesterday, the Secret of the Stole.

I've finished the first clue for the SOS and it is going to be lovely. It was wonderful to have such a simple first clue compared to the SOC which is very intricate and I have had to tink back rows and rows at a time. It's going to be beautiful when it's finished, if the first and second clues are any indication, but it is time consuming. I'm about 3/4's of the way thru knitting the first clue. I thank both designers for all of the time and talent that they've given the groups.

I'll have to get pictures posted of both taken and posted in the next few days.

Tomorrow is mine and John's 18th anniversary. It's hard to believe that we've been married that long. We have three beautiful children that we're very proud of. Our oldest daughter was our first anniversary present, at least finding out she would be arriving the next June was our first anniversary present. She was a beautiful Father's Day gift for both of her Grandpas.

Our son was born three years later in July, the hottest month we had had in years until this past August, and our youngest daughter was a belated Valentine's Gift three years after that. We've been blessed to have them in our lives and I thank God each and every day for them.

They fight like cats and dogs at times, but all children do. They've caused me to have quite a few gray hairs, too, but I wouldn't change having them in my life for anything. They are wonderful kids who make me very proud to be their Mom.

From the minute that I found out each time that I was pregnant, I was hopelessly, helplessly, head over heels in love with each one of them. Having them placed in my arms when they were born, or a few hours afterwards, as was the case with our oldest, are beautiful moments that I'll never forget.

Looking into their eyes the first time, seeing the trust that they had in me to love, protect and take care of them, took my breath away. God entrusted us with these precious children and I pray that they grow up to be what He wants them to be.

30 Years

30 years ....... seems like a long time, doesn't it? You're right, but yet, it seems like just seconds ago too.

I still remember the phone call. My Grandma's voice asking for my dad. When he took the phone, I knew what he was going to say before he hung up talking to his mom. I had already run into the den and thrown myself on the couch sobbing. I didn't need to hear his words "the old Man's gone" to know that my Grandpa, the Man that for 14 years had been my biggest supporter and my life-sized teddy bear, was dead of a heart attack.

It hadn't been more than a few weeks since he'd been at our house fixing our dishwasher, but now he was gone. His name was Howard, but everyone called him Lawrence, except my Grandma when she was teasing him, then he was Sam. That was an old joke between them that I never heard until long after Grandpa was gone.

Grandpa worked hard to take care of my Grandma and my Dad. He was a train engineer for Norfolk and Western when he retired early because of his health. He built one of the houses that they lived in when my Dad was growing up. Grandpa loved to work with his hands and was happiest when he was being useful to anyone who needed help.

He loved his family and we all knew it. My brother and I were the only grandchildren, tho Grandma and Grandpa would have loved to have more. They seemed to adopt all the kids in their neighborhood as theirs. Grandpa didn't read a lot, but I found out after he died, that the little boy who lived next door would come over quite often and want "Grandpa" to read him a story. My Grandpa always obliged. They sat cuddled together in the big chair or on the couch and Grandpa would read the book over and over to him.

To me, my Grandpa was a hero. I know, most little girls think that their Grandpas are heroes, but even in death, this man was. We'll never know why, but he was on his way to the courthouse when he died. The courthouse for the County we live in isn't far from a park where there are always lots of children playing. Grandpa must have felt something was very wrong. The police when they came to see my Grandma, told her that Grandpa had actually pulled over and parked his car, shutting off the engine, before he slumped over the wheel and died. His car was parked at the park. He could have kept going. The police station was just a few blocks away and they could have helped him, but he didn't. He must not have wanted to risk hurting anyone else, even if he couldn't get help.

I'm very proud to tell people that I'm his granddaughter and I still love teddy bears.

a first post

I know, that's a very original title, sorry about that. I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while now and finally decided to do it.

My name is Cindy. I live in the beautiful town of Vinton with my husband and kids, two beautiful daughters and a handsome son, and our cocker spaniel, Midnight. I love to knit and spend quite a bit of time almost every day knitting. When I figure out how to post pictures, I'll post some of the projects that I have on my needles right now.

Along with my kids and husband, I'm very blessed to have a beautiful Sister, hence the name of my blog. Her name is Lisa and she lives in Memphis. She is a wonderful Gift that God brought into my life just about 5 years ago, thru our mutual love of the Bee Gees' music. I hope to be able to thank Barry Gibb one of these days for helping God to bring her into my life. I gained a wonderful Mama and Dad when I met Lisa, too.

I don't always promise to stay "on topic" as some people might want, but hey, it's my blog and I can post whatever I want, be it family, knitting news, my love of the Bee Gees, Carman, or something that's happened that I want to tell you about. You might read prayer requests here or praises. I can't promise you won't be reading about Jesus or the Bible, and if that offends you, that's alright, you have the right to be offended, but I won't promise not to speak of our Lord when I feel led to. I'm very blessed that He saved me years ago and I thank Him for that every single day.

Please remember John 3:16 today and thank Him for His many blessings.