I Think I Need A 12-Step Program ASAP

This is my stash. Completely covering my queen size bed.

I wonder if there is a local chapter of Yarn Whores Anonymous?

Funky cotton. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but it makes me think of saddle shoes and poodle skirts for some reason. Just too fun to leave in the store.

Generally I never buy this brand. It's itchy. However, my 10-year-old wanted to crochet a hat and scarf out of it so I have 3 skeins. After one brief attempt on his part, this has been added to my project list.

Some actual wool. The pink/brown was for Granola Heather. The off-white tweedy one was made into a natural-fiber, non-girly wrap for Dr. Kristin. It had that nice turquoise as trim. The purple is as yet unassigned, but it will have that dark (blue/burgundy/brown/purple) varigated with it. The two little skeins are a soooo soft merino wool blend for Granola Heather to make me a hat or two for my soon-to-be-bald head. I really dislike pastels; I need color!

Micheal's was having a yarn sale and I found these lushy varigateds. I love the one on the lower left; it feels like summer. The pink one might end up for my grandma. She likes pink.

Yarn sale strikes again. Nice purple and a green to go with above-summery-varigated.

Caron Simply Soft. Totally acrylic (fake/man-made) but really soft. What do you think... plain pink or varigated for Grandma? I have a striped pattern that is going to be so awesome with these vibrant colors. My mom got a birthday shawl in that turquoise with black accent.

Yes, I'm sorry to say, that is Vanna White. Vanna's Choice. Works up well and those one-color-with-white mixtures are really pretty. Again, black for accent. Really makes the other colors "POP."

And my homespun collection. The ones in the top row have all been "shawled" already, as has the second from the left. I had a request for another one in that gold-blend so I had to get some more. Personally, I think it's kind of ugly, but the woman I gave it to loves it and her co-worker liked it so much she asked for one in the same color. To each their own I guess. I love the others though.

And somewhere is a plastic bag with some BEAUTIFUL blue varigated that I splurged on last week... just for me....

Now, if only I could find it...

Shawl #20 was handed out today. It was the red homespun with some of that lighter red varigated on the edges. It made a few people smile. God is good.

The Power of Yarn and Prayer

In January, I started to get the mid-winter blahs so I decided I needed a project. I work with elderly people, many of whom are in wheelchairs and many of whom are always chilly... so I thought I would find a shawl pattern and crochet some shawls for my old ladies, and maybe one for myself.

On a tip from my yarn-whore friend, I found this really pretty, FREE shawl pattern on Ravelry.com. It's called "The All-Shawl."

(I suggest this free site for anyone who likes to make stuff from yarn - lots of free patterns.)

This is mine. It was the 4th one I made, I think.

I loved the yarn and couldn't give it away.

I made it extra wide so I can really wrap up in it.

It is 75% acrylic and 25% wool; warm but washable.

Then I bought some yarn... ok lots of yarn. And then a pamphlet with a few other patterns, including the cute ruffley thing below. I'm a bit of a compulsive shopper. This lovely green one is for Lisa.

Soon after the pattern and yarn binge... before I even had a chance to start to crochet... I found my lump. And I began to crochet. And crochet. And crochet.

{My list is now on the sidebar... Holy Cow! 19 & counting...

Even I didn't realize I had made that many.}

Sometimes I had a person in mind when I started a shawl and sometimes I decide who it's for when it's finished, usually because of a moment of inspiration that points me to a specific person. I have really been blessed by this.

I have been aware from the beginning of this rollercoaster that I had the prayers of many blanketing me. But last week, I got tangible evidence of this. A few of my "sisters" showed up at my house one evening to deliver this...

It is literally my very own "Prayer Blanket." You see, my dear friends had been getting together since around Valentine's day, praying and knitting and crocheting for me. Each sister made a piece or two and then they put it together to make this lovely afghan. So now when I go to my chemo treatments or anytime, anywhere else I need a little extra warmth, I have the love and prayers of powerful, faith-filled women to wrap up in.

The day after I got this blanket was a hard day. I wrapped up in my prayer blanket and had a deep-sleep power-nap.

A little island of tranquility in an otherwise teary day, which is nothing short of a miracle.

Never underestimate the power of yarn and prayer.

God is good.

PS... I take requests. I just need a color choice and a place to send it.

Innocence Lost, Part II and a bit of "Mom"ism

The boy involved in this incident confessed to police last night. Not only did he confess to the incident with one girl, but also "numerous other girls." He is now facing multiple felony counts of sexual assault to a child. He will be 18 very soon; what a way to start your adulthood.

How do our young people become SO LOST that they lose all sense of right and wrong?

I am pretty right-wing conservative. I take some flack for that in the contemporary world, but I make no apologies for it.

I absolutely do not support homosexuality as a birthright, but consider it absolutely A CHOICE. This boy's mother made the choice to become involved with a live-in same-sex partner after being divorced from his father. What kind of example does that set for an adolescent boy... anything goes? How can we possibly expect children to grow up with any sense of appropriate sexual behavior when adults in their lives model deviancy?

I would also guarantee that this boy was exposed to/familiar with pornography. You don't go from A to Z without steps in between... or a "slippery slope," to coin my husbands favorite phrase in regards to all those little gray areas: r-rated movies, TV shows with raunchy humor, magazine covers that idolize that party-girl image... even Disney cartoons are full of inuendo and exceptionally skinny women in skimpy costumes.

I think that as the mother of a teenage boy, I am more conscious of these things than I have ever been. He thinks he needs a girlfriend to fit in. I guess he's a lot like me at that age... which scares me, because I was really messed up, and nobody realized it.

By the way, to all you not-yet moms or young moms...

the 2 curses of your mother's really do work...

1) I hope you have a child just like you...

It works because you find little bits or big bits of yourself in all your kids

&

2) As a kid you say, "I'm never going to do blah-blah-blah like my mom....

but you find her words coming out of your mouth...

and then you slap your hand over your mouth in astonishment and think

I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST SAID THAT!!!

My Corner

My dear friend who gave me the words for "taking care of my corner" needs prayer.

Her husband (who is also my Bubba's guitar inspiration) was just diagnosed with stage 2 prostate cancer. He has a bone scan sceduled for Friday to see if it has spread to his pelvic bone. They will then play the waiting game until after Easter to get the results; after that, they decide on a treatment plan.

Please pray for them. They are the Music Makers.