Piecing it All Together

in·tu·i·tion [in-too-ish-uhn, -tyoo-]
–noun 1. direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process; immediate apprehension.

I taught myself to crochet a long time ago. I was inspired by my Granny who crocheted hundreds of afghans in her lifetime. She always had a bucket filled with skeins of yarn beside her recliner and she worked on new blankets while she watched tv. Granny gave me books, patterns, a crochet hook, and yarn. I read, practiced and made a pillow and afghan using some relatively complicated stitches. Then I put the yarn and hooks away in a closet and didn't do it for ten years.

My interest in crocheting was resurrected when I spent time with my two sisters-in-law over a Christmas vacation a year ago. Lisa, my husband's older sister, is an accomplished crocheter who always has a project going and an abundance of yarn. Nicolle, the wife of my husband's younger brother, is an accomplished knitter and was working on baby hats and little girls' sweaters. Nicolle wanted to learn how to crochet Granny Squares, so when Lisa taught her how, I took the lesson too!

It turned out to be so much fun, I couldn't quit. I eventually had enough Granny Squares in various shades of purple, blue, and white, to crochet them together into an lap robe for my daughter, Cameron.



As it turned out, I was able to surprise her with the blanket for graduation, just in time for her to take with her when she moved to Chicago. How did I know that Chicago would be having such a cold and snowy time of it this winter? Mother's intuition....I guess.

Endings and Beginnings

cul·mi·nate (kŭl'mə-nāt') v.
1. To reach the highest point or degree; climax:
2. To come to completion; end:

This year was a year of completion. Three of our five children have completed a part of their academic careers (I realize, technically, we only have four children but I am claiming our daughter-in-law as one of my own).
Cameron, our daughter, started us off. She graduated with honors with a degree in communication and a minor in business from Southwestern College in May. She had a summer job lined up with Music Theater of Wichita and spent a happy summer there. The day after that job ended we left home to take her to the job she had lined up for herself in Chicago. As proud and excited as we are for her, I always have that motherly pang of worry and wish she was closer.
Our daughter-in-law, Bri, completed a second degree in secondary English education in May. Our proudest moment came when, two days before her graduation, she received an offer of a teaching job, which in this time of budget cuts and reductions-in-force, is a rarity. She is learning a lot in her first year of teaching at Junction City Middle School.
That same weekend, the youngest, Spencer, graduated from high school.
The thing about being a parent and seeing one portion of a child's life end could make you sad if you chose to dwell upon it, but the cool thing is, each new phase of life has exciting things to offer as well.
I can't wait to see what happens next!