Phew~

Am I glad last week's over!

We got word early Weds. am that Hunter's grandfather had died during the night. He was 94 & was a truly remarkable man. He was such a positive influence on Hunter after his father died & I'm glad that Hunter has those memories of doing special things w/ his grandfather & grandmother.

We drove up to VA on Thurs., Friday morning was spent picking up things we forgot to pack & Hunter going to his granfather's house to see his aunt & her family & get more info about the funeral & the will, lunch w/ Hunter's family & Friday night was the wake, Saturday the funeral, interment & luncheon. Saturday night MIL & FIL had their neighbors over for dinner & Sunday we had a family lunch with his grandmother (other side of the family). Sunday night his parents watched the wiggly one so we could go out to dinner---just the 2 of us. Monday I had a "ladies lunch" with MIL & her mother & a family dinner Monday night w/ MIL, FIL, grandmother & BIL. We left for GA on Tuesday.

We were making great time on the way home only to be caught up in a traffic jam that had 85S closed from exists 61-64. We were lucky that we weren't too far ahead of schedule otherwise we would have been right behind the accident & Hunter would have had to gotten out to help (He's a combat experienced medic as well as an EMT). It was bad enough that we took almost 2 hrs to go a mile & a half to be detoured off the highway. We should have been home at 630 but instead got in at 915. We were all beyond exhausted.

Weds we sent Bets to school & Hunter & I got his stuff together to go to the field. He's gone for about a week so we're having a girls weekend here.

Today we went to Monkey Joes w/ the MOMS club & had a blast! Bets loves going there & climbing up all the jumperoos!

Tomorrow we're going for coffee w/ friends & then some shopping. I have some laundry to get done this weekend too.

I did get 2 baby blankets done & 3 spa cloths this week. Tomorrow I'm going to start another sweater for Bets & hopefully get my socks done sometime!

Monday Monday. . .

I finished the sweater I started last week for the wiggly one. It's a variation on the LB 7 Seas Baby set. I used the LB Microspun in lilac doublestranded but due to poor color selection at the stores here in town I decided to make it in a solid color. When I finished it on Saturday (sewed the buttons on & finished the left front, buttonholes etc) she giggled as I put it on her! It'll be perfect for the poor excuse of a winter we have down here. Watch---this will be the year we get snow! Hey, a girl can dream, right?!

I also have my International Tote Exchange II bag done. I just need to attach the strap & see about whether the bottom needs additonal support (plastic needlepoint canvas!). I have a few extra goodies for my partner & will get the bag ready to go out next week.

I'm also working on baby items for my friend Tara who is due in a couple months. Her hubby is due to be home on R & R from Afghanistan in a couple weeks---I'm so happy for them! I know how hard this deployment has been on them (it's their first) . So far I have a baby kimono, coordinating hat & a washcloth for her. I have 2 bibs but they're in pink & purple & the other items I've made are in pink, orange & yellow & it hit me how cute it would be if I made everything to coordinate (like w/ Shannon's from a couple posts ago) rather than just in traditional girly colors.

This week is going to be hectic (when do I have one that isn't?!)---today is mallwalk, tomorrow the wiggly one goes to school & in the evening I have the vendor sale for the Just4Kidz consignment sale. Weds is the MOMS Exec Bd Meeting, Friday we have a function to go to & get Hunter ready to go to the field for a week-10 days.

The funny thing about field time is that for me, a week is nothing. It's time to watch the girly movies that your husband wont watch, fix things for dinner that he won't eat (shrimp scampi!) & time to catch up w/ your girlfriends. I guess after a year apart & 2 back to back 6 month deployments a week really is nothing!

Off to fix breakfast for the wiggly one before we get ready for mallwalk!

Plug for my pal!

My friend & knitting guru Deb has a pattern in the new Knitty issue!!

http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/PATTdiamante.html

Way to go Deb!!!!

The blog where we get all deep. . .

How stinkin' cute is this set? It's for one of the girls in my MOMS group who is having a little boy next month. I'm still toying with the idea of making matching pants. *note to self---dig out pants from the wiggly one's 0-3 month clothes to use as prototype. I swear, I dont think I've used any of my knitting books the way I've used Mason Dixon Knitting!


I had a wonderful weekend & birthday thanks to my wonderful husband, friends & family. Friday we had a MOMS event (made Grandparent's Day posters for the residents of a local nursing home) & had lunch (and wonderful conversation) with 3 of my friends. It was so nice to just sit & visit!


Friday night Hunter, the wiggly one & I went out to dinner & ice cream. There is something yummy about med-rare Prime Rib. Tender, yummy bloody meeeeaaaat! LOL

Saturday & Sunday we spent the days shopping, playing w/ Libby & Bets, & just enjoying the fact that Hunter is home!

Monday the phone rang almost non-stop with people calling to wish me a happy birthday. It was already happier than last year since I wasn't bringing Hunter back to the airport b/c his R & R was over!

I scored big on the $$ front from Mom & Dad, MIL & FIL & Hunter's grandmother! Woo Hoo! I bought a new remote for my car & have appointments for a facial & haircut & will do the walk in thing for a pedicure. And yes, I DID buy yarn as well LOL!

The night before my birthday I was reminded of the eve of my 29th birthday. I was living on Beacon Hill in Boston, was getting married to my ex in less than a year & was a makeup artist at a great cosmetics counter in Cambridge. I had a great circle of friends & on the outside everything looked perfect.

Yet I spent that night in tears. I was evaluating where I was in my life & where I wanted to be & I felt like a failure. I couldn't figure out why but something wasn't right & my birthday was sad as a result. True I did do things with friends & everyone made me feel special on my day but something wasn't right.

Such a far cry from the eve of this last birthday. I realized how truly happy & blessed I am. I have a caring, loving, respectful (how many people can say THAT one?!) husband. We went through hell to be with one another & have been through a lot more than most couples & I can honestly say I still love (and respect!) him as much as the day I married him.

I have a beautiful, smart, sweet, fiesty & above all, healthy! little girl who is the light of my eye. She makes me want to be a better person & inspires me daily.

I have a dog who is the epitome of "man's best friend"---without her companionship OIF1 would have been even harder than it was.

I have a wonderful family that I will NEVER take for granted no matter how many miles are between us. My brothers are remarkable men & I am proud to be their little sister----just as I was when they were in high school & I was in awe of them. My parents? If I can be half as good as a mother to Betsy as my own mother was to me then I'll be batting 1000. My father & I butted heads on so many things when I was growing up & it's because we are so much alike. I respect & love him so much & am lucky he is my Daddy.

My friends have been a tremendous source of love & support---both old & new friends. I love how I can get together with my girlfriends back home & it seems as though we've never been apart. Being an Army wife has taught me to treasure your friends--both new & old as you never know when someone will PCS. The friends I've made since moving here are so dear to me. They've laughed with me, cried with me & held my hand when times were rough. They've been though the things I've been through & they understand.

When I worked for Lancome in Boston I had the pleasure of working with a woman named Mary. We joked she was my "Boston Mom" as I fell inbetween her 2 girls agewise & my own Mom was miles away. Mary was kind, funny & had her beliefs about how things should be. When I turned 29 & was bemoaning leaving my 20's & how 30 seemed soooooooooo old she told me that her 30's were truly the best time of her life. She knew who she was, she knew what she wanted & what she didn't & wasn't afraid to say so. I've taken those words with me for the last few plus years & it's been VERY true. I have loved my 30's. LOVED. THEM. Like Mary, I learned who I was, what I wanted & what I had to do to get it. I learned that not everyone is going to like me & that's okay. I learned that I'm not going to like everyone & that too, is okay.


Well, enough of the deep introspection! I'm off to get the wee one into the bathtub.