Snow!

Happy Tuesday!  When I say it’s been snowing, I’m not kidding. We have had to shovel and/or snow blow every day since Dennis came home on January 4.  Somedays both have been done several times in one day! And as I look out the window it is still coming down right now. I have shoveled twice today and Dennis shoveled before he went to work this morning. I also took the snowblower up and down both sides of the street doing everyone’s sidewalks for the school kids.  Fat lot of good that did! Ha! You can’t even tell where the snowblower went.

This is what it looks like out my patio door right now.

I took this on Sunday as we drove home from church. We have received about 12 more inches at our house since then.

Because I have been stuck inside a lot, I finished all three sweaters for the girls. This is the Olinda pattern in size 4 toddler for Maddie.

This one is a size 6X in the same pattern and it is for Aria.

And this is the “Childs Smocked Cardigan” and it is also a size 4 for Maddie. Dennis took Aria’s sweater to her when he went to Omaha.  Both girls are our great nieces. They are Dennis‘s sister Karen‘s granddaughters.

I wanted to show you my prayer notebook. When I say I’m praying for you, I really am. Your names go in this notebook and I pray for you and whatever you have asked prayers for, both in the morning and at night. It helps me to remember when I actually write your names down and what specifically I’m praying for. Then, as I hear updates from you, I can go back in and put a note in the journal. Really, I just wanted you to know that they are not empty words when I say I’m praying. I really am.  I care very much about each one of you.

I was reminded yet again today of how much we don’t know what will happen to us at any given moment. Yesterday I was talking on Facebook with a friend in Omaha that I have known since I was a young teen. Anita was a quadriplegic from a swimming accident when she was a teenager. She was just a year or two older than Dennis and I. As I said, we were chatting back-and-forth yesterday on Facebook Messenger.  When her brother stopped in at the house to check on her late in the afternoon, she was gone. I have no idea what her cause of death was, but when we were chatting a few hours earlier there was certainly no indication of anything being wrong. It was a reminder to me, yet again, that we just never know when we will take our last breath. I need to remember to live my life loving people and telling them how I feel about them every chance I get.

I hope you all do the same. I also hope you are all having a wonderful week, enjoying whatever weather has been given to you and each and every day that you have to live this life we’ve been blessed with.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Psalm 73:26

Blessings,

Betsy

More Sweaters

It is a veritable sweater factory here! I finished knitting the second white sweater. The first one was a size 6X, this one is a size 4 and will be for Maddie. I haven’t washed and blocked it or sewn the buttons on yet, but here is the second sweater.  The pattern is “Childs Smocked Cardigan.”  I’ve had it a long time and I don’t remember where I got this pattern but I think it might have been Ravelry.  Although that sleeve on the right looks longer because of the way the sweater is laying, it is exactly the same length as the left sleeve!  Ha!

This next sweater is called the “Olinda,” and it is a paid for pattern off of Ravelry.  As I started knitting this sweater which is a size 4 for Maddie, I remembered how poorly this pattern was written. After several frogging’s around the armhole, I finally remembered what I needed to do to correct the pattern. Hopefully, when I start Aria’s size 6X it won’t be as much of a struggle.   One sweater is this light lavender color and Aria’s will be a light pink.  I’m going to knit cap sleeves. The pattern gives you options of long sleeves or cap sleeves. Piper has several sweaters in this pattern in various colors and wears them almost constantly. 

A few people asked who Maddie and Aria are. They are Karen‘s little granddaughters and she wanted them to have the sweaters from her. Of course I said I would be happy to make them.

Two more pair of mittens were completed.

Mandy took some photos last week while Dennis was in Omaha. His sister Karen is on the left, then Dennis and his mom.  Mom doesn’t look like she’s 84 does she?

Let’s add Miss Piper into the picture.

And finally, Piper took this picture so Mandy could join them. I think she did a great job.

I have some errands this morning and this afternoon I will go to the retirement home to knit with the ladies there. Tomorrow night is our Bible study Christmas party here at our house and it’s also Dennis’s 64th birthday.  Where does the time go?  Mandy will be 40 on the 20th and I will be 60 on February 1.  Sixty!  Where did that come from? :-)

Dennis had his endoscopy on Monday and he did very well. The doctor said that by just looking, it doesn’t look as though the Barrett’s Esophagus has progressed any since his last endoscopy three years ago.  That is VERY good news. Of course they did biopsies and we have to wait a week or two to find out the results.  

Although it has snowed a few times in the last week, the daytime temperatures have been in the 40s and everything has melted quickly. However, that is supposed to change and change drastically. This weekend we are supposed to get snow. Lots of snow.  And the highs are predicted to be in the single digits next week. Yuck. I was hoping we would get off with an easier than normal winter this year but apparently that is not going to happen.

I hope you are all having a good first full week of 2020.  I’m keeping all of my friends in Australia in my prayers. The fires there sound horrendous.  May God protect everyone, especially the firefighters who are putting their lives in danger daily.

I thought I would share my favorite Bible verse with you today.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Isaiah 40:31

Blessings,

Betsy

Friday, Friday

Hello again.  I’m back quicker than usual.  I keep forgetting to show you all of the beautiful Christmas cards we received this year. I still have them hanging up. I like to enjoy them until sometime around the middle of January and then I’ll take them down and re-read them all again. Thank you to each of you who sent me a card. 

You can also see a few of my angels from my angel collection up on top. Dennis built this shelf above our patio doors for me to display them.

Christmas decorations are gone, I even took down the outside lights yesterday, but my snowmen stay out until around Valentine’s Day.  The card on the right was handmade by Shaz in Australia. Teresa made me the sweet nativity that is next to it in the jar.  It stays on display all year.

The candle was a gift from Alicia for Christmas and smells heavenly. It is lavender and vanilla.  I have only been been lighting it for an hour or so each evening in order to make it last longer.

Another of my snowmen and the cute purple sheep that was also a gift from Teresa. Please excuse the hot pad on the counter. I’m in the process of making my lunch and I didn’t see it there when I took the photo.

More snowman! I adore Olaf from the Frozen movies.

The sweater that Dennis took back with him is a hit! Here is Aria wearing her new sweater and it fits. I believe a lot of you thought it was a baby sweater, but it was actually a toddler size 6X. A lot bigger than a baby sweater!

I have now started working on Maddie’s sweater. This one is a size 5.

Mandy, Papa and Piper went to the zoo yesterday before they went to Grandma’s house. Karen had several doctors appointments in the morning, so they decided to take that opportunity to go to the zoo.  Omaha has an amazing zoo, the Henry Dorley Zoo. If you’re ever there you should check it out. I remember going as a kindergartner in school. We had a zoo pass when our children were small and we used to go several times a week.  It’s so big you can’t see it all in one trip.

Piper received this Lego set for a Frozen II jewelry box from Amazon last week. They have no idea who sent it, it’s a total mystery, but she and Papa had a wonderful time putting it together yesterday. I think this little girl is going to be lost when her Papa comes home tomorrow night.

Sunset last night off of our back deck looking towards Mt. Spokane. Isn’t it gorgeous?

I wasn’t feeling very well when Dennis left Tuesday morning and I sent a download of my pacemaker in to the cardiologist. Imagine my surprise when they called me back very quickly. It usually takes several days to hear back! Apparently my heart rhythm has been a bit wonky and so he adjusted my medications yesterday.  No wonder I was feeling so icky.  I am exhausted today, but I guess that’s part of adjusting to the new dosages. It’s always something isn’t it?

I am so ready for Dennis to come home but I’m  very glad he’s had this time to spend with our family.  This house gets very lonely and quiet with just me and Chloe here. I can’t imagine what it would be like without her here.  I’m wishing you all a wonderful and relaxing weekend.  Do you all have big plans?

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things.”  Psalm 98:1

Blessings,

Betsy