Better....

Hello my friends,

I thank you all for your well wishes and prayers for Dennis.  He seems to be on the road to recovery and has been back to work all week.  He is really tired at night but hopefully that will pass soon.  I'm still not sure if it was the flu or just a particularly nasty virus but I don't wish it on anyone.  Today I'm washing all of the bedding AGAIN in the hottest water I can and on hot in the dryer.  I'm hoping by doing so will kill any lingering germs.

I have to admit, the turning point seemed to be when I started using some essential oils recommended by a friend.  I diffused them and put some on his temples for his headache.  The headache was gone in less than 10 minutes when none of the medication had helped at all.  I think I'm becoming a believer.  After all God gave us plants and the Bible even talks about using them.  I've always thought of it as "ooga-booga" stuff, but hey, if it helps why not try it?

Anyway, life is returning to normal around here.  Dennis started teaching another class of Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey last night at church.  We've been teaching it for about 10 years now and it's amazing the difference getting out of debt makes in people's lives.  I'm also always amazed at the predicaments people get themselves into when talking to the people attending the class.  (Shaking my head.)

Some goodies arrived in the mail this week.  Debra made some lotion bars for my best friend who tried mine and loved it.  She has very sensitive skin and is so grateful for these bars of lotion and soap!  Debra, you are the best with such a huge heart to do this for someone you don't even know in the midst of lots of  "stuff" happening in your own life.  I thank you so much my friend.  I'm sorry the photo is sideways.  I tried to correct it but it keeps turning it back to this view.

 And then I won this beautiful skein of yarn from Kim Napier at Napier's Knits and it arrived Monday.  Isn't it beautiful? It is hand-dyed by Kim and is 85% Superwash BFL, 15% nylon. She  called it "Partly Cloudy."

Has anyone wondered what my "mystery project" was in November?  It was a "Portage" sweater for Mandy for Christmas.  She loved mine when I visited in the fall so I made her one for herself out of a blue marled yarn, where mine was a brown marled.  Isn't she beautiful and the sweater fits perfectly.  I think she likes it.  The pockets are a great favorite of both of us.  Piper took this picture a couple of days ago because I forgot to while I was there.  I think she's a budding photographer.

 I finished the "Beautiful Shells" toddler blanket that I started last week.  A free pattern on Ravelry, it's 38 inches square and made with Caron Simply Soft yarn in brown, blue and cream.  This one will also go to the Crisis Nursery.  I wasn't sure about the colors, but really liked the way it turned out.

 I started the Beachcomber shawl that I bought as a kit last fall from Knit Picks.  I don't know why, but I wasn't enjoying the knit much, so I've put it in time out for awhile.  The colors aren't "my" colors and it uses Cot-lin yarn, but I don't know if either of those things were a factor in why I wasn't enjoying it.  I'll drag it out again before too long and give it another try.

 A better picture of the finished object, or at least what it's supposed to look like if I ever finish it.

 I made a pair of mittens last night but still have to finish the thumb on the second pair.  I just couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to finish them.  I've decided I really need to focus on making some mittens for awhile.  I let myself become distracted on making other things and I'm way behind my monthly goal of at least 10 pair a month.

Isn't this cute?  Brad and Piper were at Home Depot last Saturday and she was building a firehouse.  She adores her Daddy.

Last Friday was pajama day at school.  Here she is in the jammies that Papa, (Dennis), bought her while we were there a couple of weeks ago and the Princess Jasmine slippers I bought her when I visited in October.  She is such a sweetie. 

She also came down with a cold yesterday.  She was so worried about Papa last week.  She face-timed with us daily, doctor kit in tow.  She told me I needed to go to the store and buy Papa grapes because it would feel good on his throat and make him better.  Lots of other advice too, all of it good.  You can tell she's been listening to her Mama, the nurse.  The next day she called to see if I had bought grapes! :-)  She didn't forget one word of her advice.  She even had a clipboard that she "wrote" all of her orders on!

We sure love this little girl and I'm sad that she's sick again.  She had the flu when Mandy did a couple of months ago, but there are so many germs out there in pre-school land.

I'm going to make some deviled eggs today for our ladies lunch at church tomorrow.  I made them last month and was surprised at how popular they were, so I'll make them again.

We also have a ladies retreat on Saturday and dinner with friends Saturday night so I'm hoping Dennis continues to improve and that I stay healthy.  I wash my hands A LOT!!!!

I hope you're all well and having a wonderful January.  We've been having a rainy week but that's fine with me.  It's not SNOW and that's a plus in my book!  :-)

I just want to thank you all again for the prayers for Dennis.  I truly believe they helped him recover so quickly.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1

Blessings,
Betsy