What's on the Needles

• I've taken a few days off work this week and it's been wonderful!! I am supposed to be writing a paper but nothing makes me want to clean and knit like having a paper to write...so some of the chaos has been de-cluttered AND I started a new knitting project, an Eyelet Cardigan. I saw the finished item at Alliknits.blogspot.com and thought it would look great on my sweet Celeste (aka DD). I ordered the pattern and yarn from loop--GREAT service by the way...it was here two days after I ordered it--packed in beautiful blue tissue paper with a hand written note on the receipt. The pattern and yarn is by Blue Sky Alpacas and I have loved knitting with it on my beloved Addi turbo circular size 7s (okay, well these particular needles are on loan from my best-est friend Julie...but we do that with our Addi's--and by the way, Jules, I'm still not convinced you have my 10.5s.) The color is called toffee.

• I started out knitting it as a surprise present for cutie-pie to take back to college with her but I couldn't stand not talking about it with her when she asked me what I was doing. But, it might still mostly be a surprise cuz I don't know that she really looks at my blog all that often :-)

• Now, here's the deal about my knitting something for somebody...I think about that person the whole time I work on the item, I pray for them and imagine their life right now and in the future. By the time I have knitted, assembled, washed and blocked the garment, I have prayed countless prayers and loved them with each stitch I make, so I guess I am passing along a piece of my soul. It's a way of connecting with another person.

• Tomorrow I am having lunch with dear, sweet Emily. She's my daughter's best friend from high school and I have the privilege of having her for a friend, too! I'm looking forward to catching up with what's been happening in her busy, full, productive life. See you tomorrow, Emmy.

• PS--Today is the day the Lamberts left for China to FINALLY meet their son on July 30. You can follow their journey at their adoption website. I am filled with joy and anticipation--this is a new experience for our family--we've never added to it by adoption before; the adoption experience is the perfect picture of what Christ has done for us...think about it!