Helpers

I used to live in Boston, not all that long ago. 2 years ago Boston was home. When I heard about the bombing at the marathon yesterday my thoughts immediately went to those I know and love there. My father, several friends, and many former university classmates. All are safe and sound to my great relief!

In the face of senseless tragedy I think of this quote from Mr. Rogers,

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”


― Fred Rogers

It gives me perspective in talking to my children about tragedy, and for me too it is a reminder that humanity overall is good, very good. I need a reminder of that because my gut reaction is to want to hide away in the woods and shelter my children from the craziness out in this world. But we can't hide, and I won't always be able to shelter my boys ( right now I can filter, but someday I will no longer be able to do that).

So I talk to them about the goodness in others, the helpers who don't hesitate a moment.

We know a helper in Boston. A dear friend of our is a PT at one of Boston's largest hospitals. Yesterday and today she has likely seen tragedy and injury she never expected to see. In the coming days and weeks she will be helping some of the victims heal and rehabilitate.

I want her to know that I'm proud of her, the person she is, and the work she does. If I were injured she is the person I would want by my side. She exudes warmth, love, and a positive attitude.

So I'm dedicating this post to her, because when I talked to my children about helpers last night I talked about her and we all felt better knowing some of the injured were going to have her there to help them.

Thank you dear friend for giving all of us hope in goodness.

Pointed West

Last fall our family made the journey from Rhode Island to Wisconsin, and this spring we will be heading even further west to our new home in..... Colorado!!!!

We are really excited as Colorado has been a recurring idea for us over the years. For my husband it will be returning to a place he never really planned to leave years ago. For the boys and I it will be a brand new place. I visited once a decade ago, but the boys have never been.

We have just over a month to put this all together and then we will be on the road to a new state and a new adventure!

Yarn Along

Joining in with Ginny today on the yarn along http://www.gsheller.com/ .

Today I'm test knitting a pattern for Liz of The Sitting Tree ,http://thesittingtree.blogspot.com/2013/04/clyde-bonnet.html . I'm really excited about this pattern, it looks like it will be the perfect Spring/Summer hat for little Magnus. It took me a little while to figure out the provisional cast on, I kept doubting myself and thinking it looked wrong when I really was doing it correctly the entire time. Ravelry notes: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/vintagegreen13/clyde-bonnet

My wonderful husband ordered me a new book to read this week! http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Homestead-Produce-food-quarter/dp/1603421386  .We feel that we are about 1.5-2 years away from being in a position to purchase our first home, which no matter how much space it ends up having it will promptly be turned into our homestead. I figured while I'm dreaming of our future homestead I might as well educate myself on the actual creation and running of it. So far I am incredibly impressed with this book. It is full of charts, sketches, and tons of information.

Knit rattles

Since Magnus is of course too young for an Easter egg hunt I decided to make him some rattles to celebrate the day.

I used the free knitting pattern from Natural Suburbia.
http://www.naturalsuburbia.com/2012/06/cat-knitting-pattern-and-tutorial.html

Instead of stuffing the cat I put a plastic Easter egg filled with dried beans in the bottom and then filled in the rest with stuffing. The cat came out a bit better than the owl, mostly because I finished up the owl with my left hand while nursing.

A change is in the air

Life is always changing. Seasons turn, children go from pudgy cheeked preschoolers to thinned out elementary aged kids, babies change overnight from tiny and helpless to trying to sit themselves up. A couple gray hairs sneak in where there were none before, we would rather spend a Saturday night at home playing games with our children than out with other adults.

Spring seems to finally be breaking through here in Wisconsin. The sun is stronger, the days longer, and the birds are making their presence known.

I'm ready for whatever this turn of the seasons may bring......

Quiet

I've been feeling quiet. I'm not sure why, maybe it's being ready for a change of season. We keep getting glimpses of spring, it rained all weekend. But the weather can't seem to make up its mind and we've received snow and frigid temperatures again. I know spring will arrive eventually, I'm just so ready for it!

I've also been feeling restless about "home". For so many years we have been dreaming about where our permanent home would be, we knew it wasn't back East but I'm unsure that it is here. Don't get me wrong, there is so much I really like here! Yet, when we look at homes for sale I can't help but be disappointed. The yards are so teeny tiny and to get any space we would have to be too far away from work.

I just can't shake this yearning to have a little homestead. I want chickens and goats. I want to let the kids run around on our property and not have to worry about busy streets. I want us all to know the joy and also the frustration that comes with providing much of our own food. I will always do my best to fit our dreams into wherever we are living, I'm planning our little urban veggie garden for the front steps. I just can't help but feel that this isn't where we should be. As I'm getting older I really need to know where "home" is.

Ultimately home is where my beautiful little family is....I just wish I knew where it would feel right. I feel as though I am as confused as the weather right now...

Boys

Just feeling overwhelmingly lucky to be mom to these three amazing boys!