Whew!

I cannot believe that it is almost the end of October.  It was a crazy month–visitors, tons of writing and knitting, ballet and swimming classes for the girls, lia sophia parties, and now, Halloween.  It’s no wonder we’re ending the month a bit under the weather, what with all we’ve done.  Erica had a cough, which she promptly gave to me, and it mutated into a fevered variation by the time Samantha caught it.  Sigh.

But, November is going to bring with it a whole new set of excitement–and hopefully, a healthy household to go along with it.  I have SIX lia sophia parties this month, which is awesome.  I have a monetary goal in mind that may be a bit ambitious, but I’m hoping it works out.  Cross your fingers! 

Not only that, but we’ll still have ballet lessons for Samantha and swimming classes for Erica. They are both just too cute!

We’re also planning on a few fun activities for Thanksgiving week–our first Thanksgiving in the states since 2005!  It’ll be weird to be surrounded by people who actually celebrate this holiday!  Of course, we’ll miss our traditions–inviting our British neighbors over, the girls having school in the morning, and picking up the fresh turkey from the butcher (and running any additional errands) that day because everything is still open.  But, we’re excited to be surrounded by family.

It’s going to be another fast month…isn’t it?

And on that note, take a look at how big baby Jessica is getting!

 

The Sniffles.

The sniffles…the girls have them.  Poor things.  Luckily, I have (miraculously) wound up with two girls who handle getting sick pretty well, and they are simply getting on with life and ignoring their colds.  I am fairly certain that they did not get this from me.

Of course, Marcus and I have them too–not from a cold or the weather, but because Anne and Phil’s time with us is up.  They left yesterday for a few days in NYC before they’ll return to the UK on Saturday.  We are both really, really sad to see them go.  Marcus and I were talking last night about how we would have liked to have met them earlier on in our stay overseas…but of course, we can’t go back.

We had a great time while they were here though!  We took them to Deep Creek, where we hiked and generally just hung out and relaxed.  They saw downtown Annapolis as it prepared for the boat show.  They got to play with the girls (they’re exhausted now, by the way).  Anne and I knitted, and Marcus and Phil played video games.

And when they left, Marcus commented about how we’ll really have to try to get me out there next year…so at least that’s something.

Cheers, Anne and Phil!  We miss you already!

 

Hum-drum…

Well, Marcus is back at work for his first full week this week, and that means we’re  slowly getting back into routines here at home.  Of course, they’re new routines, but they’re routine, nonetheless.  There are two more weeks until the girls start school, so that still leaves the three of us with some lazy summer days to fill up with friends, family, and activities.

With routine brings my old insecurities, and I worry about my depression rearing its ugly head.  But I know that one of the best things I can always do for myself is to keep busy.  This illness can be a vicious cycle, and the less I do, the less I want to do.  So we’ve a full schedule over the next few weeks.

In addition to the things the girls and I have to keep our days busy, I’m keeping my “free” time pretty booked up, too.  I’ve started selling lia sophia jewelry, which I am really excited about.  Not only does it bring in a great part-time income, but I can work when I want and sell a product that I really love.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

Then, when I can, I also fit in my writing.  I’m still in waiting mode on my second query, which quoted 4-6 weeks wait time for a response.  After that, I have a lead with an Catholic editor who may be able to offer some help, so I’ll turn to her next.

In addition, my web writing business has been booming lately, with pieces for Associated Content and plenty of their partner websites, too.  The money I bring in monthly from them, plus the money I have started to bring in from lia sophia, should be enough to send the girls to nursery every month and give a chunk to secondary loan we have out.

I do feel good, knowing that I am contributing to my family both monetarily and in my care of the girls and the house…which surprisingly, is fairly clean at the moment!

So, though we’re getting into our routine, I suppose you could hardly call our busy days “hum-drum”…

 

Baby, oh Baby.

Marcus has insisted that I can’t buy anymore yarn (except for my ESK Malabrigo Projects Club that comes monthly) until I finish his sweater.

Therefore, I’ve had to resort to stashdiving.  It isn’t an impossible task–there’s plenty of yarn in there.  Some earmarked for large projects (6 skeins of while Malabrigo Silky for a shrug, 9 skeins I bought as a going-away purchase from Sheepish, set to be Catriona when I lose my baby weight, etc), plenty waiting to become a pair of socks, and some drifting aimlessly, sans purpose.

So, I’ve been using up odd-balls and single skeins on baby gear!  It’s quick, rewarding, and absolutely adorable.  I really should have started to knit baby things sooner.

I’ve knitted a handful of hats, earmarked for no particular baby.  I’m super excited to have so many other friends and family members pregnant right now!

Baby Hats, Artyarns Supermerino, Scraps

Then I started with my first baby sweater, from 101 Designer One Skein Wonders.  It still needs seaming, but I adore it.

Cascade 220 Heathers, Peony Heather

And then I also knit my first EZ pattern from the Knitter’s Almanac, the Baby Sweater on Two Needles (or, the February Baby Sweater).

February Baby Sweater, Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted, Whisper

The first is for our baby–yep, our third girl.  The second is for a friend’s first daughter.

Now…what baby stuff can I knit next?

 

What I Love About Sundays

Even after we purchased the AFN, American football on Sundays was one of the things I missed most living overseas.  Even during years when I didn’t know all the players names, positions, or teams, there was nothing I loved better than sitting down on the couch and being able to catch the Redskins game.  Something about the tradition of it all was what I ached for, so even when I stayed up late to watch a game, it just wasn’t quite the same.

So we found new Sunday traditions.  Thanks to Anne and Phil, we became huge fans of the Sunday Roast–a nice, big, mid-day meal and the company of good friends, followed by desserts, tea and coffee, and (when Anne was around) a knit and natter.

Back in America now, we managed to blend the two, quite nicely, if I do say so myself.  Following a nice big Sunday roast, the girls had their first, impromptu football practice thanks to Uncle Andrew!

Maybe you can go home again, after all.

 

The Power of Handknits

I wonder if people who don’t knit, or those who have never been knitted for, can truly appreciate the power of a handknit item.

Power, they might wonder?  What power is there in something handmade?  It’s just knitting, after all.

Oh, there’s power, alright.

When this arrived in the mail from my best friend Anne last week, the powerful part was that, with an ocean between us, I could picture her sitting on the couch knitting it in our last weeks together.  There was power in the fact that when I put it on, I could practically smell her living room in her house in England, where I’ve knit thousands of stitches with my best friend.  There is power in the fact that when I put it on, I feel closer to her.  And since I miss her so much, that’s a pretty awesome feat.

The Tilted Duster, from Anne

The power is also present in the fact that my mother can’t keep her darned hands off the thing…having developed a love for all things handknit, but no desire to knit them herself, she has resorted to thievery.

Mom in MY Tilted Duster

I tell you…those handknits are powerful.

 

You Can’t Go Home Again

I suppose you can. I mean, here we are. Home again.

But though I’m happy to be here, glad to be with family, and excited about our new house, coming home again entails so much more than I ever expected.

Part of the situation is, of course, that we are in a state of flux. Marcus isn’t home yet, we aren’t living in our house yet, and our things aren’t here yet. But all that aside, it’s amazing how hard it can be to move, even moving home, after three years somewhere.

I miss my friends in England, our house, our schedule and routine, everything. I miss my knitting group, grabbing the girls from school and heading to Anne’s for tea, and even knowing where to shop for the things I want and where they’ll be in the store.

Some of this is going to take time. And I know I can’t even really expect that clock to start ticking until Marcus is home and we’re moved in.

It’s so funny, because you get so much support when you move overseas–sponsors, meetings, support groups, newsletters…and even then it wasn’t always enough.

But when you move home, you’re coming home, and the support isn’t there. But it’s just as hard as the first move.

I know it will all fall into place, and that this was the right decision for me and for my family. But it’s still an adjustment. It’s still hard. And we’re still working at it…

 

Going to the Chapel!

My sister and Andrew finally tied the knot this weekend!  We’ve been a bit busy here with the preparations, hence the lack of blogging recently.  But every tiny detail was worth it to see my sister as a beautiful bride, to see Andrew’s face as she walked down the aisle, and to see two of my best friends become man and wife.  It really was an incredible day, which I know was just the beginning of a lifetime of happiness for them both…

 

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Better known as the details.  I’m watching the details pile up right now as we get ready for my sister’s wedding on Saturday.  She and her fiance (and my mother) seem to be handling the small stuff quite well, and I’m impressed by how cool, calm, and collected they appear (especially for a family that has issues with stress and anxiety).

There’s a plethora of small stuff going on for us right now, too.  Some is related to our move, some to the girls, some to my knitting and some just to the ups and downs of life.

I’m trying to take it all in stride, though that isn’t always my strong suit.  As a result of failed attempts, I snapped at my sister on Friday, and on Saturday night I had a mini-breakdown while I was getting the girls to bed.  I know it has to do with a change in my medication, as well as all the regular life stresses that are going on right now.  Marcus is, as always, incredibly supportive and helpful, and that’s why I know I’ll manage to pull it all back in and get back on top of life soon enough.

As for the details (which I know many of you nosies are curious about), here’s the abbreviated version:

1.  Samantha has strep throat, in the midst of wedding planning.  We also have no doctor yet in Annapolis.  She is, thankfully, on the mend now.

2.  I’m working on Kiki’s garter for the wedding.  Please don’t ask me why I have left this until the last minute when they’ve been engaged since February 2008.  However, I am making real progress now, and am about 1/2 way done.

3.  We’ve been digging the Washington Capitals and their games, managing to hit a few at the Verizon Center courtesy of my dad and his company’s suite.  It’s involved a bit of juggling with the girls, and we have not managed to attend as a group yet (meaning me, Marcus, Kiki, and Andrew).  I’m hoping for a long series again, so we can have another go at it.

4.  We whisked Kiki off to Atlantic City for her Bachelorette Party last weekend.  There were a few kinks (when aren’t there a few kinks when 9 girls are involved), but for the most part, the weekend was a huge success.

5.  I’m a little bit homesick for England–our routine, our schedule, and our friends.  I was especially bummed to read yesterday on Twitter that Anne and Sue were sitting in Anne’s garden drinking wine, something that could (should) easily be my routine on a sunny Saturday afternoon…sigh.  But I know that they are still there, that we are still friends, and that my life here will fall into it’s own groove soon enough.

6.  I’m really excited because I heard back from a magazine that I queried an article idea to in early April, and they are actually interested and like the idea of a whole regular column.  I spent yesterday finding decent writing samples to share with them, and I’m incredibly nervous.  My first, non-web based freelance writing.  Woo-hoo!

So, if anything, I suppose we should toast to the small stuff, right?

 

Settling Down

We’ve been back in America for a week now. Putting aside Sam’s cold and fever, the return home has been pretty uneventful. It still feels a bit like a vacation, rather than a transcontinental move, and I suspect that will be the case until Marcus is here for good, and we’re moved into the new house. But vacation a nice, too, so no complaints here.

I’m slowly resuming knitting, and to that end, am attending a local knitting group today. My writing has been slow going, but it’s there.

So we’re settling in, settling down, slowly, but surely.