Thank God for Little Girls

Counting feminine blessings, today.

~Sweet, giggly sleepyheads ever so excited about strawberries, cream, scones and tea and a chance to watch a real live princess walk down the aisle to her prince.

 

~Sighing and smiling and countless requests to watch it again on Youtube.

~A full day of playing wedding, each of them taking turns being the princess bride.

~An evening spent with Mama's and Daddy's wedding album: Mommy looks like a princess, too. And see how Daddy is smiling at her? That's because they love each other.

~Her insistence that they show the album to Daddy when he gets home and that they make him sing all the songs from his wedding.

~Fifteen hand-painted notes for him, stacked on the office desk, awaiting his return.

~The way they refer to themselves as "the girlies." 

~And the way the littlest one refers to the others as "my girlies."

~About a million hair bows.

~The way her hair makes tight ringlets in the rain.

~The way the others love her curls (and wish they had them, too).

~Laundry separated into lights, darks, and pinks.

~Monday ballet afternoons and the outrageous noise level of fifteen giggling, dancing girls.

~And the three little ones all want to grow up to be just like the big sister.

~All five of us knitting together--and teaching Gracie and Mel to knit, too. That way, as Gracie so aptly put it, "We'll all have something to do when we're old."

~Utter delight in the first meal of the season taken out of doors.

~Them begging to go back to  the bluebells.

~Littlest one reaching over all the other pretend cupcakes so that she can have the chocolate pretend cupcake.

~An afternoon of dressing up, posing for the camera, and somehow blurring the line between props and real life, so that they are sure they just had a fancy tea party in the woods.

~The tender care they take of their rather large family of baby dolls.

~The way they don't play "House" (as I did), but they play "Babies" and the favorite game of all, "Babies and Friend Moms."

~Sweet smelling bathtimes, pink fingernails and toenails, rub-rub after the tub.

~Long, curly eyelashes on barely pink cheeks in the glow of the hall light when I kiss them goodnight one more time.

~My heart filled to the brim with my sweet girlies.

{all photos courtesy of the amazing Lori Fowlkes}

Baby Surprise Jacket Knit Along: Ready, Set...

As we get ready to knit together a Baby Surprise Jacket, Elizabeth has put together some answers to frequently asked questions. I've posted those below. Even if you are a new knitter, come and knit with us. If I can do it, anyone can--with Elizabeth to help along.

Let's take a look at questions you may be pondering and see if we can get you off and knitting.

From Elizabeth:

1.  Do I need the whole ABCSJ pattern or will just the Baby Surprise Jacket one do?

The BSJ one is fine, the one from the video (also available at Amazon here) or The Opinionated Knitter or from www.schoolhousepress.com.  But you have to have a pattern.  Meg Swansen, who is Elizabeth Zimmermann's daughter and owner of the copyright, has graciously agreed to support our knitalong, but we can only blog the specific instructions for a couple of tricky little spots... so you need your own pattern.  If you order it from them, and tell them you're doing this knitalong, they are going to do their very best to get your pattern out as fast as they can. We've also just learned that Schoolhouse Press will offer a discount. If you order the DVD for the Baby Surprise Jacket along with the A-B-C-SJ pattern, you will receive a 20% discount (the discount happens when they process your order, not on the order form). 

 

2.  How much yarn do I need?  For what size?

Your mileage may vary, but I looked through my notebooks and got out George's sweaters from the past two years

Sock weight using size 1 needles:  Preemie to very small newborn size (fit Danny at 4 to 5 lbs)  Less than 400 yards

Sock weight using size 3 needles:  newborn size, needed about 400 yards.

DK weight using size 6 needles:  6 - 9 month size, needed 400 yards

Worsted weight using size 8 needles 12 - 18 month size, needed 440 yards

Bulky weight using size 10.5 needles makes toddler size.  Yarn requirement highly variable depending on length of body and sleeves, I dyed 600 yards for mine just in case.

 

For more information about sizes and yarns, there is a wiki on Ravelry with TONS of info on the BSJ.

 

I was reminded yesterday when talking to Mrs. Foss that new knitters might not realize how different life was pre-Ravelry.  It used to be that you had to get on a LONG waiting list to get a spot on Ravelry, and we all checked our numbers every day.  The only place to get comprehensive information on this sweater was the files from the closed knitbabysurprise yahoo group... 

 

3.  What kind of needles do you use? 

It would be darn near impossible to knit this sweater on straight needles.  I use knitpicks harmony interchangeable needles.  For this sweater, it will make life easier near the end if you have a cable 40 inches long or so... otherwise picking up stitches along the fronts gets sort of tight. 

 

4a.  I am a truly beginner knitter.  Can I do this?

YES.  The only two things you really need to know how to do before we start are how to cast on and how to do the knit stitch.  Every other tricky part we will walk you through.  Emily is helping me make youtube videos of things like double decreases and yarnovers.  They are NOT fancy videos.  For example, if you've read the instructions and doing a SKPSSO makes you nervous, here's our  video of how to do that.

 

4b.  To Nancy:  A baby surprise jacket is EASIER than your dishcloths, because to knit the BSJ, you don't even need to know how to purl.  It's also easier because it's bigger, so you don't have to turn your work around so often.  I pray while I knit, and long stretches of uninterrupted knitting are so conducive to peaceful prayer time...

 

5.  What else do I need?

Pattern, yarn, and knitting needles are essential to getting started.  You will also need at least four stitch markers (I use the little solid plastic circle kind), a different color of yarn to mark your right side and your decreases, as well as to hold stitches you're not working on, and a tapestry needle to sew it all up when you're done. 

 

6.  What else?

I have a favor.  Who lives near Ellie at http://fillwithtears.blogspot.com/  ?  She has been unable to knit since her brain tumor surgery, but it sounds from her note in the comments the other day that she thinks she might be able to pick it back up again with some hands on help.  What a blessing that would be!  Can we help her?

Button, button, we've got a button! If you're knitting with us, you are welcome to post this button to your blog.

Here are codes:

Small:

<a href="http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/2011/05/baby-surprise-jacket-knit-along.html" target="_blank">

<img src="http://ebeth.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c543553ef015432080c41970c-pi" width="175" height="100" border="0" alt="Baby Surprise Jacket KnitAlong" /></a>

Large:

<a href="http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/2011/05/baby-surprise-jacket-knit-along.html" target="_blank"<img src="http://ebeth.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c543553ef015432080c41970c-pi" width="400" height="280" border="0" alt="Baby Surprise Jacket KnitAlong" /></a>

If you're going to join us, please leave a comment, and then leave a link as well, so we can find you. (If you don't have a blog, join anyway. You can post pictures to the Flickr group.)

Finally, Elizabeth says that she prays when she knits. When I knit, I pray for Elizabeth. If you're going to knit along with me, won't you please pray along with me, too? I'd be ever so grateful.

 

Divine Mercy Novena: Day Nine

"Today bring to Me the Souls who have become Lukewarm, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: 'Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.' For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy." 

Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.

Celebrating Papa

~Because this letter, written four years ago, is on my heart as we look towards Sunday's beatification. Of course, there was a baby after this one, too. God's generosity exceeds our most fervent prayers.~

 

April 1, 2007

Dear Papa,

I had planned to write a long column this weekend, in time for tomorrow. But the baby was sick and my hands were full, so all the writing I did was in my head.  I planned to write about that sobbing prayer two years ago, when I begged you to intercede for me. And then I'd write about all the little miracles strewn like roses in the days and weeks and months that followed.

Instead, I stayed up all night, dancing with my daughter.  She was feeling poorly and whimpering to be held. I gathered her up out of my bed and swayed with her in the darkness. For hours.  I sang my full repertoire of musicals.  I moved on to old Raffi tunes. I added a little Glory and Praise. And then, I switched to "You Light up my Life."  Her tears ceased and mine fell freely. I settled into the big chair, her head heavy against my chest and I remembered.

I remembered a time two years ago that was dark and sad. I was struggling with depression and so was Mike. Together, we were fumbling in confusion. Recovery from childbirth had been difficult. Recovery from a miscarriage more difficult. A year of infertility following that miscarriage was a year of pain like none I'd ever known. No light. Only darkness.  And on that Friday night, I held an eerie vigil in front of the muted television.

Please God, I don't know what I'll do without my Papa. And yet I know, I know that he is yours; he always was. Morning dawned and the day moved forward and then you were gone. And as naturally as the sobs escaped my throat, my soul begged your intercession. Tell Him, Papa! Please tell Him how sad I am, how much I want a baby, how much Mike needs him. Tell Him, Papa--I know you can.

And you did. Within an hour of that prayer, the answers began to become so clear.  You led us to a different parish. You put people in my path who would insist that I get to know the Little Flower you loved so well, the dear Saint you called a Doctor and by whom you trusted that the fullness of faith could be taught. She and you taught me about Love--Love incarnate, a good and gentle God who understood my pain and stooped to bind my wounds. I re-read all your letters to me. I read her words. Light dawned, love flickered.

Looking back, I should not be surprised that in the months following your death, I pushed by forces greater than me to travel. You were never afraid to travel. I had not been on an airplane in fifteen years. But I flew three times that year. The first time, I went Chicago and visited the shrine of St. Therese and left my petitions there. The last time, I went to Florida at my husband's insistence. We were there for an art gallery opening but we took a day trip to St. Augustine and the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche.  I had a long talk with Our Lady that day. She already knew.I'm sure you told her.

One night, nine months after you died, my husband lit a candle in a church where you once celebrated Mass, in the presence of your relics. And then, our wait for a baby was over and yet it had begun. For nine more months, I was still, love growing inside of me.  I learned to love your favorite prayer and I prayed the rosary with St. Therese, sometimes twenty decades a day, including the five new decades that were your gift to me. All the time, I was almost afraid to believe, almost afraid to think that the light had returned and darkness was dispelled.

Then she was here.  A glorious, beautiful, darling little girl. We call her Karoline Rose. She is a shower of roses, a basket of blessings. She is sweetness and she is light.  As she grows, I will tell her.  I will tell her about her Papa. She will know you and she will be grateful to share your name.

But now, she calls again. Enough remembering. I am living in the present, embracing every moment. I know you're here. I know you see her dear, dimpled chin. I know you watch me kiss her fat little cheeks and I know you smile.

Thank you!

Divine Mercy Novena: Day Eight

"Today bring to Me The Souls Who Are Detained in Purgatory and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only know the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice."

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.

Eternal Father, turn Your most merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.

Image available at Saints Market
Divine Mercy Website