The Christmas Prayer

Today, I went to my in-laws house. It was the second visit of this type. Not an "in anticipation" of Christmas visit. No. It was a vigil. A bedside vigil the Hardyman's have been holding for the past few days for Grandpa.

You see, he was released from Hospice on Dec 14th because he didn't "meet the criteria". For the last 10 days, Grandpa has rested peacefully at his daughter and son-in-law's house.

I prayed and oh, I prayed. A wish went from my heart to our God. "Please, Lord, let him stay for one last Christmas."

Maybe it was a selfish request. I don't know. I do know that Grandpa lived his life in the ebb and flow of family. I suspect Grandpa's heart is tied so intrinsically with those of his family, he has stayed for Christmas.

As I looked upon his face today, the deep gasping breaths, the body shrunk beneath the covers, it was in his face, in his eyes, maybe the heart was warring with the body that had decided that enough was enough...I don't know.

All I do know is that I saw Grandpa's past collide with my husband's future. A legacy of loyalty to family, a heart so giving, a strength of will to live.

So, I sit here 1.5 hours till midnight on Christmas Eve blogging because I've sent my husband to his last goodbye to his Grandpa. A Grandpa who I love so much my heart hurts. The nurse says it will be soon.

A night of Santa intermingled with a night of grief. I don't know what to do with myself. The house is quiet, kids are snuggled down, cats sleeping beneath the tree, Puppy snuggle away, rabbits flopping...

To you and yours, have a blessed Christmas.

CNC projects: Grandpa

Many years ago, Jon spent an entire high school semester painting a mural on the weight room walls with fellow student. The fellow student was another girl. Later, I saw Jon driving out the parking lot with the girl in the middle seat of the truck cab. At that moment I felt a twinge of "I want to be in the middle seat of that truck with him."

I can't define what, why, or when Jon came on the radar of my high school crushes. But the artistic side of Jon has always fascinated me. Maybe that twinge was because I wanted to share creative, artistic with a guy. All the guys were hung up on football, drinking and being bullies in the hallways or groping the girls in the hallway during my high school years. Maybe Jon captured me a bit with that mural on the weight room wall.

Many years later, Jon's aunt commented after seeing my first crochet afghan, "Now I see why you and Jon were drawn to each other. You are both creative." Maybe I should have been offended, but I wasn't, because she spoke the truth. Jon did capture me with his art ability. The man he was at the time and has become over time is an amazing man.

I'm so thankful for that jealousy twinge of the middle seat of the pickup truck. It probably spurred me to be a little more aggressive in getting Jon's attention during high school.

I've been blessed.

Jon created a wood mural using his new CNC machine using a photograph I took. We make a good team.

Only good things can come in our future.

Weekend Yarn Dyeing

A mission to match a skein of yarn I dyed a few months ago, led to lots of fun trying to come up with the perfect red and green.

James and Jesse were handy helping hands in the entire project.


The dye gets mixed up outside because I'm a safety person like that. Using ProChemical dyes means there are some fumes and minute amounts of dye particles that I may inhale. To be absolutely safe, I suppose I could have tossed on my respirator, but I didn't. The smoke you see is steam from the hot water.


The skein of Lambs Pride Bulky turned out NOTHING like I was trying to recreate. In fact after doing my rainbow dyeing I was not happy with it and dunked the entire skein in water to get these muted colors. I LOVE it. What can I say? My favoritest things are usually mistakes.

A bonus skein of Lambs Pride Burly spun kettle dyed a gorgeous Wedgewood blue.

Who doesn't love wool?!

The Sniffer

Based on the ruddy red cheeks, beer bellies a popping and the smell wafting through the office today, I'd say the work Christmas party was a hit.

I've not come to this space to blog because work was/is super busy. It's not been busy.

I've not come to this space to blog because I've not been crafting. I have been crafting.

I've not come to this space to blog because I have nothing to say. I have had lots to say.

My thoughts have been inward and forward. For a while, we've known Grandpa was not going to be with us long. After the loss of Grandma, Grandpa has been in a slow decline. Family has been taking care of him for the past two years. Then things changed recently and Grandpa needed more help. After a month or so of Hospice at-home care, they recently had to move Grandpa to Hospice.

You see, Grandpa is such a representation of Jon. It has been said by family members that Jon is more Musgrove than Handyman. Which time and experience has proven to be true. Jon is so much like his Grandpa that I instantly loved Grandpa when I first met him so many years ago. In Grandpa, I see Jon. In Jon, I see Grandpa. Grandpa is Jon's future. So, to know Grandpa has always felt like seeing into the future with Jon.

So, I've not come to this space because I've have a lot on my heart. I've lost 2 Grandpas and 2 Grandma's. Anticipating losing Grandpa reduces me to tears every time. Typing this, I'm trying not to cry, which would make me a red eyed, sniffling soggy mess at my desk.

I've been head, hands and heart busy. Please pray for Grandpa.