Change of Title Coming Soon...

Although I love it here in Illinois, my title is Connie, Crazy Connie, Miss Connie, Just Connie.

Today I am travelling to a location that will totally change my title. As I was packing my suitcase and some Christmas decorations, I thought quite hard about this change. Here are my favorite title changes:

Several young ladies and their gentlemen will be calling my Aunt Connie. This is one of my favorites, and to make it even more special there are a couple of greats who will also be saying "Aunt Connie".

Then there's the title I've had the shortest, Grandma Connie. Now believe me this one is pretty awesome. There's not much better than hearing your name with Grandma in front of it.

The ones I have the longest probably won't be said, although sometimes my brother Wes will call me sister, but my mom and dad probably won't say, "Daughter", though I will feel that sister love from my sister and brothers and that daughter love in a big big way.

It was funny when I realized that my favorite title is one that doesn't get used by many...but even just sitting here thinking about hearing it is bringing tears to my eyes. Mom, mama....this is the title I'm looking forward to the most I guess. Who knew?

I wanna be a Michigander....

and so, I'm making some pasties. No no no, not those little things that cover your nipples when you're a stripper. A meat pie usually found in the U.P. but which can also be sometimes found in Northern Michigan.....

I had to go buy a rutabaga. Its way more rutabaga than I need, but I think if these turn out good, that rutabaga will get used up!

I always try to use the food in the house when Doug is gone, and so I started foraging in the freezer for some steak. I knew what I'd find....two nice little filets that are way too good to be used in pasties, but hey, whatever, I'm worth filet mignon pasties, right?

I had two potatoes left from the garden, nice big ones, and part of an onion.

So, I began to make some pie crust....now, if you know me, you know I can make pie crusts. I've had all of two pasties in my entire existence...one that we bought in the U.P. last spring, that was devine. The second was bought in Cadillac at the end of this summer, and was good, but not as good as the U.P. one. I think the difference was the crust....so I'm so excited.

The U.P, one was a circle of dough, no edge. The Cadillac one was a foldover, with a rolled/braided crust. So, I made one of each. If only you could smell them baking....I hope I don't burn my tongue.

A bookcase and a lot of selfishness

Sometimes, I don't even realize how selfish I am.

When we moved into the house and set up our bedroom upstairs, I didn't want a floor to ceiling bookcase cluttering up my pretty corner, so it went on Doug's side of the room. As you came in the room, you didn't see the bookcase, you saw my beautiful corner. That was about 8 years ago.

Now in the meantime my pretty corner definitely got cluttered up with a whole mess of knitting stuff...to which I kept thinking, I guess I need to get something to put in that corner to hold my knitting.

Doug came home in March and had knee surgery in April. In order for him to get out of bed easier (my side of the room is much more spacious), I switched sides of the bed with him. We stayed

switched until he left. During this time, I realized how selfish I had been. There was very little space on that side of the bed, and a toe-stubbing experience for the less than careful to walk between the bed and the bookcase.

Now, while I can't move the bed, it is where it is and that's that (talk to Doug - he attached the headboard to the wall), I can move the bookcase, and I did! Cleaning it out, I even made room on the bottom shelf for my knitting stuff.

Sorry babe, had no idea how selfish I had been when we put that bookcase there!

And I think my corner still looks just fine!

Trusting

Oh the joys of Grandmahood! I can't begin to describe what it is like to have those faces look at you and say Grama, c'mere. I have a picture on my fridge from my Granddaughter Nina that says To: Gramba Cony. It is a picture she drew freehand. I'm not usually a saver...it will stay.

I pray daily for my Grandchildren (and Great Nephews), for them to accept Christ as their savior at an early age and commit their lives to serving him. I pray daily for my children to raise their children in homes that will honor God. I do this because I trust God wholeheartedly.

Today, I am left trusting. Not that things will turn out as I plan or as I want, but I am trusting that no matter what the circumstances of life or death that I will be found faithful. That my words will be honoring to God, drawing others closer to him and that if there is grief in my future that it will be obvious to others that it is His hands that support me.

For the last two days I have added a new prayer for my children, that they will also trust God wholeheartedly, that they will honor him, drawing closer to him in this time of uncertainty, that they will draw their strength from Him. I know that this, and only this, will make the burden easier to bear.

Knitting gone wild....

I used to be a very sane knitter.

I never bought yarn that I didn't have a project for.

I never started a project before I finished the last one.

I never started a project without even having a pattern.

I never would have paid $8+ for a skein of yarn.

I never thought obsessively about buying more knitting accessories.

I never used to think, oh I'll just browse "friend's activity" on ravelry thinking oh that's pretty.

I NEVER put a project in a bag in the corner and thought someday I'll finish that (or maybe not)!

I would never have texted (repeatedly) someone to get a recommendation for a yarn type and then obsessed about the color of yarn, and do they have a heathered one?