Beauty Found in Sorrow

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One of the most beautiful quotes relating to marriage I've ever read, has to be this one, by George Elliot:

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent, unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting.

The past few weeks, King B and I have been living [to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain] as we've healed from the miscarriage. Even through the pain and sorrow we experience, there was such a beauty in the love that had us supporting one another through it. It has shown me, yet again, God's grace through the sacrament of marriage.

Being *one* in a sacramental marriage is amazing in so many ways. Even though I experienced the physical pain and other effects of the miscarriage, we both lost our child, and we both needed to grieve. While the pain is not as sharp now, there is still a little ache of missing for both of us. King B has been wonderful in how he's helped me through this. He not only helped me with the physical recovery by allowing me to rest, but he's allowed me to move through the grieving process at my own pace - holding me when I cried, letting me talk my feelings out (even the not so nice feelings), laughing with me when I could.

This sad chapter has drawn us even closer than we were before, and my love for King B has grown exponentially from experiencing his immense capacity for love and kindness even through his own grief.

I love you, King B!

Blessings to you,

Veggie Recipe

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After Daisy's burial service, King B's brother took us to lunch at restaurant that had sauteed veggies that were delicious! I have never been a fan of cooked carrots, but I loved these! They had a defitnite garlic taste to them, so I experimented. Here is the recipe resulting from my experiments:

Garlic Sauteed Carrots (served 6)

1. Peel and slice several large carrots (make the slices fairly thin - 1/4 inch or so)
2. Peel 4 garlic cloves
3. Gently heat some olive oil
4. Using a garlic press, press the 4 cloves of garlic into the oil and stir
5. Add the sliced carrots, sautee for several minutes
6. Sprinkle with REAL sea salt (about 1 tsp or so)
7. Continue sauteeing for another couple of minutes
8. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a simmer
9. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes at a time until done to desired consistency (we like them tender crisp - but I slice some a little thinner so they get softer for Busker)
10. They are out of this world. I'm planning on trying this with broccoli this week too!
    
    
    Blessings to you,
    

Daisy's Shell Stitch Blanket

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I've been asked for the pattern for the blanket I made for Daisy. I've never written out a pattern before, so if you try this out, please let me know how it turns out for you.

Daisy's Blanket

Materials:

Size H crochet hook

approximately 10 oz of sport weight yarn (I used about 1 1/3 skeins of "Neopolitan" yarn)

approximately 5 yards of a soft fabric (not paper) ribbon (this will depend on the size you choose to make your blanket - I made a somewhat small one, as it was meant to go into Daisy's casket, but still was too big)

Sewing thread to match ribbon

Using a sport weight yarn, loosely chain 94 sts

Row 1: in 3rd ch from hook, dc 2 times (the 2 chs count as first dc), skip one ch, sc in next ch, *skip one ch, work 3 dc in next ch, skip one ch, sc in next ch*, repeat from * to end, ch 2 turn

Row 2: in last row's last sc, work 1 dc (ch 2 counts as first dc), in middle dc of 3 dc shell, work 1 sc,*work 3 dc shell in next sc, in middle dc of 3 dc shell, work 1 sc*, repeat from * to end, ending with 1 sc, ch 2, turn

Repeat row 2 until blanket is desired length. After last stitch of last row, begin to work border.

Border

Row 1: ch 1, turn. In same stitch, work 1 sc, ch 1, *work 1 sc in sc, ch 1 work 1 sc in middle dc of 3 dc shell, ch 1* to end, work 3 sc in corner; work sc evenly across rows to next corner, work 3 sc in corner; work 1 sc, ch 1 in every other ch from foundation chain; work 3 sc in corner; slip stitch to first stitch.

Row 2: ch 4 (counts as 1 triple crochet and ch 1 sp), *skip ch 1 sp, work triple crochet in next sc* around blanket - corners should have 3 ch sp between tc, slip stitch to top of first tc

Row 3: ch 3, work 4 triple crochet (makes large shell) in same stitch. *skip ch 1 space, work sc in next sc, skip ch 1 sp work 5 triple crochet shell in next sc* continue in this pattern around blanket. Fasten off.

Weave ribbon through "lacing holes" made by row 2, tie into a bow and stitch bow in place with matching thread

Complete!

Blessings to you,

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The service was short, and I have no idea what the priest read. I was too busy holding the baby the only way I'll ever be able to on this earth - in her casket.

She got her way, though, about the blanket. The whole time I was making it, I kept hearing a teeny voice saying, "Mommy, I don't need a blanket, other babies need blankets". Well, I wanted her to have a blanket. and told her I'd make other blankets for other babies. Well, the blanket didn't fit in the casket. It was so tiny. it was a little shorter than an egg carton, but a little taller and a little wider. Everything else we wanted to include fit in.

Busker is napping right now. If he wakes soon enough, my BIL wants to take us for lunch. I'm resting until then. Please keep us in prayer.


Blessings to you,

For Daisy

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Tomorrow will be Daisy's burial. I finished her blanket today. King B went to drop it off at the funeral home, along with some other items that we also would like included in her casket. Here are some pictures of those items. So much is going on in my head and in my heart. I can't write them now, but will try later.

This first picture is the ultrasound picture of Daisy. The only picture we'll ever have of her.

Her blanket

Notes/poems/drawings from us, and some family pictures

A teddy bear and rosary.

Scanned images of the notes and artwork.
Daddy's Poem:

Mommy's Letter:

Buddy's card:

Pigeon's artwork:

KTbug's Poem:

Padawan's Poem:

Blessings to you,