a Major promotion

On December 22nd Barry was promoted to be a Major in the Air Force. It was a big day and a really inspirational event.

For well over a month the kids sang the national anthem as our opening song for school just to get ready for this day. We even divided the parts up– Ian starting with a solo on the first line, then Logan on the next line, Jonah and Logan together on the third, Jonah solo for the 4th, Brenna alone on the next two high lines, and then the grand finally with all of them together.

I know I’m probably a bit biased, but it was the cutest thing ever. They didn’t seem a bit nervous and all sang their parts perfectly. From where I was at the piano I could see the audience full of the biggest smiles and even a few tears of joy. It was the perfect start.

The Wing Commander Colonel Crozier agreed to do the promotion, which was a big honor. He really exemplifies a leader in the way he carries himself, how personable he is, and the skill with which he engages a crowd when he speaks publicly. He pulled our family aside just before the ceremony began, introduced himself to the kids and I and to Barry’s parents, and got the scoop on how Barry and I met.

Before Barry got all the new rank pinned on his uniform and renewed his oath of office Colonel Crozier spoke for quite awhile. He didn’t hold a single note in his hand, but went assignment by assignment through Barry’s career citing all the cool things he did– test fired an oxygen-iodine laser a record number of times, ranked #1 Company Grade Officer at every assignment he’s had, pioneered really cool computational fluid dynamics stuff I don’t know how to say, won awards, got into the super elite engineer honor society, gradutated from AFIT with a 3.77 gpa, performed really essential stuff for the Defense Satellite Program– with perfect knowledge and specificity. It was impressive to hear how amazing my husband is in such a formal way. I hear about things casually from time to time, but never all at once in this context. The kids all left saying, “We knew Dad was super awesome, but we didn’t know he was THAT super awesome!”

Then we all got to help but the new rank stuff on his uniform.

When Colonel Crozier administered the Oath of Office he didn’t just say, “I, state your name” and then pause– he said the ENTIRE thing

and then Barry repeated the ENTIRE thing. It was really moving and really got the meaning of the oath across to those of us watching and listening. And that was it!

Barry spoke for a little bit and gave each of us little gifts, then we ate cake with all the people that came to watch. (There were between 50 and 60 people there I’d say. Maybe more. ) Really, the main thing he insisted on having was THE cake from Whole Foods with layers of real berries. It was good cake. Really good cake.

The end.

Oh and there are a few more photos on my flickr here.

Barry had been dreaming of getting a GoPro for Christmas– but I don’t think he thought he’d really get one. I gathered up some of my SweetPod money and splurged on one for him. He’s made videos of himself uni-cycling, jumping on the trampoline, and sledding. He also had the bright idea as he was leaving the house one day to set it up in time lapse mode in the living room just to see what really goes on when we’re not at home.

Ellie is NOT allowed on the furniture and never is on it when we’re in sight. I guess when we’re gone she rules the roost.

Christmas knits

Geesh, is it really this far into the new year all ready? I have had a hard time getting back into the swing of things here after my Christmas break. We did have a good time with Barry parents in town. Christmas letters did not get mailed, neighbor treats did not get done, but such is life during a busy time of year. I’m hoping our friends and family will be pleasantly surprised to get Valentines this year.

So, I decided to focus on making handmade gifts for our parents this year, rather than the kids. I started in November with a sweater for my mom, then moved on to hats for my dad and Barry’s parents.

The sweater was my third Shalom. (See the first two here and here.) This time with sleeves! I had really wanted my blue one to have sleeves, but miscalculated the amount of yarn I needed. Truth be told, the thick wool it is knit with would be SO hot if it did have sleeves that it is fine just how it is. I do wear it a lot.

It turned out really cute and I hope not too itchy. My mom is super wool sensitive like I am. I tried Knit Picks Swish Chunky superwash merino. It was really nice to work with and I love the color. I think it is soft enough too, as long as you have a long sleeve shirt underneath.

I know I need to broaden my sweater repertoire, but this is such a simple sweater to knit and fits cute on just about everyone. Top down knitting is marvelous because you can try it on as you go. I just really, really love this pattern. Maybe I’ll move on to another top down cardigan this year. I’m really dreaming of making a really soft brown one of these that I could wear every day. What do you think? Is it different enough?

So, on the left there is the hat I knit for my mother in-law and on the right is the one for my dad. (Find these patterns at knitty here and here.)

I had to keep starting my mother in-law’s hat over. Either the baby would get a hold of it, or I would lose count on the lace pattern and really mess it up. I knit it at least 4 times– I probably could have knit another sweater with all the time it took– but it turned out cute in the end, I think. It’s obviously knit from the same yarn as my mom’s sweater and I love the color.

The one for my dad is my first ever foray into cables. It was quick and fun and much easier to keep track of than the lacy leaves of the other hat. It is knit with the softest yarn I have ever, ever used– malabrigo baby merino. He modeled it for me during our Christmas day skype chat, so I know it fits.

I knit another hat for my father in-law and only have one photo of it.

I don’t know if it will ever really get used. I should have taken into account the fact that he uses hats just to keep the top of his head warm and not his ears and made it a bit shorter. Hopefully knowing that he was one of the few recipients of my hand made love will be gift enough. It’s made from the same yarn as my blue sweater— soft and warm.

So, there you have it. My first post of the new year about the old year. Just wait ’til you see the handmade gifts Brenna and Jonah (and I, of course) made each other. They’re awesome.

Christmas break

Hello there friends. Things have been busy here, but all of the crafting that’s been happening can’t be blogged about until after Christmas. We’re preparing for our annual Messiah Sing-along party tonight, Barry’s parents to arrive on Sunday, his promotion to Major next week, and then the big holiday itself. I’ve decided since I haven’t made any blog posts lately and have been fretting over that fact, I’m just going to give myself permission to take an intentional break until the new year.

Here’s wishing you a wonderful Christmas. It never ceases to fill me with awe that the Creator of worlds without number was born so humbly as a helpless little baby. I love Him… more than I can put into words.

Thank you all for stopping by and reading. Don’t forget about me!

I’ll be back in the new year.