Nana Nana & Shea's Lavender Blanket
One of the people I loved and still love most in the world was my Grandmother. (She was also my Godmother) She always smelled so good and I always loved kissing her cheek and smelling her lotion and powder that she wore. She always had her rosary in her hand and was constantly praying for everyone in our family. One thing that she enjoyed more than anything was crocheting. She always made the most beautiful sweater sets, blankets, etc...I would visit her quite often and she would have to hide whatever she was working on because I just couldn't help it, I would want everything. Because she loved me so much, she would give me everything that she made that I wanted! Years before I even thought about having a child, I already had a yellow, white, pink & blue sweater set for my baby. It was complete with sweater, hat, & booties. I tucked them away until I was having Shea and then took the pink and blue one to the hospital since we did not know what we were having. (I think it's one of the few surprises in life that is worth waiting for.) Shea came home wearing the pink one that Nana Nana made for her, even before she was a thought in our minds! I have a white blanket that Nana Nana made me and I keep it on my bed to remind me every day to be persistent and to keep going when life gets tough. You ask how can a blanket do all that? Have you ever made one? Oh my goodness...it seems like it takes forever...which brings me to my point. Shea was 2 years old when Nana Nana got liver cancer. Shea & I would go and bathe her- I would give her a bath and Shea would sit and hold the pitcher of water. Several years before she got sick, we moved her to an apartment right down the street from us- I never heard the end of it when I had to "clean" out all the Nana stuff that she collected. I think on her deathbed, she was still asking what I did with her treasured junk- I mean possessions. We would go and have dinner with her and we just loved her. When she got very sick, she was not able to crochet anymore yet she wanted to make Shea a lavender blanket. She loved the color (Shea chose the color of her room for her Nana Nana) and she also loved baby flower patterns, just like Shea & I do now. Nana had taught me to crochet when I was very young- I remember watching "Dark Shadows" together with her and both of us crocheting on the couch! She asked me if I would promise to make a lavender blanket for Shea. I promised. It proved to be very difficult to find lavender baby yarn but I finally found it and bought 10 skeins. That was 10 years ago because Shea was 2 and now she's 12 years old. If anything, I am persistent. I have worked on this blanket on and off for 10 years- I haven't loved doing it so much as I have felt a promise is a promise...no matter how long it takes to keep it. Last night I was sitting on my big chair, feet up on the ottoman, blanket covering my legs, crocheting up a storm while watching American Idol & Grey's Anatomy and I couldn't help but think: "I wonder what the kids in my high school would think if they saw me right this minute- there I was, in my jammies, crocheting, drinking orange juice and eating cashews and watching TV- yep, the same girl who was homecoming queen, cheerleader, & most popular!"
After each skein I have finished, we put it on my bed to see if I can be done (finally...please Lord, let me be done)...Shea & I let out a squeal of delight as I held up my LAST skein of yarn!!! Only one more left and I will finally be done. I told Shea last night that from now on, I'm making scarfs...nice short scarfs!
The art of love is largely the art of persistence.
Albert Ellis
One of the people I loved and still love most in the world was my Grandmother. (She was also my Godmother) She always smelled so good and I always loved kissing her cheek and smelling her lotion and powder that she wore. She always had her rosary in her hand and was constantly praying for everyone in our family. One thing that she enjoyed more than anything was crocheting. She always made the most beautiful sweater sets, blankets, etc...I would visit her quite often and she would have to hide whatever she was working on because I just couldn't help it, I would want everything. Because she loved me so much, she would give me everything that she made that I wanted! Years before I even thought about having a child, I already had a yellow, white, pink & blue sweater set for my baby. It was complete with sweater, hat, & booties. I tucked them away until I was having Shea and then took the pink and blue one to the hospital since we did not know what we were having. (I think it's one of the few surprises in life that is worth waiting for.) Shea came home wearing the pink one that Nana Nana made for her, even before she was a thought in our minds! I have a white blanket that Nana Nana made me and I keep it on my bed to remind me every day to be persistent and to keep going when life gets tough. You ask how can a blanket do all that? Have you ever made one? Oh my goodness...it seems like it takes forever...which brings me to my point. Shea was 2 years old when Nana Nana got liver cancer. Shea & I would go and bathe her- I would give her a bath and Shea would sit and hold the pitcher of water. Several years before she got sick, we moved her to an apartment right down the street from us- I never heard the end of it when I had to "clean" out all the Nana stuff that she collected. I think on her deathbed, she was still asking what I did with her treasured junk- I mean possessions. We would go and have dinner with her and we just loved her. When she got very sick, she was not able to crochet anymore yet she wanted to make Shea a lavender blanket. She loved the color (Shea chose the color of her room for her Nana Nana) and she also loved baby flower patterns, just like Shea & I do now. Nana had taught me to crochet when I was very young- I remember watching "Dark Shadows" together with her and both of us crocheting on the couch! She asked me if I would promise to make a lavender blanket for Shea. I promised. It proved to be very difficult to find lavender baby yarn but I finally found it and bought 10 skeins. That was 10 years ago because Shea was 2 and now she's 12 years old. If anything, I am persistent. I have worked on this blanket on and off for 10 years- I haven't loved doing it so much as I have felt a promise is a promise...no matter how long it takes to keep it. Last night I was sitting on my big chair, feet up on the ottoman, blanket covering my legs, crocheting up a storm while watching American Idol & Grey's Anatomy and I couldn't help but think: "I wonder what the kids in my high school would think if they saw me right this minute- there I was, in my jammies, crocheting, drinking orange juice and eating cashews and watching TV- yep, the same girl who was homecoming queen, cheerleader, & most popular!"
After each skein I have finished, we put it on my bed to see if I can be done (finally...please Lord, let me be done)...Shea & I let out a squeal of delight as I held up my LAST skein of yarn!!! Only one more left and I will finally be done. I told Shea last night that from now on, I'm making scarfs...nice short scarfs!
The art of love is largely the art of persistence.
Albert Ellis
posted by AD @ 8:43 AM
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