Time 2 Travel

It is hard to believe that it's time to pack again! Ack! The suitcase is out and the washing machine is doing its duty to make clean clothes for the trip. The most important thing is that the new and improved zippy bags are loaded with Travel Knitting. I'm proud to tell you that there are few repeat projects. Last night I finished the shrug for a Christmas gift knit from the furry novelty yarn that I had to call from Virginia and get more of! It is the cutest thing! So I'll be taking the earflapped hat from Knitty, yarn for 3 hats, and socks. The shocking award goes to the fact that I don't have a Big Project going! Kind of weird, eh? I am comforted knowing that there is both knit shops AND the internet in Phoenix should the desire strike to take care of that problem! It would be totally horrible to have to purchase more yarn, I'm sure this won't happen! (go ahead and sing the liar liar pants on fire song, really, I won't mind a bit!) I've already googled knit shops and "Jessica Knits" is on the top of my list. Their website looks great, like this is a yarn shop not to be missed! AND---- 'on their needles' is the Blue Sky Alpacas Rectangular Scarf! C'mon, let's be serious! After all, not only do I love Scottsdale but one of those great Mexican restaurants with margaritas that live on in my memory is there as well. Here's the plan, stop for excellent food and a few margaritas and stumble into the knit shop and purchase under the influence! I know, probably not a great idea, sadly. Yarn first--- THEN margaritas?

I'm going to visit my family for Thanksgiving (along with a bit of work that will only take a couple of days) and the story is probably one of the best ever told! Because as everyone knows I not only tell all but will talk the paint off a wooden Indian (now there is a turn of a phrase!) I just have to share. I'm visiting my birth mother for 10 days and sharing my first Thanksgiving with her as well as my three brothers and their families!!!! How completely great is that? We have never all been together so you know it is going to be a wonderful time.

I found my birth mother when I was 40, on the fourth of July through the power of the Internet. It was a group on AOL that I stumbled across when I heard something from a friend. When I checked it out I never thought that I'd actually find my mom. I had known I was adopted since I was old enough to hear the story of the whole thing from my Mom and grew up knowing that I was chosen and special and very, very loved. My Mother had given me my original birth certificate when I was a teen ager and I guess the time was never quite right. After all, I had a wonderful childhood and great parents along with a brother who despite the usual crud was (and is) a great guy. I loved my grandparents and adored my faraway Kansas cousins. Finding my birth mother was a series of flukes and coincidences that led up to having an intermediary met through the online group calling her and asking if my birthdate meant anything to her. The words that followed, "Are you my daughter?" would set in motion events that brought us together. It was a blessing to discover that not only had my birth parents married shortly after I was born (my Mom was 14!!!) but that they were still together! The rarity of that never escaped me, amazing when you think about it. That two young kids married under rough circumstances, had three more kids all boys, and stayed married through the years. Wow! The funniest thing was that using the parents names from my old birth certificate with the local phone book was the 'trick' that found them, they'd been there all along! When my dear birth father passed away a couple of years ago they were months shy of celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary! I learned so many great things about myself from them, why I was directionally challenged, that I looked like my Mom, and why I was at times quite funny. The journey to discovering who I was because of my birth parents continues to this date.

So, this trip promises to be full of laughter (my family is very funny), many tears, and more things learned about the self inside of me that just IS. Just because. I'll be bringing home more than completed knitted items in my suitcase, no doubt I will be coming back with more love, and great joy.