Is it spring?

Time seems to be flying by! My spring daffodils and grape hyacinths are in bloom and there is a certain freshness in the air. I have planted my two tomato plants and my youngest son added a few marigolds, "for color". It is spring break anyway!







I have been busy with many different things over the last two months. I have started my teaching job. I love teaching. The small hospital where my students are doing clinical has been an ideal experience, the staff is welcoming and very helpful, the patient load is just right for second semester students and I think I am a pretty good instructor!

I have a very diverse group of students. Most are second career students and take this very seriously, they are used to everything being perfect and strive for only the best. Unfortunately the realities of clinical practice is that humans are not perfect and not everything goes exactly as the textbook says that it should. It has been good to see the evolution of my students from absolute novice to a more accomplished novice. I am seeing that in myself also as an instructor.




One of my passions is knitting. I have been knitting for many years and have found myself doing quite a bit of charity knitting. The problem is, I feel that knitting is a social craft and I was mostly knitting alone. Several years ago I became aware of The Shawl Ministry. I was immediately interested in joining a group such as this one but soon realized that if I wanted to join one I would need to start it. Beginning last summer I started to bring it up at church to get an idea if it would interest anyone else. Soon I was given some seed money and a time and place to present the idea to the Women of the Church gathering. Soon another opportunity to make it very real came about. On January 23, 2007 I wrote this on a Shawl Ministry Message board.

We dedicated our first item last night.

I have a 5 year old son, his kindergarten teacher was pregnant and had her baby too early at only 25 weeks just before Christmas. My son has been very concerned about his teacher and her baby. I showed him a picture of the baby in the NICU and he was very concerned that she was cold since she was only wearing a diaper. He asked me to knit her a blanket to keep her warm.

This story is very important to me because my son is autistic. He was able to articulate his concern for his teacher and her baby and come up with a way to help. I made the blanket and a small hat over the weekend and took it to the meeting last night and told the story to this group of amazing women, many who know my son. We said a prayer for the baby and her family and everyone signed their first name on the back of the shawl card.

We have since distributed 3 shawls and I have a current request for a matching shawl and baby blanket. The interest has far exceeded my hopes and expectations.
Well the sun is shining and the dog is barking and I think that I need to spend a little time enjoying the day. I hope that you are enjoying yours.