I Love My CityKidz
I could not have had a better day. When I woke up I just wanted to stay home, but I’m glad I did not. I taught a polymer clay class in the morning, had lunch at Aladdin’s, then dropped in at Rae’s with a few samples for the patterns of mine she is carrying.
At Rae’s, I ran into a former computer student of mine, who is a very skilled knitter. She also happens to be the mother of the man who was my math teacher from 1972-1974 or so. He’s wonderful, she’s delightful, and it was great to see her.
I was also thrilled to see that Rae is now knitting my Turkish Toe-Up Sock design. It is always a rush to see my work out there in the world! I doubt I’ll ever get used to it, really. I’m delighted.
So, then I went to see my CityKidz followed by Habibi Dancers rehearsal, both at Foster Community Center. I can not tell you how magical my one hour with five knitting girls was today. They were worried because I will not be doing any knitring programa through the City Parks and Rec this summer. I told them I would miss them and maybe I would have a little knitting gathering or party this summer.
They left me their names and phone numbers (they are already registered with our office but sometimes I get confused… three of the 5 girls today have names that are really similar to one another, and each week I have a different combination of kids. Well, on that phone list they started writing me little love notes (all in cursive writing, they are very proud of that). As in:
Mrs. Lynn you rock
You Rule
your (sic) the
Best!!!
You are a wonderful person and knitter!
There were notes by their names, including “Knitting Rocks!!” and “I Love Knittig” (sic).
And then there are small drawings: a little heart, and three little depictions of knitting, one with knitting on one needle and an empty needle, two of balls of yarn with empty needles. Adorable. All this on a half sheet of letter paper that was intended to simply be a phone list for me (I have airbrushed out personal information). I’m enchanted. I’m positively full of love, bursting heart proud of these wonderful young ladies (most of whom are in 3rd grade).
One girl is knitting a pouch/small purse. Two of the girls are knitting baby hats for their principal, who is expecting a baby boy. Two are knitting “baby blankets.” Mind you, one of them insisted that she couldn’t knit more than 26 stitches so that will be a very small blanket (her mother is expecting next month). The last girl is a little older and fully prepared to do a lot of knitting. Her mother bought her some fat yarn and she has designed a blanket in four squares, to be sewn together. She drew me a picture so that I could see what she had planned. She wants two dark squares and two light, alternating. See why I’m proud?
Here is a photo of four of my five girls that stopped in today. The two on the right are wearing wristbands they knit in my class, though it’s hard to see the one on the far right because of her pose. Notice the sign they put on my whiteboard? They did ask first, they have learned to respect boundaries in my class… I let them do it this time (I can’t be wasting markers often but I bought some of my own markers this term). They wanted that sign behind them in their picture!
We had beautiful summer-like weather again today in Lansing. I am so in love… with life, with my husband, with teaching, with these lovely young knitters. I’m just bursting with it all. Yes, it’s corny to say it that way, but I don’t care! You can not buy passion, and I’m reveling in these feelings while I have them to experience. Lucky me!
Drat, it’s time to post this and go to bed, and my internet connection is down. I will save this text on my own computer until I can connect to you all. I am still working on Brian’s birthday socks, most of the way up the foot from the toe on sock #2. I got more yarn today at Threadbear so I am not in danger of running out now. Pictures when they are actually done… Till then, may you also find magic in *your* day.