My First socks are done...yay!
I like them. I am glad that I decided to switch patterns. I was really not feeling the lace with the variegated yarn. I hope my sock pal likes them! I liked the Ann Norling pattern and will probably use it again.
Now, it's time to start planning the next pair of socks and maybe a cute little tank or something!

This post is mostly non-knitting content...I REALLY just needed a place to vent.
I am REALLY struggling with DH being gone and it's not just him being gone for the next six weeks, it's thinking about the long deployments and questioning whether or not I can make it through. While we both knew what this military life would consist of...(TDY's, deployments, single parenting and lots of moving) I just have not been handling this as well as I thought I would. I have been completely emotional...crying at the drop of a hat (I actually started to cry in Target in the middle of a conversation with a friend). Dh and I have been apart before but, I think the reality of this lifestyle is sinking in and on top of it all I feel like I HAVE to have it together in public.......(I am sure I am the only one with this expectation...to an extent) truthfully, I REALLY am far from having it all together and I don't want to fall into the trap that many of us (pastors/chaplains wives) do.....................................................
I'll stop there, and the next post I promise will be knitting related

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY...........
It has been raining since yesterday afternoon and all of this rain just makes me want to do NOTHING .....except knit of course. But, with two little ones and DH gone......
I have found the most ADORABLE dinosaur patterns. The boys are WAAAAY into dinosaurs so now, it's time to find some yarn that will work. I have yet to find a yarn store I think I'd even be hard pressed to find a Michaels or any other crafting store here in Sumter. Oh well, I can shop online I guess or just wait to hit some shops with my sister when I go up for sheep and wool.. (By the way, she's been ABSENT from her blog for FOREVER.....what's up with that?)
Well, I'm off to get some knitting done and to hunt for some yarn........

I checked out the new Knitty and .......just a little dissapointed. Maybe the t-twist but I think I like the Picovoli better......we'll see. Now, I just need to find some yarn hmmmm...............

Socks......well, here's the progress I promised a week ago....I have completed one sock and I hope to finish the remaining sock this evening or tommorrow and then.....in the mail it goes along with some yummy yarn I bought on ebay!
On the non knitting front, DH has left for the next 6 weeks for a Chaplains course at Maxwell, AFB in Alabama. It's been a little rough for the boys and I am initally feeling alittle lonely..but, this is just a taste of the 4-6 month deployment that wil be coming in a little more than a year. So, I am trying to hang in there....I am going to try to pick a few new projects to keep me busy in the evenings.
I am lookin g forward to MS&W in a few weeks. I have been debating about going with the rise in gas prices but...I think I 'll just do it!
Well, I will post more later....hopefullly with completed socks!

I hate to post without pictures but........a quick update on the socks and everything else (not knitting related) I completely started a whole new sock and have almost completed the first one. I really hated the lace pattern with the stripes. I think I will attempt the lace with a solid sock yarn next time. I am using an Ann Norling pattern....the whale rib. It has gone pretty quickly and I REALLY need to finish so I can make the quickly approaching deadline.
I will have lots of time in the evening I think because.....my DH will be TDY (Temporary Duty) for the next 6 WEEKS! I guess this will be just a glimpse of what it will be like when he deploys......which we think will be next year about in November...but, who knows.?We are adjusting to military life in the chaplaincy. We stay pretty busy and it's even more hectic when DH is on call. We had a pretty scary plane crash a few weeks back and DH thought we might have to do a death notification but, THANKFULLY the pilot was found a few hours later in the Atlantic after ejecting at 600 mph!
The boys and I will be heading to VA to meet up with my sister so we can go to MS&W...niether of us has been before so we are REALLY excited.
That's it for now. Will post pics later tonight. We have dinner guests for the next few nights but, hopefully I'll get to squeeze some knitting time in!

This is a pic I took last night before I began working more on the foot.

FINALLY!!!!
We are finally here at Shaw AFB and settling in to this new way of life. We are settling into our new house (which by the way we LOVE) and we are adjusting to life in a small town. We mostly stay on base so...that makes it bearable...
We've acquired two new additions to the Francis Family......Milly (she came with the name) and Cat (who will be re-named at some point) They are sweet "first-pets" and the boys LOVE them.
Knitting...well, to be honest there hasn't been much of it until last week and I think I already am thinking that this sock pattern is ALL wrong. I think that the striping yarn takes away from the lace pattern.....so........ I suppose I must trudge on since the exchange is only a month away! I am hoping to finish these by the end of next week (we'll see about that since I am still only on the first sock).
Will post more later...hopefully with pics of the sock..........