Picking Up the Stitches

I knew it would be a hard gift to receive and I both looked forward to it and dreaded its arrival. Since leaving WI (and our wonderful living situation together) six years ago, Heather had taken up the wonderful craft of knitting. I knew that she was knitting something for Thing 3. I knew it wasn't something for him to wear but she wouldn't tell me for sure what it was...she liked to surprise about as much as she liked to give.

I have so many gifts in my home from her. One of the earliest was probably the mission style rocking chair that she and her husband gave us as a wedding present. It sits in our living room next to the one that she INSISTED I buy at the Walworth County antique swap meet. It was such a steal that I think she threatened bodily harm if I DIDN'T buy it. You see by then they had so many rockers of their own that they had a "moratorium" on rockers - so then the next best thing was to make her friends by them.

Other items from Heather aren't all so big - little red measuring cups and spoons she sent me one year to support my obsession with my new red Kitchen Aid mixer. And of course, knitted red wash clothes appeared in another box from her. Bib overalls for my first born and a red curious George blanket that she insisted would have to be his favorite blanket of all.

Heather was a giver through and through. Of her time, of her wisdom, of her heart. That is partly what made her such a wonderful friend and probably why she was able to be such a wonderful friend to so many of us. She made the time to make the people she loved know that even with thousands of miles between us, we were still a very present part of her life as she spent hours knitting away the next gift and making the time to send it.

Yesterday it arrived, an absolutely adorable Rabbit for Thing 3. She had become quite the accomplished knitter. Her weekly knitting group of friends lovingly finished "Peter" and even marked the place where Heather had left off and they picked up her stitches. I know she would want - no INSIST - that this become his most favorite toy.

It will be hard to see "Peter" get drooled on when I really want to put him up on a shelf to be safe and protected, this her last gift to me. But that would hardly reflect Heather's heart - she who never lived life "on the shelf" where she couldn't get dirty. She was a go getter from start to "end" and I'm sure she is still go-getting up in His Presence even now. Now it is my turn to "pick up the stitches" where she left off and carry on her legacy of giving. Her breadth and depth of friendships challenges me to reach out and give a little more than might come naturally to me. Whether it be of myself, my time, my talents...or purchasing AND sending some little item I saw that made me think of someone.

With the arrival of Peter Rabbit comes the end of her gifts to me. But it is not the end of her love for me or any of us. I'm so grateful for each little item in my home that reminds me of her generous and caring heart, one that I hope to emulate and honor the memory of by becoming more of a giver and living life to the fullest just like she did.