I have no idea if there is anyone still out there, because it's been so long since I've actually blogged. I lost interest last year, not long after Travis returned home from that brutally long 15 month deployment. The last time I posted was March 2008. Several months ago, I decided that I probably wasn't going to post anytime soon, and was tired of paying for a blog that I wasn't using, even if it was only $5 a month. So I deleted my blog. Almost instantly, I began to regret it (especially when I discovered that someone else took my blog name and used it for advertisements). I looked around at the free blog services, but I couldn't get the blog url that I wanted. Recently, several people contacted me, asking how I was, and why I wasn't blogging any more. That made me realize how much I miss the interaction of reading and commenting on blogs, and decided to start again. I checked Typepad, and found that my old blog address was once again available. I haven't restored things exactly to the way they once were, but I did import my old posts. Lots of the photos have been lost, because I used to use Typepad to host my images, so I'll have to weed out the old stuff, but that will all be done in good time.
Since I last posted, lots of things have happened, as you might imagine. We did a good amount of traveling through Europe over the fall and winter of 2008, and in February of this year, we said auf Wiedersehen to Germany, packed up our house, and headed back to US soil. We relocated to the San Antonio area, which is quite a different climate than the area of Germany we were in. I'm happy to be back "home" (I use quotation marks because home is really Maine, but we call wherever the Army sends us home for a few years at a time), but at the same time, I miss living overseas. Mostly, I miss the ability to easily travel to several different European countries with relative ease. I of course miss the friends we have that still live there, but leaving friends behind comes with the territory of being a military family. However, being stateside has allowed me to increase my yarn business in a way that I wasn't able to achieve overseas. It also makes it easier for family to come visit, or vice versa. My kids are actually very good travelers, but long overseas flights are difficult on anyone.
As far as my kiddos go, they've both grown so much in the last year (as you can see above). Alexandra is in first grade now (only a few weeks away from finishing), and Keagan will be starting preschool next fall. He's very excited about that!
I can't say I've changed much over the past year (aside from getting older--boo), but I have kept busy knitting, spinning and dyeing. Actually, my spinning has suffered over the last 6 months, but my knitting output certainly hasn't. The latest project to be finished are these lovely stockings:
Yarn: Wollmeise 80/20 Twin, Natur (purchased as a kit from yarnissima.com)
Needles: 2.5 mm circulars
I wound up purchasing the kit for these socks right before we moved out of our house in Germany, and into a hotel (for two weeks). Our household goods were already gone (meaning that all of my yarn and knitting supplies were packed up in boxes, and on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean), and I was fretting that I would run out of things to knit before our stuff arrived at the new house in Texas. Of course, that didn't happen, but I got a great pair of socks out of the worry. I look back and laugh, thinking that I worried about running out of yarn in the midst of the constant headaches of an overseas move, but I guess that's a hardcore knitter for you!
I have lots more to show, but I'll save it for subsequent posts. If anyone is actually still out there reading, say hi! I'm off to check up on my Google Reader to see what everyone else is blogging about, and how much I've missed over the past year :)
So glad you're back, and thank you for the comment! I absolutely love those stockings! Off to add it to my queue...
Posted by: elizabeth | 05/08/2009 at 04:55 PM
Oh wow! I just happened to be wondering where you've been and now you're back! I'm very glad because I've missed your blog. :)
Posted by: tiennie | 05/08/2009 at 05:23 PM
Welcome back!
Posted by: Ava | 05/08/2009 at 07:19 PM
great to see you again! I love the new stockings. They are beautiful. Welcome back!
Posted by: patti | 05/08/2009 at 08:37 PM
Welcome back to blogland! Those stockings are just gorgeous. They go perfectly with those shoes. So, so beautiful.
Posted by: Niki | 05/08/2009 at 09:44 PM
The stockings are great. I always admire your knits out on Ravelry. Glad to see you blogging.
Posted by: Siga | 05/09/2009 at 05:29 AM
Those socks are absolutely fabulous!!!!!!! LOVE them!
Posted by: My Merino Mantra | 05/09/2009 at 10:16 AM
I'm really glad you're back - I missed you!`
Posted by: Carole | 05/11/2009 at 01:07 PM
Yea, you're blogging again! Your kids have changed so much! That's a great photo of them. And your stockings are incredible.
Posted by: Beth | 05/20/2009 at 09:24 AM
Glad you are back, wondered where you had disappeared to. Hope you are able to keep up the blogging.
Posted by: Susanne | 05/20/2009 at 09:43 AM
Gorgeous stockings! I always admire your knits on Ravelry. Great to see you are blogging again.
Posted by: Femke | 06/08/2009 at 09:17 AM
I saw your Etsy shop and wondered if you were back in the states. I can't believe how much your kids have grown! Nice to hear from you again...if you're ever in Houston, look me up!
Posted by: Sockbug | 06/18/2009 at 11:51 AM
glad to see you back!
great socks!
Posted by: vanessa | 06/19/2009 at 01:30 PM
Hi from Germany!! I'm glad everything's going well with you and you're back to blogging. Now it's my turn to get back into it. Hugs from Teltow (right over the border to Berlin)
Posted by: Kimberly | 07/06/2009 at 04:09 PM
Nice to see you back again - always loved your posts that showed us snippets of life abroad. Welcome back!
Posted by: Sue | 08/18/2009 at 03:34 PM