November and December came and went faster than I had hoped. The holidays are usually a bit of a whirlwind, but they looked different this year. Our busy days were replaced with quiet rest and finding joy in the simple things. The days blurred into one another and we spent time enjoying each other’s company, baking, decorating the house in the kids’ paper creations, and watching copious amounts of Christmas movies. Before I knew it, the holidays were over and now here we are beginning a new year.
Throughout the holidays, I furiously knit away on sweaters for each of the kids. There are so many lovely patterns that I wanted to make, but we all agreed that in the interest of time and practicality, simple was better. The goal was to knit them sweaters that would keep them cozy while riding bikes, climbing trees and playing in the mud. Nothing too precious, but special nonetheless. Miraculously, the sweaters were all finished with days to spare and tucked under the tree in time for Christmas. The kids have worn them nonstop, only taking them off to bathe or sleep. They’re full of pride that I made the sweaters with my own two hands and it makes my heart happy to see them finding so much comfort in my handiwork. At 8, 6 and 4, they are knitworthy, to be sure.
I’ve spent a great deal of time reflecting on the past year. It was full of challenges and stress, but joy too. More than anything, I am incredibly grateful for all the time we’ve had together as a family. We’ve been homeschooling for a couple of years now, so that part of life didn’t look new or different. Although we didn’t have swimming lessons or ballet to attend this year, we were still home every day learning together. What has been different, however, is the fact that my husband has been working from home since the beginning of the pandemic. No long commutes or brief moments with him before the bedtime rush. Instead, we’ve enjoyed almost daily lunches together, earlier dinners, and random hours where work was slow and we could take the kids bike riding together. Moments we wouldn’t have had otherwise, for which I am forever grateful.
Another thing I’ve spent time reflecting on the last few months is my social media usage. It is too frequent and the curated snippet format often leaves me longing to read blogs from the creatives that I find inspiring – reading their stories, details about their projects, and enjoying more than just a tiny, single snapshot. I also miss having a blog myself.
Years ago, I kept a blog that I’ve since archived. It was something I found joy in and used as a way to journal, albeit in a public way. It was mostly read by family and friends as my husband and I started our life together. By the time our youngest was born and I was raising three kids under 3.5, however, I stopped writing regularly because I simply didn’t have the time. Now that our youngest is 4, life feels easier and far less chaotic. My time to write and knit, learn new skills and develop my personal interests has increased and I find myself drawn to this space once again. With that, my goal this year is to return to this site. Write more, share photos taken with my camera, and keep this digital journal of my knitting, baking, and all that fulfills me.
On that note, I’ll be back to share more soon. Happy new year, friends. May it be a year full of restoration, creativity and warmth.
Salmonberry Knits 