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| Handmade blanket from Dad's fleece robe |
This is our first Christmas without my dad. We lost him suddenly and too soon, at the young age of 54. It was a shock to us all and we continue to adjust. Christmas has been no exception. My two beautiful children are the only reasons why we pulled the decorations down from the attic and carried on with our usual traditions this year. We were pleasantly surprised with new ornaments, handmade by sister and brother-in-law, commemorating my dad's life. It was a real treat to watch the kids hang them on our tree. Even though we live several states away from each other, it's no surprise that my sister and I were both making special gifts that centered around my dad. I secretly worked on a blanket for our mom. I knew she wanted to turn my dad's robe into a blanket, so I took it to Florida with me, and that's what I did. I carefully cut it into useable pieces (my gosh that first cut was hard!), and found a fleece pattern with a feminine touch to add to it. I made it so the two side plaid panels still have the pockets. When wrapped around my mom, she can actually use the pockets. I really love the way it came out and now that it has arrived home, I can share it here. My mom loves it and I know it will get a lot of use.
When grieving a loved one, there are many ways to honor that person and keep their spirit alive. I personally like having some of their things around my house. There are several kitchen items I use that were my grandmothers. Whenever I use these items (a Boston bean pot, a banged up metal colander, an apron too big for me) I go through a slew of memories with my grandmother. This is how I keep her spirit alive in my home. I have similar items from my dad, and even though the loss is still painful, it does help a little, having some of his things with me. Now....I'll have to think about what to do with those robe scraps!
