Dodging a Butterfly?

You might be wondering what the significance of the title of this blog is. Well, don't think too hard- there's not a lot of depth in my choice of titles for this blog. It comes from an incident several years ago on an afternoon driving home from church, my sister was startled when I swerved in the middle of the road for no apparent reason. She asked, "What are you doing?" My response, "I was dodging a butterfly."

It's a funny statement I think and has the potential to start an interesting train of thought..... But I won't bore you with all the connotations it brings to my mind..... Feel free to share what you think about it......, if anything.


I created this blog about 2 years ago when I was bored out of my mind working a summer temp job at a real estate agency. Lots of things have happened since then: I finished my last year of an MSW program, volunteered in Uganda for 4 months, and moved to Boston for my husband to begin law school. I kept up well with most everyone through mass emails while Nick and I were in Uganda, but have had limited internet access since we returned, until now. (Actually, that's kind of funny that it was easier for us to use the internet in Uganda than it was in Boston). So what's changed? A lot! And for the better! We moved out of the city and our shoebox of an apartment and headed for the 'burbs as soon as we were able. Lots of people like it, but Nick and I simply aren't city slickers. Nick is able to commute to the city and I finally got a social work job providing counseling to children and families.


One of the happiest parts of our move has been having more space to pursue my hobbies: quilting and crafts. As always, I have been reading like crazy. I'd like to focus on these topics in my blog..... And maybe now and then there will be something fun/worth sharing about life in the NorthEast. I thought about having separate blogs for crafty stuff/books/and newsy updates from our family- but that's just too complicated. I guess this post will be a mix of all three.


Nick and I are loving being out of the city and enjoying paying less than $5 for a gallon of milk, local shopping is Kohl's and Wal Mart (instead of Coach and Marc Jacobs), and actually seeing "green" and wildlife. Here's what was hanging out in our backyard on Saturday:

One funny thing about it is that the night before, we had watched that corny, yet likeable movie, Groundhog Day.


What kinds of crafts have I been doing lately? Well, here's a sample of what 3 months of unemployment/job searching and another 3 months of underemployment will do for you:

It's counted cross-stitch- the first one I've ever done. I haven't completed the "outlining" stitches yet but I can't bear the sight of it right now, so I am going to set it aside for while.

This past weekend, I learned how to make a stuffed animal out of men's socks. Here's the result:

I found the pattern from a book called "Sock and Glove" by Miyako Kanimori. I can't say I am thrilled with the finished project- I made the mistake of buying men's socks size 13-15, so the doll came out bigger than I wanted. But I think it's still cute and I am sending it off to my Grandma in Georgia.

Finally, a couple weeks ago I finished reading a book about a woman who'd give up a child for adoption when she was 17 years old, Giving Away Simone by Jan L. Waldron. I really liked her writing style and was fascinated by her story. Here's what she writes after she gives her child up for adoption,

"I began, in the years following, to orchestrate a low-grade self-loathing. I felt unlovable and had no reason to believe otherwise at an age when reasons are desparately needed. An adult woman can hunt for and find her own value- she can graduate herself into importance. But during the shaky span from childhood to womanhood, a girl needs help in determining her worth- and no one can anoint her like her mother" (page 93).

If there is any lesson I have learned this past year, it has been how much I appreciate my parents; especially my mother. Both abroad and state-side I have encountered shattered families and it has been an education and a humbling experience in innumerable ways......

Hope this post isn't too long! I promise they usually won't be so lengthy.