Emily isn’t at All State Orchestra today.

No doubt this isn’t going to be the last time that my oldest child makes a different choice than I would have for her.

first, find some leftover sock yarn

A few weeks ago, she was looking for the phone.  She told me she needed to call her orchestra conductor to tell him that she wasn’t going to accept the offer she’d gotten to participate in All State Orchestra.

cast on about 60 stitches total on a few empty needles

I was astonished.  She hadn’t even tried out.  They just offered her a spot, and she turned it down.  All State.  And she’s only a 10th grader.

after a while, change to your regular yarn

She told her regular conductor that she had a schedule conflict.  Because she was on the tech crew for a play.  Huh?  Where did that come from?

knit lots of rows.... maybe 20. no purls. just knits.

“That’s OK with you, Mom?  Right?  If you say I have to do All State Orchestra I will, but I really want to do this play.  You’re not mad, are you?

after picking up the first purple row, fold it all in half

Where did this theater thing come from?  Totally from left field, as far as I knew.  I’d heard that the director was homeschool-friendly, but otherwise I was oblivious.  And I wasn’t prepared to decide what was best for my daughter when I felt so clueless. 

knit the next row like a 3 needle bind off, but don't bind off

So she called the orchestra director and turned down the All State spot.  I resolved to try to be supportive.  Confused, but supportive.

change from purple to orange when you get bored

I’m much more comfortable with being closely surrounded by my children, and knowing ahead of time what they think and plan to do.   Did I miss some clues with Emily?  She said not, she was just already doing so much music and orchestra and she wanted to spend more time with some friends who were involved with theater. 

peek at all the loose ends inside. briefly

When I’m out of my comfort zone, or when I really need to focus my prayer attention on someone in particular, the combination of knitting and the Rosary helps me on many levels.  My children call the products of this part of my prayer life “Rosary Socks”

kitchener the toes

Emily knows more people than anybody else I know, and she tells me that none of her friends’ moms knit them Rosary socks.  She admits, however, that part of the reason is that none of her friends’ moms knit them any sort of socks…

hang out in bed and weave in ends when toddler is napping

So Emily has not been at All State Orchestra this week, and she is not having a concert today.  She is helping put on a play instead.   Perhaps I’m not quite ready for such autonomy.  But at least I can be confident that she’s going forth into the world thoroughly covered – literally and figuratively – in prayer.

Emily's new socks, on the way out into the world