HELLO My name is ...

I have been thinking about what I want to write on my blog. During my daily walks and 15 minutes before I fall asleep, snuggled in bed with my wiggling baby and tired husband,  I construct and edit the most fascinating and witty literary jewels. Then I get back to work or fall asleep and completely forget all the well-crafted whimsy that floated through my brain. I wish I had a pensieve for my thoughts. Then I could go back and pull out all of those lovely lines of prose I so desperately want someone to see.

I am a writer that does not write.

That line makes me feel a little sad and downright guilty. As if the things I do in my life are not important and I should be doing what I love and blah blah blah blah …

I am trying to do what I love but since I don’t live in a Disney movie I have bills to pay and plans to save for and well life that needs taking care of and I just lose the time to write. But I do write beautifully in my own mind and that is why I have decided that I am a writer. What does that mean for me well, nothing really but it does give me a lovely feeling inside to label myself a writer among  the other things that I am including but not limited to Mother, Wife, Daughter, Friend, Administrative Assistant (not my favorite by the way), knitter, quilter, reader, sometimes artist and crafter.

I have decided to write a blog about “Right Now” and hopefully being in the moment, truly enjoying the present. (Of course, that is sometimes difficult while my butt is planted in a desk chair at work for 8 hours. But I digress …)

Here are a few of the fun things that make up my world.

Allie or Allison Jane Kiku Miller is my daughter. I saddled her with a mouthful of a name didn’t I?! Well why not? She can handle it. She can change it to whatever she wants when she gets older but I wanted to start her off with a good healthy dose of family roots. Allison is a name her Father and I decided on before I was even pregnant. We thought about names and made a list so that when the time came we wouldn’t agonize and fight over what name to choose. Jane is the name of her Great Grandma Miller and she was not able to stay with us long enough to meet Allie, only 4 months shy. Everyday my feisty headstrong daughter reminds me of Jane. Kiku is the name of her Great Aunt who was sweet and small and tiny. She taught me and my sister how to fold paper cranes. I remember her smiling face patiently showing me the steps and although we did not speak the same language we understood one another. My little girl can have the sweetest happiest smile sometimes and even though she does not speak yet we understand each other too.

Baking is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.  A little flour, a little sugar, throw in an egg and voila! I have something that people just love. I go into the kitchen and for a few minutes I leave the world behind and watch the mixer cream eggs and beat butter, it is a dance. My favorite part is right in between the assembling of ingredients and pulling the finished muffins or cakes out of the oven, I clean up the kitchen. All of the dishes are put away and the cooling racks are set up just begging to hold the hot sweet smelling goodies. There is a feeling of anticipation and potential that I just love at that moment.

Knitting, oh what can I say about knitting? Obachan (Grandma Yasuko) taught me how to knit. I would listen to her and my Mom knit and the sound the needles make (aluminum needles, the wooden ones really don’t make any noise at all) is a soft swish click that is soothing and rhythmic and totally intoxicating. I felt compelled to make that same noise and so one day I asked her to show me how to knit. I was really ambitious and decided to make a baby sweater for my friend at work who would soon be having a little girl. I chose a pattern with stripes and had to continually change the colors every fourth row, for all you non-knitters that is A LOT of color changing for someone that is just starting out! It took me about two months but I finished that sweater in time for the baby shower. After that I was hooked! I wanted to make every woman I knew a scarf and every baby a sweater. I have one scarf and one baby sweater that I have made myself and kept. I have made at least a hundred different items but I give them all away because I just love knowing the somewhere there is a warm neck and stylish little baby because of me. Although, since having my own little cutie I am finding it REALLY difficult to find the time to knit, she likes unrolling the ball before I am ready to use it. She also likes having all of my attention when we are together, she tells some of the most elaborate stories. Her language is fluent and beautiful; I just wish she wasn’t the only one that speaks it.

Handmade Bunnies are my new crafting obsession. I can make them anywhere and currently I have completed four. I saw a picture of a funny handmade bunny on Pinterest and thought “I can make one of those” so I went to the yardage store and bought some material. I made my own pattern and wrote out my own instructions. Then I got to sewing, on my breaks while at work. I have used the small time to myself at work and created the funniest bunnies that I have ever seen. My embroidery is atrocious but who cares? These funny bunnies make me happy and I am so glad to share them with the kids that I know. I have already given two as birthday presents and my daughter has gotten one for Easter. They make me happy, fulfill my creative yearnings and don’t take a lot of time.

New Boots, nuff said.

Terry is the peanut butter to my jelly. We compliment and aggravate each other. At restaurants we ALWAYS choose two items that are exactly the same. I really appreciate that he then gets excited to order both and share with me. Although it is a bit freaky like Freaky Friday kind of freaky because I like to keep my supernatural on a fun level and not an Eat Your Face kind of level. Terry likes the Eat Your Face kind of freaky so we balance each other. I know this seems a bit disjointed but that is really our relationship, it looks kooky and crooked when we are separate but all those angles fit together like a puzzle. Oh good grief that is SUPER cliché, ugh.  He is my man, my friend and my husband.

So what is the point of all this rambling? I am starting a blog today to get myself into a small world of writing. I am doing this so that I have a place to write. You can read this and comment and write with me but I have not yet decided to limit the type of writing or the direction of my writing because frankly I have no idea where I want to take this just yet. I just know that I want to write and I am going to start this way instead of filling up countless journals that will collect dust in my house (this is currently happening with previous journals). So talk to you all soon. I think this will be as much fun as I think it will be.

Thank you for reading.

Jenn  : )