Suzanne's Shawl

Last Saturday, the girls and I took Emma to the Fairy Tale Ball at the Treehouse Museum here in town.  When we went to pick her up, I brought the shawl I had just finished for her mom.  It is the Landscape Shawl by Fiber Trends, made out of Lorna's Laces sock yarn.  When my friend lost her husband, all I wanted to give her was a hug.  I drove over and immediately gave her one, but I still felt helpless in what I could do to help her.  So many people were already doing so much:  we baked cookies; when we delivered them the evening of the viewing, we found six other packages by their back door.  It isn't that they didn't love the cookies, it was just one more thing amongst so, so much.  Suzanne had to mail letters to every patient her husband had seen in the past three years to notify them of his death...  That totaled 4,000 letters.  I couldn't even imagine Suzanne having to do that.  So, I hurried over to pick up what she had, and my mom and I quickly finished 500 for her; by the next day, another woman from church had arranged a pack of women also wanting to help to finish the rest.  That's the thing with the Mormon church:  they know how to give support to one another.  It's enviable, really.  My friend is still receiving meals and someone is still staying with her every night.  I sometimes wonder, though, if it isn't too much.  Emma mentioned on Saturday night how she wished no one would stay with them anymore.  Her disappointment was palpable, after being so completely happy at the Ball, when she returned home to find a church friend there.  Anyway, with Suzanne already receiving so much help, I didn't know what I could do that would be different than what she was already receiving.  I did know I was thinking about her all the time and continued to feel like I just wanted to wrap her in a hug all the time.  That's where the idea of knitting a shawl for her came from.  More than anything I know, knitting is my act of praying for someone:  every stitch, I thought of and prayed for her.  While knitting something for someone, it is impossible for me to not think of that person the whole time I'm knitting it.  So, here's the shawl, my hug for my dear friend, Suzanne:

I know the hardest times are still ahead for her.  I only hope that this shawl provides some comfort for her in the months ahead.  And, of course, anything else I can do for her.