Knitted Love

So, if this picture means nothing to you; it means something to me. You cannot live in the village and know you're loved if you haven't received a knitted something. It's official, I'm loved, if not by my friend, then at least by her mother. Melissa and I have had everyone in a frenzy around here since Christmas. No one wants to be shown up and I can't say that I blame them, but our Christmas gifts really were just a gesture of love. We gave gifts to all our friends with fun gift tags on them with the Christmas story in Turkish, in an effort to be able to share why we give gifts and what the greatest gift for us is. Our friends and neighbors just could not handle receiving a gift with nothing to give us in return. So, upon my return to the little city (I lovingly refer to my city of 2 million as that, after returning from Istanbul), we have been showered with gifts. Everything from key rings, to crocheted bath cloths, to tea glasses, to yes the gift I'm displaying here. The very red scarf and hat set. My friend wanted it to be so special that she didn't even trust herself to knit it, she made her mother knit it for me! And I will admit, it is a fine piece of handiwork. People in the village love a knitted something. They love to wear homemade scarfs or use homemade bath cloths or snuggle a little baby child up in something knitted. I love a baby wearing something knitted by a teyze (an older lady--this is a term of endearment, not a criticism). Something sweet about it. So, you are definitely loved if you get a knitted gift. I think it just clinches the deal. Deal sealed. First, we received the bath cloths and then I received the scarf set. I feel totally loved. But poor Melissa--I have to admit it was kind of funny. My friend didn't know that I was bringing my roommate with me, so she got a bit stressed and at the last minute decided she needed to give her a gift, too. It would've been a great idea, if after Melissa opened the mixed c.d., it hadn't had: 'with love to Jessica' written on it in Turkish. But, she made it up today and made sure to send me home with two gifts for Melissa. Melissa got something knitted, also. She, too is loved. So, the other day, we're leaving and I'm wearing my gift, of course. My friend has not had a very good day, she was kind of sad, which gave me an opportunity to pray for her, which I hadn't had before now in her presence. So, she's enjoyed our company and we're leaving and we are wearing our coats at the door, actually opening the door to step outside and my friend gets all flustered and says she has to go to the bathroom, can we wait on her. We are a little confused. I have almost stepped my foot onto the pavement and we are done saying goodbye, but she says, no, no, she'll just be 5 minutes. She's very uncomfortable and needs to relieve herself. She's grabbing the toilet paper as she says all this. Sit down, I'll be right back. I just need to use the restroom. So, we come back inside, sit back down, and wait for her trying not to listen through the wall as she goes to the restroom and then comes back out, washes her hands and we in the same manner as we had done before, say goodbye again. I have fabulous friends, but sometimes it's more than the language that I just don't quite understand...