My Project...

Is finally complete.

Back when we found out we were pregnant we went crib shopping. We found a cute crib for a great price. At the time I also saw a cute quilt/bumper/crib skirt set that I wanted to buy. Wayne refused. He wouldn't let me spend as much on that stuff as we did the crib itself. I guess I have to agree with his logic. So I kept an eye out for a set that I liked that didn't cost so much, no luck.

A few weeks later a friend Jean sent us this cute cute quilt and I decided to decided to use it as the theme to decorate Kaelyn's room. I liked that it had so many different colors, especially the pink and green combo.

Later I found some cute upholstery fabric that I thought would go wonderfully. And to top it all off I found an old crib bumper at a random yard sale I decided to stop at for 50 cents. I took off the old fabric covering and used the batting as a starting point. Throw it all together and what to you get? My first sewing project in four years. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Just don't look too close, I compare my sewing to a drunk man trying to walk a straight line. It took a couple of all nighters to finish and many pin wounds, but I cut the cost of it all in HALF. My measurements were a little off on the amount of fabric I needed, so I have enough to make some other stuff...let me know if you have any ideas? I've considered curtains but not quite sure about that one.

I'm not the most crafty person, but I would like to be. Its just one of those things that I don't do very much. If I had the choice between a scrap booking party and a volleyball game I choose volleyball. I'm sure when I get to spend more time at home with Kaelyn I'll pick up a few more projects. Next up...Her scrapbook.

The Beginning Stages

The Finished Product

The First Visiting Angel

Our first week at Primary Children's hospital we met a family who's little guy was next to Kaelyn. They are awesome parents, next to their son's bedside all day. We became friends and were so happy for them when they finally got to take their little guy home. One day the mom gave us the Knitted Angel you see laying on Kaelyn's bed along with a story about her, "Reminda, the First Visiting Angel". Here is her story;

"Occasionally in this life we may find ourselves engulfed in challenges or trials that seem to need more angelic help than other times do. One such day was many years ago as a family sat in a hospital waiting room waiting for their father to come out of surgery. Sometimes they just sat, sometimes they held hands, sometimes they closed their eyes and seemed to drift away - if only for a moment. All the while a fellow waiting room patron sat in the corner crocheting. Many hours passed. Someone came into the room and spoke to the crocheting woman and left. She gathered up her things and looked as though she was preparing to leave. Instead, she came over to the waiting family and handed them a faceless angel.

"I want you to have this," she said. "It is to remind you that you always have angels around you - even when you can't see them. When your times are better you can pass this angel on to someone else to remind them that they, too, have angels with them." Then she left.

The mother found great comfort in the reminder. She kept the angel in a visible place in her home and every time she saw it she was reminded of the angels that were there.

Some years later her dear friend was diagnosed with cancer. What to do! What to do! What can you do in a situation like that? So, of course, she made some brownies, grabbed the faceless angel and went for a visit. Then she sat and listened...and listened..and listened.

The brownies were quickly eaten and forgotten but the angel was given a new face that day.

The Visiting Angel went through surgery and chemo and many months of recuperation. You could sometimes see her sitting on the sofa but usually you would find her lying on the pillow on the bed.

Many months later she went to visit another family whose very young father was given only a few short months to live. After that, she went full circle when she came back to her first home for, ironically, surgery, cancer treatment and recovery. Again she lay on the pillow and served as a "Reminda" of the attending angels.

Next Reminda went to visit a home that had experienced significant loss with the death of a family member. She stayed for many months on the back of the chaise lounge where she was a daily and sometimes hourly reminder of the angels that were there.

Months later she went to visit with a family experiencing what seemed to be an insurmountable loss. She was held and touched and did her reminder job very well.

Then she visited with a family that needed comfort following life saving surgery for their daughter, surgery that will help but not cure. Each time she has sat in a different place and given comfort in many different ways. As angels do, she has never asked for anything in return. Each time she has been given away she has allowed the giver to become an angel herself. Reminda has done an excellent job at helping people remember the angels among us."

Now Reminda lays her head on Kaelyn's crib. She is a daily reminder that there are indeed Angels surrounding that little girl. I have felt them near and know they are protecting her and helping us through this journey. When the day comes that we bring Kaelyn home, I will pass the angel on to someone else who needs her to help them get through whatever they may be facing.

Just look at that little squirt, all dressed up and no where to go :)