#44 Update on Struggles and Miracles post #27

Just wanted to give you a brief update and show you some pictures of a project I just finished for my friend Kellie and her little guy!!

If you didn't read the post and want the back story you can find it here.

Kellie is due in 2 weeks, she is getting anxious for the little guy to arrive. She has had some struggles with this miracle pregnancy, but she is handling everything extremely well. Now with her due date so close the 

doctor has found that she has a type b strep virus, that can affect the baby during delivery. So she needs to be on antibiotics for delivery so hopefully the little guy won't pick up the bug. Again I'm asking anyone who prays, please remember Kellie and her little miracle in prayer over the next few weeks!! 

Here is the simple bag I made to go along with the quilt. Its all done, but missing D rings to add the handles, do to car trouble and more bad weather (hwy was closed today) in our area!! Hopefully will get out Monday!!

 Made this bag pattern up on the fly, guess that makes me a designer!! lol Not the 2 block patterns, that is thanks to As Easy As ABC QAL.

 His first name will start with C, His last name with B

#27 Struggles & Miracles

I know this isn't my regular type of post, but this is a one time only share, about my best friend and her miracle! So read on or just scroll through the pictures of the quilt progress and completion!!

 I have been promising pictures and the back story for the Riley Blake Life in the Jungle quilt I have been making for my friend Kellie, but I kept running into road blocks that slowed me down. Well I believe that everything happens at the right time, even if I sometimes doubt and question why. So this is the perfect time for my post, and my friends story is like that too. Perfectly timed!

 I wanted to share Kellie's story and Kellie agreed, to hopefully encourage anyone struggling with infertility, or just struggling and needed to feel encouraged and hopeful about whatever is going on in your life right now.
Kellie and Dan were married in 2000 and started trying for a family in 2001. In 2002 after no success, they went and had tests to determine why they weren't conceiving. The tests showed no medical reason for infertility. In 2003 they started on fertility pills. In 2005 Kellie had surgery for endometriosis, and continued on with the fertility pills. They did 2 IUF procedures  later in the year which involved lots of blood work, trips to the fertility clinic and abdominal needles for Kellie. Neither of the procedures worked!

 In 2006 Dan and Kellie had the opportunity to go to Korea, for Dan to teach. They figured it would be time to relax and take a break from fertility treatments and all the stress. They ended up staying for 2 yrs.

They returned home in 2008 and in 2009 started the adoption process. They wanted a family so much and were exited when they were accepted in 2011 for adoption,














but all through this process Dan's health had begun to break down physically and emotionally, and they had to give up their chance at an adoption. Dan wasn't working and then Kellie lost her job and was out of work for a year.

Their marriage hit some really rocky ground and came very close to ending, but with the help of friends, family and prayer, God saw them through. Kellie found a new job, that is closer to home and Dan is doing better, but the dream of a family was over in their minds.














 But just like I said we don't always understand God's timing, but I truly believe it is perfect.....
 Kellie and Dan announced that after 12 years of trying and at 37 years old Kellie was having a baby!!!!!

 I'll  share that I screamed and laughed and danced (not a pretty sight, I'm sure) but I was over the moon happy for them both!! They have opted out of screening, because this is their miracle, a precious life no matter what!! They have had ultra sounds that show no problems and a healthy, growing baby...wait for it.... 

                                                                   ........BOY!!!



Who knows why the wait, like Kellie says, it was hard going through a lot of this, and some stuff still hurts, but I am going to have my baby boy, and that makes me so happy.

 

Silver linings. We always need to look for the silver linings. Sometimes what we want isn't what we need. Sometimes the timing is wrong and then it is so right!!!! Sometimes sharing our pain helps us all get stronger...

                                          Don't give up!!!

#26 Holiday Sewing....

So I am now doing 2 more quilt alongs, both Christmas!! Which got me in the mood to start making my Christmas presents too!! Which means I will hopefully stay on task and get everything done well in advance. (I have a huge smile on my face right now, because I know I can be easily distracted by  new interesting quilt projects I might stumble apon....)

Count Down to Christmas

Modern Trees QAL

What I've Been Up To:

over half way through the City Sampler Blocks

Making 3  table runners...2 fall with Halloween disappearing nine patch blocks for the back side, and 1 with Halloween and another celebration on the back. Trying to decide between Valentine's Day or Birthday.

And I loaded the baby quilt, finally found the right thread....but still waiting for the bobbins to arrive. [They sent the wrong size!! boo :(   ]

#25 WIPs

So I've tidied up my hobbyroom...

and I'm happy to say it looks pretty much like the pictures still!! Other than the blocks laying next to my sewing machine waiting to be sewn into another quilt top!!

 I finished the quilt as you go String Block quilt! I realized when I was starting to line up the blocks to lay them out, that there was no way to layout the front and know what was going to happen with the back of this quilt. So I literally tossed the blocks in the air and picked them up randomly from the floor into a pile and than began sewing the blocks together! Turned out fantastic!!!

I put the borders on the Craftsy BOM 2012 quilt! I ended up adding the brown (basic gray, grunge) border in and like it!! At first I was adding it because I had run out of the white background and couldn't find anymore, and was going to have to change whites, but by a fluke I came across some in a quilt shop. I decided to add it anyway because I didn't think there would be quite enough white, and it all worked out!!

 I made another wallet. This time I used upholstery fabric for the outer shell, and added the inset piece of fabric.

And completed block 15 in the Virtual Quilting Bee

and I know I keep saying next week, but this time I mean it!!! Next week this one( should ) will  be done and ready for its Post!!

 and Day #22 in the photo a day challenge is nature.....last of the flowers as fall hits us...

I think there is a life lesson in this picture...even in hard conditions when you think nothing could grow or be beautiful... there is strength and beauty!!!

Happy Sewing!!!

Late Entry!!!

Blocks 52-54 City Sampler