JUMPING THOSE HURDLES

AJ at 8 days old

Time flies when your having fun.  Time also flies when you anxiously wait to see a precious little grandchild reach just one more hurdle, one more step towards being able to come home. 

Our little grandson is doing great. He is up to 3 lbs after dropping down to 2 lbs 13 oz as most newborns loose some weight at first. He is off the oxygen; off the UV lights he was on to help with the jaundice; and as of last night he is up to 12mil of breast milk (through the feeding tube).  

I love to watch him when he is awake and looking around. Now that the UV light is off and he no longer has to have the eye mask on all the time he opens his eyes and looks around and looks to where voices are coming from even if he can't really see very far yet.

My Daughter has been able to hold him several times, changed his tiny diaper (even the preemie diapers are too big and have to be folded down).  She is doing well in her recovery and has been busy.  

Our little one still has hurdles to cross before he can come home. One is that he needs to be 4 lbs.  

We have been so blessed. He is so perfect in every way. He has had no other medical problems other than being small and a bit jaundice for a few days.  

We continue to keep him in our prayers and appreciate all those who are praying with us.  

May you all have a great day.  I'll write more soon. 

Til next time - keep those needles stitching.

Phyllis

SOME THINGS TAKE A BACK SEAT

Life is funny sometimes. We tend to go with the flow, or we make waves. When life doesn't seem to go our way, when things don't just fall into place easily we tend to make waves and attempt to make things work our way, and when we want them to. We want to be able to walk the path we have set in our mind.

This does not always work out. As I had learned a long long time ago there is a time and a place for everything. (As for a place for everything, would someone please come get me reorganized ? lol )

A time for everything is another matter. We often find ourselves with our life planned out the way we want it. We know what we want, we know when we want it. Then life throws little curve balls at us. And it is my belief that God is in total control of my life and no matter what I may have in mind to do or when, He will either let those plans work out as I want or He will change them according to the way He wants them. We just have to listen to Him.  Then there are times that things happen and we don't have a choice in altering His plan. 

We find this in our everyday life of living, working, traveling and other everyday things we do. 

We as quilters find this all the time. We find a pattern, we find the fabric, we find the time.  We sit to work on the quilt and 9.5 chances out of 10 our goal gets postponed. Our pieces are cut wrong, our seams are not sewn correctly, our sewing machine acts up, the phone rings, smoke alarm goes off and the door bell rings all at the same time when our quilting is going along perfectly!  

As quilter's we find that going with the flow, no matter how rough it gets sometimes is the best way to go. We tend to stop quilting when everything seems to be going against us. We know it is time for a break from it. When we return to the quilting the things we found that were giving us problems are no longer an issue.  We just needed that 'time out'. 

Yes, quilting for many is a form of therapy. A chance to take a break from our normal life. A time to sink our heart and souls into a totally different world and enjoy the ride.And then we find, as I have found in the last few days, even quilting takes a back seat to life. 

There are times that life really throws you a curve ball and you have to stop and readjust everything to make room for it. But it is worth it. 

Just three days ago my grandson was born 9 weeks early.  From the moment my daughter's water broke my life, my work, my quilting has taken a back seat to her, her husband and the new baby. 

Many hours have been spent in prayer, asking many others to pray with us and for us and them. We have lost sleep, we have adjusted schedules, we have postponed our  'to do list'.  We have done what needs to be done and the rest had been spent wrapped around this new little wonder in our lives. 

Today we heard the wonderful news that he is totally breathing on his own. No more oxygen needed.  He so far as beaten all the time tables they have set for 'normal preemie' milestones.  We pray that he continues this way. 

Today is the first day I'm semi back to normal.  For me it is a day off work. A day I normally would spend in the quilt studio.  And, yes, I will get there yet today.  I have quilt labels to make, a small wall hanging to quilt for a customer and another one to load onto the longarm.  But what I'm looking forward to most is the time I will get to spend with my daughter and tiny grandson. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day.  Take time to evaluate what are the important things in your life and know that sometime we are not given the choice or the time to evaluate the important things.  After all we have this grand baby all planned out, everything in time, everything organized.....baby had other plans!  

Til next time ---- keep those needles quilting, keep those family ties connected.

WRAPPED AROUND HIS FINGER

 Our little Grandson is doing well. This picture is of him with his hand wrapped around his Daddy's finger! 

He is on less oxygen which is a great thing. His Daddy got to change his diaper last evening. 

We celebrate such tiny hurdles when they are this little.

I was looking at him and thinking of the two quilts I have made for him. How BIG they are, even the little one!  I think I may make a smaller one for him when I get a chance. 

I unfolded a FQ last night and realized he could fit in it wrapped up! A couple of large quilt blocks with a border on them and he'd be wrapped up snug and warm. And to realize that he is possibly the largest one in the NCIU! It's amazing what they can do now for even the tiniest of God's miracles. 

Hopefully in a day or two my daughter will be able to come home. Get some rest and between us get the nursery ready.

I have taken a break from any quilting for a while, but will be getting back to it this week. Need to work on a couple customer quilts and put labels in the two quilts I've made for our grandson. 

In the mean time - we do what has to be done around the house and at work and spend the rest of our time with our daughter, son in law and grandson. 

Til next time - keep those needles busy making quilts. 

Phyllis

Our little Miracle

Today as I posted earlier our little Grandson entered our world. 

Within 14 1/2 hours he was off the respirator and breathing on his own. 

At under 18 hours old, as I was touching him and talking to him, he opened his eyes! 

AJ

THE TINIEST HAND CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

This week has been one we will never forget. 

A time when we learned that no matter how well we plan things, no matter how we want things to go for us, there are times when others have other ideas and plans and you just have to stop your world and let them be in control of most all that you do. 

On Wednesday of this week my daughter went into premature labor.  She was not due until the first part of October.  They did what they could to stop the labor to help the baby develop his lungs as much as they could. I spent most of the last two days with her in the hospital. Keeping her and her husband company as she rested.

This morning we got a call at 12:30 that they were going to have to do an emergency C-Section. 

At 12:31 AM our little grandson was born. He weighs just 3 lbs 3 oz and is only 15 inches long.

He is doing well and so is my daughter.  

It's amazing how such a tiny human being can change your life's plans.  All that I had planned to do this week came to a stop the moment I learned she was in labor.  I put a stop to all my quilting. I took off work early, I spent as much time with her as I could.

And that is how it should be. Family comes first. I may be a workaholic for the most part, but this tiny grandson of mine found a way to make me slow down.  I am sure he will continue to rule my heart, and I will spoil him!
 
Today we get some rest, visit with them and make new plans as they prepare for his continued care at the hospital and prepare for when he is older and big enough to come home. 

Next week I will go back to making quilts, taking in customer orders, designing new quilts with the added family member requiring us to have our 'baby fix'.  I love that they only live 5 miles from us! Makes the 'baby fix' easier to control. 

For all of you how find yourself too busy at times to enjoy life.... stop! Take the time you need for family. Let them know you love them and that you are there for them. A quilt is nice, a hug is even better. A hug which includes a quilt that wraps around you both ---- the best!  


Til next time....
Phyllis