Quilt #34 Parker Holt

Handsome Parker

Quilt # 34 was presented to Parker Holt.  Parker is the son of my dear friend of well over 20 years, Barbara Holt. Barbara also made and gifted quilts #9 and 26 for The Duncan Project.

Elder Holt, left

Barbara, Parker's mother wrote:

Parker was serving a mission in Salem Oregon for the LDS church, and was out only about 2 months, when he started having numbness in his left hand  from time to time. After several months, he also began experiencing spasms on the left side of his face along with the numbness in his hand. After 2 doctor visits and lots of physical therapy, it was determined that he needed to see a neurologist and have an MRI done. So after serving for 13 months, he was sent home January 7th. 2017.  He loved being a missionary and enjoyed the sweet people in Oregon and the great missionaries he got to work with. At home he had several MRI's on his neck and head  and on Friday, January 13 (not our lucky day) we got the results that evening--that Parker had a brain turmor.  Parker had surgery on January 23rd to remove a golf ball sized tumor from the right side of his head and we got biopsy results 2 weeks later.  

The official diagnosis is a Diffuse Astrocytoma, grade 2; stage 2.  We learned that it is quite rare; only 1,500 people (young adults) are diagnosed worldwide with this type of tumor annually. He had a 6 week follow up MRI and we are waiting for those results.  Chemo/radiation will probably be the next step. This will be something he will live with for the remainder of his life.  But he is optimistic and planning to work and start school in the fall, and move on with life as best he can.

Handsome Parker before
his mission

Parker, age 3, middle front at Tate kids 101 Dalmations
 Birthday Party, Spencer Tate, far back.

This health issue is not over for Parker or the Holts. Prayers continue for this valiant servant of God as he and his family face what comes next.

I adore Parker and his family. I hope he
will find some small measure of comfort in this little lap quilt.  There is so much "love in the stitches," as they face the next chapter.

One third of the Duncan
Project is complete.

Quilt #33 Pei Pei and Jennifer Grover

This little girl has the most adorable smile. Just looking at her makes me happy. 

Jen shared that Pei Pei already has them
wrapped around her finger. No surprise.

Quilt #33 was presented to adorable Pei Pei to celebrate her adoption by James and Jennifer Grover which was finalized on Valentine's Day 2017. They began the adoption process nearly a year ago and the family is absolutely thrilled to have her finally in their home.

This is Melanie, Jen's sister and my
buddy Emmett. They are here with me
 in Hawaii.

I first heard about Pei Pei from my dear friend, Melanie Willis back in December. I knew immediately that I wanted to make a Duncan Project quilt for her.

The Grover's have 10 children from 4 different continents. Four from the US (biological), two from the Congo, one from Kasakhstan and three from China (including Pei Pei). I can only imagine the questions they must field as this large, colorful family travels together.

Pei Pei is two years old and has  Down Syndrome, as do her two other adopted Chinese brothers.  All three Chinese children came from the same orphanage in Hangshou Province.

The Grovers are indeed a special family and I hope this little quilt will become a prized treasure for Pei Pei as the years go by. Somehow the bright colors just seem to fit this little spark of a girl.

There is aloha and "love in the stitches."