Quilt #43 Vicki Wood

Quilt #43 was presented to a sweet woman who lost her 16 year old son to cancer. Their family loved the outdoors and this quilt pattern designer shared that she was inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson's admonishment to "live in the sunshine."

This project has taught me some about grief. It just won't be rushed. Some of the recipients of these quilts aren't in a space to share photos when given. We all deserve space as the sacred process occurs.

Today we received word that another grandmother in our family passed last night. Two in two weeks. I have a new understanding of what it means to "mourn with those who mourn."

I found this poem recently and it seems the right space to share it.

I had my own notion of grief.

I thought it was the sad time

That followed the death of

Someone you love.

And you had to push through it

To get to the other side.

There is no pushing through.

But rather,

There is absorption.

Adjustment.

Acceptance

And grief is not something you complete,

But rather, you endure.

Grief is not a task to finish

And move on,

But an element of yourself-

An alteration of your being.

A new way of seeing

A new definition of self.

I hope this quilt provides some small measure of comfort to a grieving parent. Love in the stitches...

Quilt #44 Karen Yorgason and Baby Bennett donated by Kelly Jones

Mary Duke (helped me deliver the quilt), Mom Karen Yorgason, Grandma Joan Schneiter and little sister

Quilt #44 was presented to Karen Yorgason for her newborn son Bennett. We are almost at the halfway point in The Duncan Project and one thing I have enjoyed are the tender mercies and miracles in the background. 

The entire Yorgason clan. The little
siblings can only visit 15 minutes
twice a week.

After learning about Baby Bennett's auspicious entry into this world, I knew I wanted him to be a part of The Duncan Project. I was in the middle of finishing one quilt and had another that I needed to complete urgently. I texted Kelly Jones, one of my favorite quilters, to see if she knew of a very simple baby quilt pattern that I could complete quickly so as to return to the other projects in my queue.

Kelly shared with me that she had recently completed a baby boy quilt with no intended receiver that she would like to donate. What makes this even more meaningful is that both the giver and receiver have sons with special needs. 

Bennett's grandmother, Joan Schneiter wrote about her beautiful grandson:

Bennett James Yorgason

While on a family vacation in Hawaii, Karen received a call from her doctor. The doctor told her she would be having a boy and asked Karen if she and her husband could come in later in the day to discuss some other findings. Karen told her doctor she was on vacation and would like to know what was going on. The doctor told Karen that her little boy had a 99% chance of having Down syndrome, which was found through a DNA screening test.  Karen says that both she and James felt at peace about the baby and his diagnosis. She was a little over three months along at this point.

Karen and James have three other children. She is 29 years old. 

As the months went by she went to a specialist and had many ultra sounds. Everything indicated that although this little guy had an extra chromosome, he was healthy, and Karen's regular doctor was planning on delivering him. Then the baby flipped and was breach! Her regular doctor still planned to deliver him, but decided to schedule a C-section on July 21st, two weeks before his due date.

On July 17th Karen went in for her weekly ultra sound and the technician said, "Oh Karen, I'm sorry. I need to get the doctor." The doctor rushed in and said the baby had fluid surrounding his lungs and so she needed to go immediately to the University of Utah for an emergency C-section because of their NICU-Newborn Intensive Care Unit, and he needed to be close to Primary Children's Hospital.

That evening little Bennett made his entrance into the world and was briskly passed through the "window" to the NICU. He has been there for nearly three weeks at this posting. He has a rare and serious condition called Chylothorax. It is not associated with Down syndrome. His lymphatic system produces fluid in his chest and it pushes on the lungs and heart. It is difficult to treat but Bennett has responded extremely well to medication. Because of the chest tube draining the fluid, his parent's cannot hold him.

Dad and Mom.  One of the few times
they were able to hold him before the
chest tube.

His little brothers and sister started calling him PUPPY while he was in the womb. He is super PUPular! We send out PUPdates to the family. The window in his NICU even has a huge #teampup! The name Bennett means blessed little one, and he is blessing all of our lives. His parents are also teaching us to be strong! This morning on the PUPdate Aunt Jenny wrote, "Even though Bennett is going through all this hard stuff, he always has a peaceful/content look on his face. We have a lot to learn from this kid. #belikebennett."

Bennett has a team of angels here on here and above, praying for his comfort and well being. I love this opportunity to recognize miracles and see testimonies strengthened. His is truly a blessing to his family. As well, I am grateful for those who bless my life as The Duncan Project progresses.

Love in the stitches for PUPPY Yorgason...

The quilt is backed in minke. Perfect for this family.