Quilt #56 Amanda Weston

Quilt #56 was presented to Amanda (and David) Weston.
Amanda is my daughter and her Dad and I often talked about what a great mother she would be. Amanda was 10 when her sister was born and she spent many years caring for her younger sister and brother.

Amanda and David married in 2012 and after a brief period of time decided to start a family. After 5+ years and four rounds of IVF, Amanda and David will have their first child, a little girl, in April.

Through these trials and disappointments, they have both exhibited great faith and perseverance. They have truly learned what it means to "wait upon the Lord."

It makes me think of the scripture in Samuel, where Hannah says, "For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I ask of him." This child has been the subject of much prayer and we share her parents joy and excitement as she joins our family.

There is Grandma love in the stitches....

Quilt #55 Janelle Rafferty

Quilt #55 was presented to Janelle Rafferty. Janelle is my niece by marriage and has always been one of my family favorites. She has a great design eye and many years ago she introduced me to Feng Shui. She has a keen mind and a great sense of humor. If she recommends a book or movie, I will always check it out.

Last December Janelle was experiencing significant pain. They had scanned earlier for tumors and found nothing but only 10 days later, the tests showed a number of very fast growing tumors. To date she has completed 4 rounds of chemo and is continuing to receive additional treatment. The chemo is proving to be effective and she remains hopeful that she will soon be cancer free.  

We had a very interesting conversation about empathy. Her observations reminded me to be more thoughtful and resist the urge to offer unsolicited advice. Just having a safe place to express your true feelings can be so helpful.

I am also so impressed with her continued strength and faith in the midst of her trials. She inspires me.

I love this amazing woman and pray for her comfort and healing. There is love in the stitches for my dear friend Janelle.                           

#54 Carter Low

Carter with his quilt beginning another round of chemo

Quilt #54 was presented to Carter Low on February 5, 2018. Carter is valiantly battling cancer. His positive attitude, strength and faith are awe inspiring.

His mother Colleen writes:

Carter was serving a mandarin speaking mission in Houston Texas South Mission. After 14 months and while mucking houses after Hurricane Harvey Carter started experiencing some health challenges. He returned home on October 7 and was admitted to UC Irvine Medical Center. He was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Stage 3. He has now been in and out of Children's Hospital of Orange County multiple times since then. He is back today getting another round of high risk chemo-he is always smiling. We feel as if his mission calling was changed from Texas to CHOC. We are hoping he will be cancer free soon.

Carter and his family have chosen to give back to those who serve the sick at CHOC. On Christmas Day they were able to pull of a miracle, providing breakfast for the staff who were away from their families that day. They have chosen to serve during this difficult trial. Soliticing donations and gas gift cards for the families with sick children.

Carter's quilt is a pattern called Stacked Blocks. It is supposed to look as though you tossed the blocks and sewed them together as they landed. I think it is interesting to make something beautiful out of chaos. Which is exactly what the Lows are doing. Serving others in the midst of their own darkness. Coleen wrote that she has never felt closer to the Savior than since the cancer was diagnosed in October. There is a FB page that follows his journey @CarterCrushesCancer.

Carter on his mission on Texas

There is love and HOPE in the stitches for Carter.

#53 RC donated by Hickham Quilting Cooperative

Quilt #53 was donated to a most courageous woman. In The Duncan Project about 50% of the recipients are nominated by friends of mine. This has been such a tender part of the experience. To know that a quilt is given without expectation or obligation to some deserving person that I do not know. It has increased my understanding that we all experience and are refined by trials.

The trial experienced by RC's family is unbelievable. A false accusation and poor legal representation led to the false imprisonment of a very good man. His family is left to struggle under the weight of injustice and undeserved hardship.

Some weeks are pretty tough for this sweet wife and mother. In a message she shared how grateful she was. She wrote, " My heart is so full. I've had a really hard week and this touched my heart. As a side note it has elephants on it and they are my favorite animal."

Upon reading this, I got goosebumps as the Spirit testified about the rightness of the timing of this gift. I had her on my list and had material for a quilt for her a couple months ago. While working on that quilt, it was clear it was needed for another recipient.

Little elephants

It is a small thing but the fact that there were elephants in this fabric reminded me that God is mindful of us in our darkest times.

RC and I texted back and forth a bit and in her final text she wrote, "My family and I continue to wait on the Lord and plead that He will deliver us and like Job restore all that we've lost." Such great faith. I add my prayer to hers.

I am also grateful to the wonderful friend who shared this sister's story with me.

Love in the stitches....

Quilt #51 Julie Elmont Barr

Julie receiving her quilt.

Quilt #51 was presented last week to Julie Barr. Julie is the sister of my dear friend Marilee Davis.

Marilee shared her story:

Julie Barr is a single mother of three grown children and lives in Vernal, Utah. One of her best friends had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was nearing the end of her battle. Julie traveled to Colorado to be near Kristen's side as well as help her children through the difficult time. On August 26th,while traveling to the hospice center, Julie was hit head on by a truck that veered into her lane. Both vehicles were going 55 mph. Miraculously Julie survived.

Julie and Kristen

Julie was in the ICU from August 25-September 18th while they repaired her torn abdominal wall, her broken elbow, tendons in her left hand. They reconstructed her entire right knee, set her broken femur, repaired her tibia and fibula in both legs, as well she endured a tracheotomy tube for over a month. She suffered a number of strokes caused by blood clots from the accident. Miraculously, she did not sustain any brain damage.

Julie with her two sons, daughter, and
daughter in law.

Julie remained in the hospital in Colorado until November 9, 2017 when she was medically transported to Orem, Utah . She is now closer to family and friends. After many months of rehab and therapy, Julie will test out her new knee and repaired legs for the first time on December 22nd.
Julie has remained so positive and optimistic throughout this ordeal. Her daughter Kennadi has remained by her side everyday, as well she has had incredible support from family and friends. Julie's friend Kristen passed away on September 8, 2017. It was a blessing for Julie to serve her friend before the accident.
Julie and her entire family are so grateful for the miracles they have witnessed and the strength Julie has been blessed with. She is amazing! 

There is love in the stitches for the courageous, compassionate woman.

Julie the night of the accident.

Julie's Maxima after the accident.

First day with trach removed.

Quilt #52 Eloise Beach donated by Hickham Quilting Charity Cooperative

Eloise. Isn't she adorable

Brother Duncan Beach

Quilt #52 was given to the Eloise Beach. Eloise is a rainbow baby. Which means, she is the next to be born after a child has passed. I felt confident that she and Duncan had a few discussions before she came to earth.

Alisa, Duncan's mother send me a sweet message upon receiving the quilt. I asked is I could share a portion:

Stacey thank you so much, this came at the most perfect time. We had just come in the house after taking some family pictures when I saw your note. This is one of those things that has been a little difficult. It didn’t bother me so much having pictures of Josiah and Ona without Duncan because even when he was here they had plenty of their own pictures. But it has been hard taking pictures of Josiah, Ona, and Eloise without Duncan and thinking we’ll never have a picture of Eloise with him. Of all the things I don’t mind and the things that don’t bother me at all, I feel so silly stumbling over this small thing. I know Eloise’s connection to Duncan is stronger than ours right now anyway, but opening this quilt tonight was perfect. It’s a connection between her and her brother that I get to see. One more little coincidence that shows He loves us and keeps us in mind.
.

Kay is a master quilter and I love her blue hair.

 One of my favorite parts of this project so far, have been the fellow quilters that have donated to the project and taught me so much, not only about quilting but about giving in general.

This particular quilt was donated by the Hickham Quilting Charity Cooperative. This group meets every Sunday to sew quilts for charity and they have a goal to creat 100 quilts this next year. They donated 3 quilts to The Duncan Project. They have a FB page @HickamQuiltingCharityCooperative.

I get to quilt with many of these great women on Thursdays and I particulary love that they are a military group since the military brought the Duncan/Beach family to Hawaii.

This project has been such a source of comfort and learning for me and numerous others. There is love in the stitches for sweet Eloise Beach.

Quilt #50 Zola Given

Isn't her smile infectious?

Parents Jeff and Cortney with Zola and sister Gray

Quilt #50 was presented to Zola Given by her Aunt Cassidy. The quilt was sewn by a family friend in their ward. The family friend wanted to sew a quilt as bright and happy as this little one.

Zola is a miracle baby. At 18 weeks pregnant, the parents, Jeff and Courtney Given, were informed that Zola had a heart condition called Left Hypoplastic Heart Syndrome, a rare and complex cogenital heart defect which caused the left side of the heart to be critically underdeveloped.

This sweet girl was born in March and lives up to her special nickname, "Super Zola."

She has already had numerous major procedues and her family continues to show great faith in God's plan for this little one.

They have many hundreds of prayers on behalf of Zola. There is love in the stitches and continued support, love and concern for this joyful, miraculous little one and her family.