A Gift for Lilly

I just finished up one of Lilly's Christmas presents.  This fits a twin sized bed.  

This quilt has a double meaning, to me at least.  First, I made it just for Lilly, so it's something that she (hopefully) will be able to use and hold on to for a loooong time. Second, I did this pattern in High School during my Sophomore year.  My grandmother, Jeannette, helped me with it one weekend when she was staying at our house.  She was a quilter herself and did many many of them through out the years (she even made dresses for my mom when she was younger, and made some doll clothes for me one year) Anyways, she passed away in 2001, my Junior year of High School.  I know that she's smiling down on me tonight and enjoying my creations, and proud that I am sharing with my daughter my love for quilting like she did with me.  I wish I had more time with her to learn a few tricks, but I'm picking up some as I go and learn myself. 

The pattern that inspired this design is called "Windmill"  Mine uses 4 fabrics, where I have seen some use only 2 or 3.  Some other examples are here and here.  The blocks are approx 16" square. After doing all the individual blocks, I decided to use an idea that the manager at JoAnn Fabrics in Mason City gave me when I purchased the fabric.  Ok, his words were "Are you making a rag quilt?" and that got me thinking.  So, I did the rest of the quilt in the rag style, modified since my squares are bigger than the average ones.  I used a thicker batting in between the top piece, and then a solid color piece (either in black, white or pink) made a sandwich, and then sewed them together down the middle and side to side.. so a big + sign. then, I sewed it so that on the backside, you don't see the seams/edges, but the front side you do.  Let me tell ya, it was a PITA getting the pattern to match up as closely as possible since the 2 solid colors were back to back. I did not take the time to fray the edges, mainly because I didn't have a chance to buy one of those spring action scissors and my fabric scissors that I have won't cut the 1/2 inch of fabric (they are sharper on the the inside part vs the outside, if that makes any sense lol)  But I figure in time it will fray.  There is a black border around the outside edge that adds another 2 1/2 inches on both sides. 

Abby Update..more surgeries..

Please everyone, keep those prayers coming that Abby gets better soon.  The only details that I have is that she had surgery again today, and will have another one either Friday or Monday to put in a permanent drain tube for her head.

sorry everyone that doesn't know: I was woken up this morning to things are great fever has come down and white blood cells are going down. then i get woke up a few hours later to we're taking your daughter back in for surgery. they put the drain tube back in. they thought maybe the infection was coming from the old one. so they opened it up and they said it wasn't like they thought. so they think her h

ead can't take the pressure she is not releasing it like she should be so that's why the old wound wasn't healing like it should have. so now as far as i know by Dr. Wilson is that she will have surgery again Friday or next Monday to put in a permanent drain tube. so that took all out of me. i cried like a baby. i hate to see my baby girl go through all this and them just keep chopping up her head like it is nothing.

Abby Update and Prayers for Jackie

I found out on Sunday (well, the family did) that Abby has an infection in her spinal fluid. She was hooked up to an IV to run antibiotics for the next 10-14 days :( so she will not be home for Christmas. The hospital has been so kinda and Santa has even stopped at her room a few times since being transferred to a regular room, but the family is planning on having a "mini Christmas" at the hospital, and then doing their actual Christmas once Abby is able to return home.

Here is the update that I got from Christina (her mom) today :UPDATE: abby just got a semi iv put in. they are gonna give her antibiotics for 10-14 days. so looks like she wont be home for christmas maybe not even new years :(

On Monday, Abby had surgery again.  Tom talked with her dad and they said something about Cranial Leakage, I didn't get all the details on it. 

On top of that, our cousin April (I work with her at the gas station, and she took care of our kids when we went down to help with the room) went down to Davenport Sunday night to see the family. She has her own pre-surgery (kidney stone removal) appointment in Iowa City Monday. Anyways, her and her mom arrived at the house and the kids were really excited to show them the rooms in person.. And her mom took a fell backwards down their stairs (the stairs are horrible in that house.. People with small feet are ok, but the house was built in like 1862 or something and the stairs go up about 7 feet and then curve up, and where it curves the steps themselves are really narrow compared to the stairs on the straight part) anyways, so my cousin's mom was rushed to the Davenport ER, they did xrays and such. She hit her head, shoulder, knee. I guess Kaylee (the 8 year old) tried to "catch" her and took a tumble too, but other than minor bruises she's OK.  April said that her mom is OK, xrays showed nothing broke, but she's very sore and her knee is swollen.  Sounds to me like the doctors just said put some ice on it and they sent her home. 

The picture below is of Kaylee (age 8) sitting in the ER with April and her mom, Jackie. 

If anyone would like to take the time to send a Christmas card, or a get well card to Abby and/or her family, I am posting their address again. 

Abby Alcala (and family)

1903 W 2nd Street 

Davenport, IA 52802

The Girl's Room.. and more prayers needed!

Tom and I went back down to Davenport on Wednesday night.. we got there around 11.  Mark and Christina were able to swap places with his parents so that they could help us with the painting.  Mark's parents stayed the night in Iowa City with Abby.  Before we left for Davenport, we were being told that Abby would be released that night, pending if her fever came back or not.  She had got a flu shot on Monday and then spiked a fever that night.  The fever had gone away by Tuesday night, so they were waiting 24 hours as a precaution.    She did not come home Wednesday.  Then had a 50% chance of being home by Friday.  It is now Sunday, and she still isn't home :(  The fever came back.  They ran a bunch of tests including a Spinal Tap, and discovered that she has an infection.  This is the latest update from Christina : BAD NEWS- abby had to have a spinal tap done today and the results are that she has some kind of infection. waiting to hear the final answer.  theres alot of stuff that needs to be done she might not be home for christmas:(

Please take a moment to send well thoughts and wishes.  Since they were expecting her to be home, they packed up most of the gifts that were sent.. I got a chance to go through some of the cards that were sent, and the family would like me to let everyone know that they are greatly appreciated, and something that Abby will hold on to forever.  I'm going to make a mini scrapbook for Abby of the pictures that have been taken and the FB status updates, blog comments and such, and the cards will be added to this scrapbook. 

On a positive note, the room is done. We all primed the room Wednesday night, and then spent all day Thursday painting.  Tom and I left Thursday night (friday morning I guess...) at 12am, and was back in Mason City by 5am. 

This room all 4 girls will share for the time being.  They have 2 sets of bunk beds that were received as gifts (One was from our Cousin April, who stayed in Mason and watched Sarah and Ashley for us; the other from from a local friend of theirs) 

Once the other bedroom is done, then just the 2 older girls will be in this one, and the younger 2 in the other one. 

Here is Vivi (3) Helping out

Mark painting on the TV Wall

Christina touching up the purple

 Here's Vivi :) 

Tom painting in a peace sign

Kaylee's Wall.  Everything but the giant peace sign and the "peace" was cut from my circut.  "Peace" was freehanded to match the font for their names. 

TV Wall

Kenzie's wall.  Heart/Peace was done freehand

 I wanted to put something special in the room since that all 4 will be sharing for the time being, and since they are all close to eachother, I thought this fit perfectly. "Sisters are Forever" is the Brush Script Font, used SCAL and the cricut to cut out.

Once Abby gets home, her handprint will be added to the wall. 

Paintings by the Girls

So, while walking around Hobby Lobby yesterday looking for things to make our snowmen out of baby food jars, I wandered to the art section and picked up 3 11x14 canvas's figuring that the girls could occupy themselves painting them after we did the snowmen.  

This is what they made... 

Sarah - she made this for her mom as a Christmas Gift :)

Ashley

Lilly

This is one that Ashley did last week for her Grandma Hall

Happy Abby News!!!

They removed the "brain drain" from Abby today!!

Doctors say she can go home on Wednesday!!!

Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers!!! Looks like she'll be home for Christmas!  

From my understanding, the doctors were waiting to see how her speech was and if the tumor had any impact on it.. since she's usually a gabber and didn't really talk a whole lot after removing the tumor... well that changed like almost over night.. she's been non stop talking :) 

Her dad has been working hard on the room, and almost has all the walls up... just need to mud and paint afterwards... Tom and I are still planning on going down on Wednesday night and staying till Friday morning, I turned in my baby bucks through Hyvee and got a $50 gift card that's good at Hyvee Gas, so we're going to use that to help fill the truck up to get down there.  And our cousin, April, made a deal with one of the furniture places in town and got 2 sets of bunk bed and 4 mattresses, and they are letting her do a payment plan for them!   All that's left is Sheets and comforters for the 4 girls, which I'm hoping that if I can sell one of my viking quilts that I'll be able to pick them up before we go down there. 

Abby Update / Remodeling

Thank you all again for the well wishes and prayers for Abby.  

Tom and I went down to Davenport on Monday night when I got off work.  We left Mason City around 11PM, and arrived in Iowa City around 2AM.  We were able to see Abby for few minutes, but poor girl was so tired she couldn't even open her eyes long enough to see who was talking to her.  She was laying on her side, snuggling her Lamb :) 

We picked her Dad up (he was at the hospital) and went down to Davenport, arrived around 4AM.  Was able to borrow a trailer from one of his Dad's friends and that helped a lot with the demo of  the bedroom.   They have been in the middle of remodeling and have been stretching every penny for bills and such, so the remodel has been put on hold most of the summer.  However, in order for Abby to be able to return home, she needs her own bed and a safe place to sleep.  Currently she has been sharing with a sister, but there's just too much things to worry about with 2 in a bed. 

Anyways, Tom, Mark (her dad), and one of her dad's friends and I worked hard at it from 6am after getting the trailer till 7pm (yes, after working 8 hours in Mason, driving 4 and all the time in between... I was exhausted!)  We took down 4 walls of Lathe, old blown in insulation and got it all cleaned up.  They had a friend there the night before and he removed all the plaster and took everything off the ceilings (plaster, lathe and insulation) but unfortunetly he left it all for us to clean up, since there was no where to go with it. (we just tossed it out of the window on and onto the trailer) 

Picture below is the room almost cleaned... 

Meanwhile, we left the 3 girls at home.  Our cousin April stayed the night.  

Sarah and Ashley knew that Tom was going down, but they had no idea that I was down there too.. and had no idea that April was there since she came over after they fell asleep...  she woke up with them so they wouldn't get on the bus, told them that I was called into work and so she came over.  Then said that instead of going to school, they were going to go somewhere. (c'mon.. lets "skip" school, your dad will never know ;)  and just a note, we don't do that often, this was a special trip!) The girls were all up for it and thought they were being "sneaky" and getting a way with something... April even gave my phone a jingle pretending to be calling the school to say they were sick.   After being in the car for 3 hours, they still didn't have any clue where they were about to be at... even with all the Iowa City signs.  It wasn't until they pulled in the hospital parking lot, Ashley screamed "We're going to see ABBY!!"  Which of course woke up Bianca. 

Abby's sister have been there to visit, just that time is limited when Abby is actually up, school for the others and money for gas to keep driving back and forth.   I was told by April that they walked in the room and said hi... no response from Abby.  However, they set Bianca next to her, and Bianca started blowing her Raspberries, which made Abby smile and giggle!  Then she realized who was all there and was very happy to see her cousins. They sat and colored, something her mom has been trying to get to her to do the last few days.  I think a visit with her cousins is just what she needed to perk up! 

I took a break and spent a little time with Violet. (Vivi for short)  She's 3 and missing her sister a lot, since when the older kids are at school, they played together and kept eachother company.   I sent this picture to April since the girls didn't know that I was down there and they were really surprised to find out that I was down there too and not really at work. 

Vi started posing for me... and then she had to see the picture.. and then she'd pose again.. I kid you not, I have a good 20 pictures of these cute poses on my phone.  I'm not sure what's with the hand signs, she'd do different combinations of fingers lol and a few she'd lift her leg up or swing her hips. 

Here is Kaylee, she is 8.  She wanted to help us upstairs and was kinda disappointed when we told her she still had to go to school.  After school tho, she came right upstairs and helped by picking up nails off the floor.

And here is a picture of the the group (minus a few - Kai was still at school and Tom's son Jordan didn't want to come with, and well Abby is still in ICU) 

There's Kenzie (12) Vi (3) Ashley (14) Ashley's holding Marky (17 months) Sarah (9) Kaylee (8) and Kaylee's holding Bianca (7 months) 

And here's one of Bianca and Marky

And this is how far we got after 12 hours of cleaning. We got 2 walls wired and 3 pieces of sheetrock up. 

We are hoping to be able to go back down on next week Wednesday, but funds have been tight for money for gas.  We have all the supplies to get the walls insulated and sheetrocked.  We still need to get carpet. We also still need to get beds and bedding for the girls. Neither of the parents have been able to go back to work, as they want at least one parent with Abby and the other at home with their other kids. We're hoping that things keep going good with Abby, but she can not go home until the room is completed and safe for her to sleep in as she'll probably spend a good amount of time in her room while she recovers and gets stronger. The doctors are not even starting to predict when she'll be home, they are still draining fluid from her head and hopefully by Friday they will have the results back on what the tumor was and what the next step will be.  At this point in time tho, it sounds like she may be in the hospital still for Christmas.

AS OF 12-5-12 ANY DONATIONS WILL GO TO HELP REMODEL ABBY'S ROOM.  We still need to get Carpet, beds, bedding, dressers and everything else to make it a safe, clean and comfortable place for her to rest while she is recovering.  There is a button on the side of my blog. 

Bianca Meets Santa....

And then sucked on Ernie's Nose!

Abby Update - Keep the Prayers coming!

A lot have asked for updates, and I am glad to share them with you as I get them.  

This picture below is Abby after she got out of her first surgery, the one they did to help relieve the pressure in her brain.  Even with the unknowing, she was in good spirits and smiling.  

On Friday morning, Abby went in to surgery at 7am to remove the tumor that was located near her brain stem.  She was in there for 7 hours.  This was taken in the recovery room.  Such a brave little girl! 

GOOD NEWS!!  Hallelujah and the power of prayer!!  Our cousin April wrote: 

MRI came back. They got it all! Abbers still has a long road til full recovery but there is no doubt in my mind or heart, that she'll make it there. She's a very strong and brave little girl.

April wrote : Thank you God for guiding the doctors hands for a 100% successful surgery. As abbers heads down the road for a 100% successful recovery, which will be successful, I ask for your continued prayers. They've given our family strength to face this. Thank you all.

 And here is Abby reading all the cards that she has been receiving!  I'm sure there are more on their way, and her family is bringing them to her as they come in.    

This picture is Abby reading a card, and someone sent a Lamb with her name on it!  Thank you so much!  This means a lot to this little girl and her family. 

Tom's Oldest girl, Ashley, made Abby a "medal" to wear.  She wrote on it that it was a special ribbon to wear that would make her feel better

The "wall" of cards as of Saturday

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all the prayers and well thoughts to help our family get through this.  I truly believe in the power of prayer and with it, and the family knowing that there are tons of people praying for the recovery of their daughter, it has helped them through this hard time.   I have not yet heard of when they are hoping to get the good news that they can return home, but I will keep everyone updated.
I know I don't blog a whole lot now, but please know that you all are like a big family to me, my scrapbooking friends are the best, and I'm glad that I have gotten the chance to "meet" you all even just in passing by. Hard to believe that I have tons of caring and generous friends.. and it all started with a bug (and a love of paper, punches and all things shiny!)