Healing Again

I had prepared myself this time for the possibility but I didn't really think it would happen again.

But, two weeks ago I went in for a 10 week appointment and once again I heard the words, "There is no heartbeat". 

The baby was measuring 9 weeks.  My doctor said she wants to do some tests soon and see if there's a blood clot or something that is causing these miscarriages.

She scheduled me for a D&C 6 days away.  However, it ended up happening at home 4 days later and  was somewhat of a peaceful, positive experience.  I actually held my tiny, little baby(the size of the tip of my pinkie) and marveled at God's work.  I could see each of it's 10 little fingers.  I was in awe and felt like this way I had more closure.

It was still an emotionally painful experience but I feel like I have been able to heal swifter this time.

One thing that I have spent my time doing is quilting.  I feel that it is a very good healing activity :)

After my weekend with Jenny Doan I was super inspired to start at it again as you saw in my last post.  I have also been inspired by my Mom's minis and so I thought maybe I could try my hand at whipping one up and so far I am really pleased.

I used Primitive Gatherings "Floral Gatherings" line and I absolutely love the colors.

I started working with a mini charm pack but ended up pulling a bit from a regular sized charm pack of the same fabric and also my stash to bring in the blues.

 I was also able to find some coordinating fabrics for setting triangles and backing from a couple of LQS.  Now I just need to get up the nerve to border it and quilt it :)

I have such supportive and great family and friends.  They have been there for me through these two losses and I appreciate them so much!

My dad found an article a few days ago that was really pertinent and sent it my way.

It explains that we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) don't have any clear doctrine that has been revealed about when the spirit enters the body and so forth.  We do believe however, that we will live with our loved ones again after we have passed through this life.  I also know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who has a plan for us and will make all things right in the end.  I like to think that these two little ones that I have lost will be mine in the eternities and that these tiny bodies were all they needed to gain on this earth and are now progressing on their eternal journeys.

I am at peace though and have faith in the future...no matter how far away that future may seem.

Girlfriend's Day Out

**Lots and lots of quilty pictures...**

In the summer I signed up to go to a quilt workshop with my mom.

The cutest local quilt shop put it on last week.

At the time, I had no idea who Jenny Doan, the guest quilter was, but now I am a big fan :)!

Jenny's family owns Missouri Star Quilt Co. which only started up 6 years ago but has become a huge hit in the quilting world.  She is known for her YouTube tutorials on how to use precuts.

You can see me looking up at Mom on the far right table.

It was held at the beautiful Castle Manor reception center.

It had the perfect balcony for hanging quilts using Jenny's methods made by attendees.

I was happy to run into my good friend LaReen...

...and thrilled to enjoy the day with my sweet mom :)

What made the day even more fun was Jenny's two daughters that joined her.  They were so cute and added so much personality...not that Jenny doesn't have enough on her own, but they complimented her well.

There's that personality, putting on a show for us :)  (It's hard to tell but her right leg is up in the air)

Enter the quilts...

These were just my favorites.

She showed us how each of these were made with either layer cakes, jelly rolls, charm packs etc.

I've noticed two things from the three pictures above... the recent pounds I have put on show in my face really well :)

&

for some reason, for pictures, I tend to stand apart from people I don't know and lean in.  What's up with that?

After Jenny's presentation we had a wonderful lunch from Costa Vida and then participated in 5 break out sessions.

In the first one we put together super simple tissue pouches for breast cancer patients.

In the second, the owner of the local shop showed diy Christmas gift ideas...anywhere from doll clothes to bags to aprons and pillow floor pads.

Next, her twin sister helped us all use a snazzy new embroidery machine to make a Christmas mug rug.  I had never used any kind of embroidery machine before and I was amazed at how little the human actually does in the process.  All we had to do was push the green button and the machine knew exactly what to do.

Our next session was shopping around the balcony and watching the Doan daughters demonstrate some of their templates.

Here they are oohing and awing over Mom's minis.  You can kind of see some of them in front of Sarah in the picture above.

Here is the one she had on display using Jenny's disappearing pinwheel...I think that's what it's called.

I had to get a picture with these cuties :)

Last of all was a meet and greet out in the gazebo with Jenny.

She was such a sweetheart!

I'm actually not leaning in this pic :)

I didn't have a book or anything fancy to sign so I just had her sign a bookmark that they had handed out to everyone.  It's cute.  It says, "When Life Falls to Pieces Make a Quilt".  Words to live by :)

This is a shot of all the things that came in our bags or that we made or were given at the workshop.

And these, aside from the mug, are what fabrics I bought from the balcony.

After all the fun at the castle, the shop opened up and everything was 20% off!  It was super!

A lot of ladies waiting around for the doors to open.

Cute Kris and Kim and once again, the star herself...

I picked up a few things at the shop as well as won one of the drawings.

Such a stinkin' fun day!

It certainly inspired me to come home and kick my quilting into gear.

I finally finished piecing the top of my scrap banner quilt.  It's about time.  All of the fabric seen besides the sashing are fabrics that I used in the "Banners for Ben" project.

I had to show it now because I have no idea when it will be completely finished and I was kind of anxious to get it on the blog.

Now to find some backing fabric and maybe try my hand at machine quilting :)

Ogden Temple Open House

In the LDS church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), before a new (or newly renovated) temple is dedicated, an open house is held and anyone can  take a tour through the temple.

This is how the Ogden temple used to look: 

source

Since the local temple was closed for renovation at the time, this is where my parents were married.  I wish I had a picture of them on that day to post.  How about it Mom?

And this is how it looks now:

For pictures of the interior of the Ogden temple go here.

                

                        were able to take the kids on the second to last day of the open house.  

Although they not all of them were thrilled when they got home from school on Friday and we told them to hurry into their church clothes so we could go, they were all happy that we went afterward.

When we exited the temple, there was a large fountain right in front of us.

Of course, Ben immediately pulled us in that direction.

He is such a water lover!

We had to forcefully move him away after several minutes of splashing all over both of us.

I love Matt's face :)!

After taking him away from the water he was pretty mad while we walked around the rest of the grounds.  There was no way he would pose for a picture with the rest of us.

We then drove around the corner and made a stop at a childhood memory of mine...Farr's Ice Cream.

When I was young and our family would be driving home from Salt Lake for one reason or another, we would always hope that Dad would take the Ogden exit and treat the family to ice cream.

He did it often enough to make memories :)

This was my kids' first time.

The scoops of ice cream were rather large and had been put atop spindly, little cones.  As the man gave Matt his cone, he hesitated handing it over and watched him for several seconds with concern in his eyes.  Matt took his first lick and crack, the cone snapped right in half and toppled to the floor.  They very kindly gave us a new one.  While we were waiting for it we saw some very familiar faces out the window.  My aunt and uncle and cousins (including the one that got married a few weeks ago) were walking in to get their own yumminess :)  They had just been to the open house as well.  What a coincidence.  It was very fun to visit for a few minutes.  However, we couldn't chat long since our ice cream was starting to melt and Andy and Ben were waiting for us in the car.
We then drove home and had our weekly, Friday pizza and movie night.

It was a lovely way to spend an evening with the family :)