Jamie's Birthday Quilt {Block 8}

“Say not in grief that she has gone, but give thanks that she was yours.”

Saturday was a special day.  
It was the day our daughter was born eight years ago.  The day where we seem to make everyone else more uncomfortable than we are ourselves about our incredible loss.  
But we can't let the day go by without acknowledging an important family member.  The family member that requires us to choose life. Choose adventure.  Choose joy.

This year would be her 8th birthday.   As I have in the past, I think about what life would be like during that year.  What activities she might be involved in?  What toys would she like?  What big events in her life would be happening?

I thought about how this would be the year I would have had the joy of preparing her for her First Communion.  All of the spiritual growth.  All of the retreats and classes together.  I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I would be so excited to buy a dress this year instead of pulling out the boys’ suit that they have all worn.  

 I hunted for some patterns of a little girl in a dress.  A little girl kneeling.  I considered the symbols of the Eucharist.  None of them seemed right for her quilt.  

I then had a flash of memory.  The year she was born, our third son was celebrating his First Commmunion.  The second grade teachers asked me if I could make the floral crown for the May Crowning ceremony. 

 I used pink roses and rosemary for remembrance.  He also asked me if he could carry one of the pink roses.

The significance of the roses has a deeper meaning.  On the morning of our daughters memorial funeral, I had given my husband a task.  I asked him to buy some flowers for the church.  My favorite flowers are daisies, but I was insistent that he go buy flowers for her. Whatever he wanted to buy his little girl.  He returned with this beautiful delicate pink and white rose bouquet.

 I knew, without a doubt, that I had to do a rose quilt block this year.  
 I found this really pretty paper pieced rose on Craftsy.

Click on photo for link

I think the solids are gorgeous, but I’m still trying to use these out of print fabrics from the Posey line by Aneela Hoeey.

Her birthday is sometimes ordinary or extraordinary.  This year it was extraordinary.  In the category of choosing adventure and joy, we decided to send the older boys on a last minute, once in a lifetime trip to Houston to cheer our Astros in the ALCS with my husband.  We also bought a ticket for our oldest son to fly from college and meet them.

Button and I opted to stay home.  He hasn’t been feeling so hot this past week and we thought it best he stay home to recuperate.  I found some quiet reflective time to work on Jamie’s Birthday quilt.  We rounded off the day by making and eating cupcakes, choosing joy.

I am grateful that I came up with the idea of her birthday quilt.

  I love where it takes me.  I love the path of inspiration I take.  I love that I will have a quilt that is “hers” someday.

Jamie's 7th Birthday {Quilt Block}

"In this life we are going to be disappointed. We will hurt. But there is great joy in the shadows if you know where to look." ~Angie Smith

Friday marked a special day. Our daughter, Jamie Lynn's, seventh birthday. This is the day when I have to awkwardly tell people that she was born very much alive and breathing, but swiftly left us an hour and fifteen minutes later. Her birthday isn't so much a celebration, but a Memorial Day. 

Two years ago, I was struggling with the idea that the older boys were no longer interested in cupcakes and balloon releases, and Button was becoming more and more confused by the concept of a sister he never met. 

Her birthday quilt was born. I needed to have a special time "with" her. 

A time where all my energy was dedicated to honoring her and not letting the distractions of our everyday life take her away from me. 

 This year's block is about books.

 I was a voracious reader as a child and I think I would have been so excited to be part of her journey into "girly" books like the Dancing Shoes and Little House on the Prairie series. I happened upon this adorable stack of books and had to purchase the book, The Paper Pieced Home by Penny Layman from Sew Take a Hike. I don't regret it one bit!

Source: Sew Take A Hike

Friday was a quiet day, in general, but I found much beauty in the peaceful time.  I took my time pressing, stitching, and tearing my foundation tissue with Button playing, ever so quietly, in the studio. 

I'm not terribly in love with my embroidery work, but the block in general pleases me very much!

I still need to work on her year one through four birthday blocks. I was able to finalize my decisions on two of them and hope to find time to work on them. 

Year 5: Cupcake Year         6: Mary Jane Shoes            Year 7: Stack of Books

My only requirement is that I work on them on days I can concentrate my full attention on just her.