What am I doing?

It has been asked a couple of times here on the blog and through email...What are you going to do with all of these quilt kits?

Nope, not going to have a retreat. Nope, not going to sell them.

I plan to work through as many as I can and find as many friends as I can to help me sew them into quilt tops. I have a quilting machine (Janome 1600DB P) on a Handi-Quilter frame that my mom and dad bought for me and all of the quilt tops will be returned to me so I can quilt them. Then they will go to Rhoda for binding. When they come back, they will go lots of places.

As many as I can get done will be heading to the Ronald McDonald House in Sacramento. This is a place for families of kids with terminal illnesses to say while their children are receiving treatment at local Sacramento hospitals. I figure they could use some handmade hugs. The Robotics team is going on Dec 4. So, I need to get to work and get as many done as I can in the next couple of weeks.

Some will be going to my local hospital for their new mom program called A Baby is Coming. Parents go through a parent education class and when they graduate, they are given lots of baby supplies including a handmade quilt or afghan.

Some will go to Child Protective Services in Solano County. Sadly, kids are taken from homes every day and these kids need something to call their own. They are given quilts to hold onto by CPS. Unfortunately, I can't keep up with the demand!

And some will also go to the local CASA. Last year we provided them with about 85 quilts for the kids in foster care. CASA is a group of people who are mentors for these kids and who follow them as they move from one foster family to another. They go with them to court appointments, help with homework and provide a stable, adult support system for kids who don't have a lot of security. Each kid in the local program last year got a quilt. I hope to be able to provide for all of the new kids to the program this year. I have no idea how many kids that is this year. Many of them are teenagers. It was a little funny last year because they asked the kids before the Christmas party if they wanted a quilt. All of the teenagers said they didn't. I sent enough for everyone anyways and sent along enough big ones for the teens. Everyone ended up going home with a quilt. Some people don't know what a quilt is I guess, but these kids loved theirs!

So, if someone could send me one extra hour from your day, I sure could use it. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in my day to get everything done that I want to do.

There are always things that come up, like a mission trip to Africa that needs quilts or the wounded soldiers at Travis AFB who need an extra hug. I just have a hard time saying no.

Along with that extra hour, would you say a prayer for me too? Thanks :)