Help make a dream come true?

Have you seen the annual charity drive for

100 Quilts for Kids

 going on now?

Before you hop over to see what it is about, I have a story and a request.

On August 31, 2002 I gave birth to my second son.

He was an answer to many years of prayer.

Shortly after he was born we were told he had a blocked

intestine and suspected he had Down Syndrome.

The Angel Team from Vanderbilt Monroe Carroll Childrens Hospital

came and transported him to Vanderbilt (30 miles away from me).

I got to see my son 2 days later (my parents and sister was with him), he had tubes and monitors every where.  We could only look, we couldn't hold him. (I would hold his little hand in mine and gentle rub my thumb across the top of his hand and to this day this is still how he goes to sleep at night, me talking to him and rubbing the top of his hand with my thumb)  

I need to make a very long story short (I don't want to loose you)

Stevie, my son, had surgery when he was 3 days old for his blocked intestine.

He stayed in the Neonatal unit for 32 days (a short stay)
We discovered he also had a heart defect which would require surgery.

At six months old, he had open heart surgery.
His little body is scarred from all of his surgeries but his spirit is not.

I have never read a book on Down Syndrome, I have opened a few and read the first page

and then put them away.  They all start out the same....I was so devastated when I found out my child had DS, or why did this happen to me, this is the worst thing that could have happened to me, etc.  I never felt that way, I know a lot of people do, 

I knew Stevie was a gift from God and He would take care of us. 

I have always had family and friends support.  There are many that do not have that support.

I have a friend whose husband left because he could not handle a child with a disability.

Are you still with me??

It's not possible to share everything with you at this time but to make it short and (hopefully) sweet

I have had a dream for many years, to make and donate baby quilts to the Middle Tennessee Down Syndrome Assoc. to give to newborn babies. 

 For some families that would be all that they would bring home.

Some parents are devastated, confused, their families don't want to have anything to do with the newborn,

couples split up, they have a real hard time accepting a child with DS.

I know of mothers who walk off and leave the child at the hospital.

Some facts you might not know:

Stevie is on the right

1. 85% of babies born with Down Syndrome are born to mothers under the age of 35
2. 40% are born with heart defects requiring surgery or death.
3. 40% are born with hearing and or sight problems.
4. They have a higher incidence of infection and respiratory problems, Alzheimer's disease, childhood leukemia and thyroid condition.(Stevie was in the hospital at least twice a year for the first 6 years of his life for infections and respiratory problem.  A cold to most people was a hospital stay for Stevie) 
5. 1 out of every 691 babies have DS.
6. There are more that 400,000 people with DS living in the US.

People with Down Syndrome are just like me and you, most can do everything we can, only at a slower pace.  Stevie loves to be accepted and included in every day life.

Will you help make a dream come true for me and Stevie?

 I have talked to the Director of the Down Syndrome Assoc of Middle Tennessee (DSAMT), Shelia, and she told me there are about 15-20 DS babies born in this area each year.  If you decide to join in on the

100 Quilts for Kids charity drive

and are looking for a charity to donate to, please consider sending one to me
and I will take them to the DSAMT.  I have about three started already. 

Remember this little quilt? 

And this one.                                                                                   

That's what I was trying to do, to make enough quilts to donate to the

Association at the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk fundraiser. 

No one in my family sews or quilts,  I could not find much interest at church or work (both very small).

If you have a quilt you would like to donate e-mail me or leave a comment and I will send you my snail mail address.

I received a quilt when Stevie had heart surgery and I cherish it to this day.

Check it out

Well I don't know how I did this, guess you could check it out twice..

My little blog world is small, please feel free to pass this along.