Fran's Quilts

I have been a member of the Five in a Row message boards for 8 years now.  Never before, nor, am I convinced, will I ever again find another place where so many caring, compassionate, wonderful moms come together and genuinely care about each other and share in so many things.  Not only do we share in the day to day challenges and blessings of being homeschool families but we have also rejoiced in births, marriages, and test scores as well as cried and held one another up through divorces, sicknesses, and deaths. 

The latest journey we've walked together was watching our dear friend, Fran, battle, overcome, battle again, and ultimately pass away from breast cancer on June 16th.  We rejoice that she knew Jesus as her personal Saviour and is now cancer-free, walking the streets of gold with her Lord.  We cry for those she left behind, her husband Ed, daughters Emma and Eden, as well as step-sons and countless other family and friends.

For the past few years, as we have lost fellow FIAR sisters or even worse, little ones, a group of us have made quilts for the family members left behind as a way to show our love and support.  Those who have been the recipients of these quilts have said that they are among their most treasured possessions and have been such a bleesing to them.  Each of us who participate make a quilt square (or donates money to help pay to have the quilts made) and sends it to one central person who either puts them together or has someone do it and then delivers the finished quilt(s) to the family. 

I am honored to be that central person for Fran's quilts.  I have a dear friend who has been blessed with amazing quilting skills and I am only about 2 1/2 hours away from Fran's hometown so another dear FIAR sister and I will be hand-delivering the quilts when they are finished.  We are making one for each of Fran's two daughters as well as one for her husband.

The squares have been arriving over the past few days and let me just say, I have cried just pulling them out of the package and seeing the time and love put into each one.  It is such a blessing to me to be a part of this ministry, I can't imagine what it's going to be like to actually see and hold the finished product.  I look so forward to meeting Fran's family and handing over these quilts of love to them.  There will undoubtably be lots of tears that day.

Here are the squares I have received so far.  As more come in I will share pictures of them as well.  In fact, be watching for pictures of the entire journey from piecing the squares together to delivering them to the family.  This is such a special project I don't ever want to forget a minute of it.

These are from Robin in California.  They represent The Salamander Room.  How unbelievably awesome are these?  I want to quilt like Robin when I grow up!  Amazing.

This one is from Melinda in South Carolina.  It represents Night of the Moonjellies and actually has glow-in-the-dark 'moonjellies' on it!  Very, very cool Melinda!  I've already had to test it out in the dark!  LOL

These are from Jennifer in Virginia.  The yellow and green one actually has rabbits on it and is for Peter Rabbit.  The green and blue one is for Fran's husband, Ed's, quilt.  Girl!  For the first time ever making quilt squares you did AWESOME!

These are from Laura F. and are for the book Papa Piccolo.  These are so cute Laura!  I love them!

This one is from Christi in Virginia and is for Ed's quilt as well.  It represents the thankful tree that Fran put up in November so she could have a reason to start celebrating the Christmas season before Thanksgiving!  My how she loved Christmas!  I think she and I were kindred spirits.  I've cried three times today alone looking at this square.  Very nice job Christi.  Very nice.