Reetzbobeetz wrote: Shouldn't that be 9"x12" - I am sure that Diane said that they had to be very strict about the size! - needs a double check.

Candace, it's not too late to get involved in the TQS/AAQI challenge. If you look at the first page of this thread you will see that all you need to do is make a small wall-quilt (absolutely no bigger than 9 x12"), register it with AAQI and send it off so that they can sell it to fund Altzheimers research.

Anybody who reads this can do it too. It's a great way of practicing techniques that you want to try on a small scale, and knowing that what you make can help put an end to Altzheimers' Disease. They say that somebody develops AD every 68 seconds in America at the present time and that is due to increase to every 33 seconds by 2050. Right now there are 5.4 million people in America alone suffering with AD. My brother works for the Health Research Board here in Ireland and I believe that the figures here are supposed to be about 1 in 5 people by 2050!

Here's an online journal article about it if anybody is interested:

http://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552-5260(12)00032-5/abstract

Clara,

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Manuela

Hi Clara,
I haven't participated in this Challenge (although I wish I could have) and just read about your nephew. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm glad you and your family tried to help him and although we may never know, God will use this situation for our good and His glory. Praying for all of you.

Clara, I am so happy that you and your family are pulling together so well at this sad time. The pianist is wonderful and I think that it will add something very special to the memorial service.

Paula, (Clara's Mum) I am so sorry for your loss, you must be heartbroken. I send you my deepest sympathy and best wishes.

Clara, I think you're doing very well and thank you for sharing your thoughts and how you deal with the pain. I'm listening to your pianist right now. It's soothing music.
As you experienced the world is very small these days. It doesn't matter any longer how long distance there is between us.
You and your family are in my thoughts.
Hugs Norma

Thank you, Paula. We will be praying for you and the whole fmaily during this time and beyond. I can't imagine your pain.

Hi, I am a member and also the proud Mother of Clara. I am so sorry that I start with this sad news of losing our Grandson, Stephen. Clara & Mike did go much beyond what normal parents do and they do that for their very own too. I never expected to bury a grandson. Thank you all for the support you are giving my family and especially Clara. God bless you all

Paula B. Sullivan, very new quilter

Such a sad loss, Clara. My prayers for you and your family for comfort.

Bless you Clara... So sorry for your loss. I wish I had words of wisdom for you, but we all work through life's tragedies in individual ways, and it seems like you and your family are doing the best at this point. Take care of yourself...

Clara, thank you for taking the time to update us in the midst of your grief. It's wonderful that you and your family are able to support each other. I was thinking of you this afternoon as I was sewing the last stitches on a quilt. Hugs, Kathy

I just had a moment of quiet and Yes, I had to look because I got my email alert that something was added to this thread. Thank you guys. I have been so focused on all these kids that are seniors and about to graduate that this came to me like a wave of love. Thanks. Let me take a moment and share with you what we are doing, because I'm kinda proud. (bear with me)

Because of the way he died we are doing a memorial service. Facebook has been a valuable tool for connecting to all his friends. I also put out a inquiry to music and ended up with a friend that tinkers with classic and rock on the piano. He is really amazing. He is doing several songs and is getting some other students as well to join in. We are also doing a bon fire next weekend to create an environment for these kids to have a voice and scream at the flames and lean on each other and start to heel... and of course BBQ. The kids (including mine) have been so amazing.

He was sent to two different therapy programs to help him. (lots of damage was done before living with him. It's a long story and it will make you angry that someone would do this) Anyway, he made friends of course with the other kids in the programs and reconnected with them through Facebook. I have been communicating with kids from all over the world that are broken up and dealing with all the emotions that the ones local are. We are no longer in a world where just geography is a limitation. I was chatting last night around 2am with a kid who was on a mission trip in Equidor that couldn't believe it. We have shared pages and pages of heart and tears.

There was a boarding school with therapy built in that he lived at for about a year and they had a huge group session where the news was announced and dealt with. The therapist said it was amazingly positive and heart breaking. At one point everyone was in tears including him, but it allowed several to start opening up just a little more than they were.

My boys, hubby and I have an arrangement. If one of us cries or breaks down, we all go running and hug the one in need. If one needs a hug everything stops and they are the center of our attention. It's turned into a cool thing. We started doing this when we were experiencing what seemed to be a wave of funerals. It had gotten so bad that my boy came to me and asked if he could wear his funeral shirt to church. A white buttoned up shirt.

Wow, I got rambling. Guess I needed to. Thanks guys for your support. Here is a link if you want to listen to our pianist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z1ntTtGH3t4

Clara

Clara, I have also been away from the Forum for a while and am saddened to hear of your loss. I have been thinking about you, your family, and nephew all morning while working on a project. My prayers are for you to find comfort in our Lord's loving arms!
Hugs, Shirley

Dear Clara & Family
I will keep you and the family in my prayers for as long as you all need them. When someone has as big and loving a heart as you do it makes this loss very difficult. Take comfort in knowing that you did all you could do and he is now in a more peaceful place with God.

I have been away from the forum for several days and was so saddened to see this.