Many to thank...

Well, I have managed to finish two quilt tops and give them to Michaela to quilt, and I have a third one started. Sally and Debbie each finished quilt tops as well as Travis' aunt Mary. (I will put up more pictures soon!) Sherryl Tobias from Nappanee has offered to quilt some for us at NO CHARGE, which is a tremendous blessing. I am extremely grateful to the many people who are taking time to give of themselves and their talents to help with this project. Many others have offered to do more after Christmas which encourages me to know this will go on...
I'm doing my best to stretch the donations that have come in, but there are still some expenses to be met, such as batting and backing fabric. Please pray that these needs will be met in a timely manner.

I'd also like to thank the many who have prayed for our family during this difficult time. It has been felt and is truly appreciated.
God bless you all! and...
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

More quilts

When I got to work today a few more finished quilts had been turned in. I'm so excited! It's great to see tangible progress. I know people have committed to making them, but having them in my possession is a comfort :) Now to find time to do some sewing too! I have five quilts cut out and ready to piece, just need to sit down and do it. Pray I will be granted some "down" time in the coming weeks so I can accomplish this. I know I will feel much better when I have met my own personal goals. I received a call from a gentleman with the South Bend Tribune. They will also be doing a story on our project sometime in the next couple weeks. I'm adding pictures of the most recent quilts. Enjoy!, and have a great rest of the week!
~Dawn

A long week. . .

There are very few words to describe the gamut of emotions our family has been through this past week. The viewing for Lisa was Thursday and was supposed to run from 2 - 8, at 1:45 there was a line formed already and it remained constant all day until the last person went through somewhere around 10:15. What a testimony to the life she led, to the people she touched, not just her, but Jeff, Chelsea, Cassie, & the extended family. How humbling it was to be on the receiving end of so much love, concern, and caring. Our family is close. . . we will get through this. Many times throughout the day one of us would express how we felt the prayers of others upholding us and carrying us all through. At her funeral on Friday, wow, what a tremendous worship experience, just what Lisa would have wanted. A true celebration of her life and the love she had for her Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. Yes, we grieve, but we know she is safely in the arms of the One she served so faithfully, and we cling to the knowledge that we will see her again some day. Please continue to pray for Jeff, Chelsea, & Cassie in the coming days & weeks.

Today's Sunday edition of the Goshen News featured an article of our project. Nicely done, Justin! Thank-you!! It's time for me to turn my attentions back to quilting. My deadline for the first set of quilts is 6 weeks away and I need to get busy!! I'm updating the photo display with a few more pictures. Be sure to check it out.

On September 30th, the boy's Soccer team at NorthWood High School honored Travis by retiring his jersey number (16), and also by creating a new award, the Travis Hunsberger Defensive Player of the Year Award. This picture shows Travis' parents Steve & Ronda along with his brother, Kyle, sister Kelsey, Coach Dykstra, A.D. Norm Sellers, Head Coach Brad Duerksen, and Coach Bell.

A heavy heart. . .

This post will having nothing to do about the project. It is all personal. Around 1:00 this afternoon I received a frantic phone call from my niece to come quickly, my nephew's wife Lisa, was gone from this life. She had a bad migraine and was sleeping in, around noon her 18 year old daughter went to check on her and could not wake her. She called her father and he raced home to find that his beloved wife had already passed on. I'll probably get her age wrong, our family is so large I lose track, but she was late 30's maybe 40 at the most. Needless to say, we are all in shock. . . numb. . . and at a loss for words. My immediate family is large there is around 114 of us. Other than the deaths of my parents, this is our first loss, and it's hitting hard. God has blessed us in so many ways over the years and I know there is a message here, I'm searching to find it. All day, the song "Our God is an awesome God", has kept going through my mind. Lisa was a prayer warrior, a true woman of God. She loved our Lord & Savior with her heart, soul, and mind, and I am confident she is sitting at His feet right now and smiling that lovely smile of hers. She has no more physical pain, no more emotional pain, she's free. She and Jeff overcame alot of obstacles in their married life, and they had a strong, loving marriage. Her daughters meant the world to her. The Compass Ministry at our church was her passion, she loved kids and reached out to many in ways only she could. She will be missed SO MUCH! Please pray for Jeff, Chelsea, and Cassie, as well as the rest of our family, as we go through the coming days and all that goes with it. So many have stopped in already today with love, support, and prayers. It is greatly appreciated. Make sure your loved ones know you love them, you never know what day is your or their last . . .