Ruby Lous for Ruby Jane

Throughout the entire month of August, Abby at Sew-Much-Ado is going to donate the full profit of all Ruby Lou Doll Pattern purchases to the Ruby Jane Foundation.  Basically, this foundation is set-up to save lives.  It’s remarkable.

I’m not sure when it all started. 

Maybe it was in 2012 when I read Ani Taylor’s winning essay from The Nie Nie Dialogue’s Motherhood Essay Contest.  I was pregnant at the time, expecting our first son.  I’ve never been able to forget Ani’s little Ruby Jane who passed away at almost 7 months old.  I remember trying to envision my unborn baby boy at 7 months old.  He turned 1 year old this summer.  The thought of losing a child evokes heartache beyond compare. 

Or maybe it was last August when I promised AnnMarie that I would learn how to sew.  She was determined to make a doll for her sister Carlie, no particular reason.  I was living alone with my 2 little girls and newborn son – my husband in a foreign country.  I remember thinking that life was pretty hard for me back then…but I had a new sewing machine, and I had a promise to keep. 

The first doll pattern I found was The Ruby Lou Doll Pattern by Abby at Sew-Much-Ado.  I loved it.  AnnMarie loved it.  I didn’t think my beginning sewing skills were cut out for it, but love at first sight stirred powerful motivation. :) 

And then, I had an idea.  I couldn’t shake the connection between Ruby Lou and Ruby Jane…so I contacted Ani, and I contacted Abby. 

Now…I’m contacting YOU. 

August marks the anniversary of Ruby Jane’s passing.  Is there a better way to honor and contribute to her legacy then by purchasing a Ruby Lou Doll Pattern in August?  I think NOT!  It’s perfect.  I’m so over the moon excited about this.  Abby has also made it possible to purchase the pattern as a gift.

If you’d like to donate your completed Ruby Lou Doll, Ani will be donating them during the holidays to the sweet girls that are in the hospital where Ruby was.

Simply send your Ruby Lou Doll to:

The Ruby Jane Foundation
PO Box 505
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678

But most of all, love the littles in your life a little more than you did before.  Forget the to-do lists and be present.  We never know when the moments we share with our loved ones will be our last. 

Gabe’s First Hair-Cut

Gabriel experienced his first big boy hair-cut yesterday.  He probably appreciates the fact that his head can breathe now.  I’m a little embarrassed that his hair was like this, but we’ve been kinda’ busy.  ;)

Step aside Justin Bieber. 

Change in a BIG way

I can’t believe that we’re sitting here at the end of July.  It’s been a whirlwind, but I think I’m finally starting to catch my breath. 

We flew into the Pacific Northwest almost a month ago.  AnnMarie went to school up until the day before we flew out.  I had to hold back the tears when I picked her up; her teachers cried a little.   

But AnnMarie’s friends didn’t cry.  They held her hand & said, “Goodbyes are not forever.  We’ll see you someday soon!” 

Then I cried a little, too. 

I’m sure I didn’t take enough pictures, but sometimes the moment is enough.  Sometimes pictures just don’t capture the feelings that are forever ingrained in our hearts and oh-so bittersweet. 

The morning of our last day in Argentina started off with a rude awakening at 2 AM to a bunk bed covered in diarrhea.  Poor Carlie had a bug, and there wasn’t a whole lot we could do – our bags were packed and we had a plane to catch.  Suffice it to say that the following 35 hours of traveling were not easy, but we did our best to keep her comfortable…and we made it. 

But not without some help in Buenos Aires.  I love these men.

In addition, Gabe cut his first tooth on the red-eye midnight flight to Atlanta - classic.  He was pretty happy to get off the plane.

Tri-Cities greeted us with a warm welcome (112 degrees warm – yowzer).  A series of events starting in April allowed us to move right into a home that I’ve fallen in love with.  We had just enough time (1 week to be exact) for all of us to catch Carlie’s bug, move our ‘stuff’ out of storage, AND get a vehicle before we had to get Jared to SLC for his annual seminars.  Thanks to my cousin, sister-in-law, and parents, we made it happen despite the revenge of that nasty South American flu that attacked us with full force. 

We just got back from Idaho a few days ago, and wow, there’s a lot to do, but I’m taking a moment to reflect on this rollercoaster we’ve been on.  I’ll probably need a month or so to decompress – maybe a year…that sounds about right.  I think yes.