Amber P. - Quilt Finished in 2009
Born: February 29, 2000
Illness: Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma
A Thank You From Amber's Family!
5/7/09
We received Amber's quilt yesterday and having seen how beautiful they are, you will understand when I tell you there are no words to describe how gorgeous it is!! To think of all the love and prayers that went into the stitches is unbelievable and indescribable! It is so pretty and the colors go with her room! Each square has something in it Amber's likes..lots of animals on it..and smiley faces, and hearts..she loves all that! I can't stop looking at it, and tearing up when I look at each square and think about all the love that was involved I am just over come with emotion!
I have sent an email to my church telling the ladies about love quilts, and hopefully some of them can get involved as I plan to as well. Each quilt is so individual and made specifically for that child!! Thank you again for all did to get Amber's quilt... It is something we will certainly treasure forever and hold dear to our heart! It is our prayer that everyone involved in Amber's quilt will be touched and blessed as we have been.
In Christian love,
Angie and Amber
The following was posted on Amber's webpage the following day after our thank you came in. I thought everyone would enjoy reading it! :-)
5/8/09
Most importantly, Amber received her quilt from Love Quilts..Please visit the site at www.lovequilts.org. Children can be nominated to receive these hand made counted cross stitched quilts. They are huge, with 13 x 13 squares on there. This was started 10 years ago by a lady whose young cousin and nephew were diagnosed with cancer just months apart. They gather info from families and by reading their stories on carepages and caring bridge sites, and develop a theme and post it on the web page, and there are stitcher's in over 33 countries. They pick a child and sew the squares, all the time while being in thought and prayer for the healing of this child. Then they are sent in and sewn together. I am sending them a picture of Amber with her quilt and they will post a story about her on there soon. There are directions on there of how to become a stitcher if you would like, and there are many quilts being made right now. If you don't want to work by a deadline, you can stitch anything you pick, and just send it in on your own time. They often assemble emergency quilts for terminally ill children as well. Amber's quilt had a theme of red and brown hearts, as her room is done in red and brown, info they got by reading her carepage! The squares contain her favorite things... hearts, bears, horses, cats, and smiley faces! I get all emotional looking at it, thinking about the time and love that went into it, as each person that was sewing was also in prayer all the while for her healing. God heard those prayers and certainly answered them! He is far better to me than I deserve! Please take a moment and look at the pictures and then visit the website, fair warning... get a Kleenex!
Amber P.'s Story
Written by Amber's mom Angelia in April 2009
Amber was born on Feb. 29, 2000. She was special from the day she was born! She is a Leap Day baby!! She has one big brother, Jay, who is two years older. She is the typical girly girl, but she can be a rough one at times! She LOVES Hannah Montana, High School Musical, and her favorite color is pink. She loves to sing, dance, cheer and do gymnastics. She attends Elementary School and is in 2nd grade. Her teacher is wonderful, and we could not have asked for a better teacher to have through all this. Amber is also surrounded by the best students. They have been so sweet to Amber.
Many of you may have heard about Amber's dream. About two weeks before she was diagnosed with cancer, she told me, in a very calm manner, she had a strange dream the night before. I thought maybe about monsters, or some animal, or something happening to a family member. She said,as she was brushing her hair, "I dreamed everyone was bringing me gifts by the water, and I asked them why, and they told me I had cancer." I said, "Amber, you don't have cancer. You are fine. You are healthy, about to start school, and you just had a bad dream." She acted as if she didn't even hear me. She said, as she kept on brushing her long blonde hair, "What will we do when my hair comes out?" I told her we would get her a Hannah Montana wig. Then I stopped myself and told her that she was fine, did not have cancer, and it was, again, just a dream.
So when the days came that we were going to the doctors about this tumor, she kept saying, I just know I have cancer, but it will be okay. It is part of God's plan for me, and He will take care of me. So, when we got the news that her tumor was malignant, I realized that maybe that was God's way of preparing us for this. Amber was not scared at all when we got to St. Jude, and when her child life therapist told her she had cancer, Amber said, "oh I know. I had a dream about it."
She loves her dog Harley, a jack-russel terrier we picked form the pound. I said I would never have a dog inside, but I have eaten those words, as well as many others. Amber is a very strong spirited, put-your-mind-to-it kind of girl, and FULL of energy. I always wondered why God gave us such a hyper, busy child. Now I know. We are honored to be her parents, and take this journey with her.
