Prayers for us all

My good friend (and one of our blanket makers!) is staying at my house this weekend, so I actually have 10 minutes to myself. I sat down and started perusing some of the blogs that I follow of you sweet ladies. I was so surprised, and so very happy to see how many of our families are currently pregnant with their rainbow babies.

Ladies, we need to rally around these girls in prayer. I know from experience how very, very difficult that rainbow pregnancy is. You are PETRIFIED of everything, and you don't even enjoy the pregnancy because you're so scared of losing it.

We need to wrap our arms around these people and send love their way. I know Sherri is having some very serious complications, and other moms are very worried about their pregnancies. If you're pregnant and would like prayer, won't you please post a comment here so we can pray for you and your family? And if you aren't in the place in your grief journey where you CAN read someones story, or pray for them, don't feel guilty. That is perfectly okay. I know for a looooong time after my miscarriage I couldn't see anyone announce their pregnancy, or talk about pregnancies with anyone. It's okay. We all understand.

Please post if you would like prayer. I know I would love prayer for my pregnancy. I've had no complications thus far, but that fear is always at the back of your mind.

I'm still here!

I know I have been very, very neglectful of this page, and I apologize so much! Over the summer my crochet helpers got really busy  and I've been overcoming some health issues. I have another helper who received 5 names today, and hopefully, HOPEFULLY I'm on the mend.

If you follow The Divas Mom, then you know that I'm about 15 weeks pregnant. We're ecstatic about it, but it has been a difficult pregnancy thus far. I won't speak again about it here, because I know you all have all suffered losses and I don't want to cause anyone pain. Feel free to follow my other blog to keep tabs on the pregnancy, as well as my toddles.

My Daddy has been having some health issues the last month or so, and I really covet your prayers for that as well. Lots of tests, doctors visits and the like, with some kind of scary diagnosis. We're praying for a clean bill of health in the next few weeks.

My back has been giving me FITS the last 2-3 months, so sitting for long periods of time hasn't been an option. I'm starting to slowly get back on my feet, but it's taking me a while.

PLEASE check the Angel Families page and make sure that your childs name is listed. I just updated the entire list, so hopefully everyone is there.

I'm here, and hopefully will be talking more soon. Love to you all.

Shaina

Guest Post

I guest posted today over on the Playdate Crashers website. I spoke a little about my miscarriage, as well as sharing about this blog. Give it a look if you get a chance!

Happy Saturday!

Happy Saturday everyone!

I stayed up way to late last night, pouring my heart into an upcoming guest post for the Playdate Crashers website, describing my ministry here. Because of this, I updated our 'How to Help' page... not big updates, but still relevant.

The only things we are really "in need" of right now is purple and white yarn. I've had such a call for purple yarn for upcoming babies! So if you have thought about sending yarn, please consider sending purple, white or green!

I got my very first Paypal donation the other day, and with it sent our Jeremiah and Miri's blankets. Unforunately I didn't get a picture of Jeremiah's, but as soon as I hear from Miri's mother, I'll post those pictures!

I think I'm behind on posting pictures to this site, but I need to figure out who it is that I have yet to post. Hopefully that will come after my daughters bedtime tonight.

Look at this! Two posts in one week!

I'm still here, promise!

I know I have been MIA recently. I was having some pretty severe chiropractic and hormonal issues that were causing me to be MIA in most parts of my life. Add to that a teething toddler who had to have surgery on her leg, and well, this has been a very rough month in our house.

But it's over, and things are looking up! I'm praying to get everything straightened out with his blog in the next week! But I need your help!

If you have filled out a form to receive a blanket, PLEASE check out the Angel Families link. If you are listed under "Families We Have Ministered To" but you have NOT received an email from me, or have not received your blanket, would you PLEASE email me your mailing address? I sent out several emails a month ago and only got one back... so I think that spam folders may be eating my emails! I have NUMEROUS blankets ready to go out, I just need addresses to send them out to!

Also, if you have sent in an applications in the last month- month and a half, would you please check and make sure your name is on the waiting list?


Thanks everyone, for sticking by us this last month! I'm going to try my hardest to get things back in order!

Also, check out our facebook page! Just search for Rows for Remembrance, and "like" us! I share on there sometimes when I don't have a chance to blog!

Update!

I sent out 3 blankets today. Ladies (Rachel & Mattie) when you get them, let me know so I can post pictures!

I received two boxes of yarn recently from some sweet ladies! I'll post pictures later tonight!

I bought some wooden crochet hooks, just waiting for them to come in. SUPER excited about this as I think they'll help with some yarn slippage issues.

Do you think we should start a Facebook Page? Do you think it would make it easier for you to share with your friends and family?

I'm interested in branching out and doing blankets for parents who lost a baby due to SIDS or something like that. I want them to be different from the pregnancyloss/miscarriage blankets, but as of right now I'm at a loss of how to do that (and to signify how old the baby was). Maybe I shouldn't worry about showing the age? Any suggestions/comments would be VERY welcome. :)

My sweet girl has a cyst/boil/unknown on her leg....would you pray? She's starting antibiotics tonight, and is already on topical antibiotic.... if it's not better soon they're talking about lancing it... and...um... that scares me a LOT. So if you could, please send some healing prayers our way.

Also.... I would love to include some Bible verses in my notes with the blankets, any suggestions? I know it's pitiful that I'm asking this... but I have 95 irons in the fire and 2 arms to get them out.

Benjamin & Saria's Blankets

I sent out these blankets a week or so ago, and haven't heard from the mother, but I decided to go ahead and post the pictures. I usually try to wait so that the parents can see them when they open them, but I'd say they're there!

This sweet Momma lost both Benjamin and Sarai, at 10 weeks and 9 weeks. These are their blankets.

Sami's Blanket

Sami was born alive at 38 weeks, but passed away only an hour and forty minutes later.

Aiden's Blanket

Sweet Aiden was born sleeping at 36 weeks.

Changes!

Not big ones, I promise!

Some blankets may not be completed in the traditional "rows" style any more. Some may now be done in a continuous "granny square" pattern. This will actually make it easier for you to distinguish the rows! I'm going to make a note on the "apply" page as well, but if you have already put in a request for a blanket and have a preference, please let me know.

I got out with my husband and daughter this weekend and did some shopping. My husband and I were in a Christian bookstore looking for a marriage devotional. While there, I came across packs of blank inspirational cards that had 8 cards in them for $1! I bought 6 packs! Such a blessing to be able to find just what I needed at a price I could afford!

Also while we were out, I needed to pick up some new crochet hooks. Some how I had managed to own 4 J hooks, a G hook, a N, K & P hook, but no H or I hooks. The majority of my yarns call for H or I hooks! My G hook is my favorite, because it has a bamboo handle. They cost a little more (a dollar or so) than regular hooks, but I got mine on crazy clearance. As I went to pick up the H & I hooks, my husband made me get the ones with bamboo! He also made me purchase a J hook with it as well. He knew I wanted them, and really, it was only $3. I'm SUCH a saver when it comes to money though, and wouldn't have got them if he hadn't been along! We work well together.

I'm going to be posting my story of miscarriage & hope here soon, so be on the lookout for that. Be praying for me this week... I'm having some (not serious but highly annoying) medical issues and just want to feel better. Thank you!

Praying for you all!

Healing & Hope

I would love to see this blog blossom. I'm getting more followers every day (*waves* hello!) and I want this to be a place for healing and hope. I don't want to just post about my weekly crocheting, or just pictures of blankets. I DO want to post about that stuff, but I would love for this to be a place of inspiration as well.

I have 500 irons in the fire right now, so... that's where I hope you come in. If you would like to write a post to be featured on the blog, please email me. Just tell me the subject you'd like to talk about. I want them to be posts about healing, about hope, and about... just... well, feeling better.

Also, if you have followed this blog in the last week, and I don't follow you back... please leave me a message with your blog address. I'm a little overwhelmed, but I'd love to link back to you.

Thank you everyone!

Accomplished!

I feel very accomplished this evening. I'm 7 rows in on Carleigh's blanket. I mailed three blankets out (P.S. Ladies, please contact me when you receive them, I'd love to post their pictures here!). I did some other errands.

I also received a beautiful box in the mail today. It was a yarn donation made in honor of Mikayla Grace. Three beautiful skeins of yarn that will make gorgeous blankets. I was so honored and excited!

So that's been my day.

Check out our new Resources link! Let me know if there are any specific links you think I should add.

Also, under Angel Families, you can tell if your blanket is being worked on now! If your name is BOLD then you are currently who we are working on. We attempt to work from the top down (although sometimes, due to skill level & yarn we do skip around some), so if you're near the top you should be next! Please be sure to pass us along to your friends.

Blessings!

I have four finished blankets to mail out this week. Four families will get their remembrances.

I received a box of yarn today! I'm so thankful and so blessed by people who are willing to help this ministry.

I got to teach my husband how to crochet today because he had watched me crochet all weekend.

I have a clean house, which greatly influences the way I crochet.

I am weighted down by thoughts of sweet baby Skyler, but thankful for my beautiful daughter.

I had a great weekend with friends and family, was able to finish up MY first blanket for this ministry.

I have two wonderful ladies who are helping me with this ministry, and I could not be more thankful to them.

I am blessed beyond words today.

Prayer Request

Hey everyone.

I have a prayer request. I don't have any details, but a girl I used to go to church with had her baby on Thursday, and the baby passed away today. I'd love for all of you to lift them up in prayer. Just keep Erin, Jeremy and their families in your prayers. Their little girls name was Skyler.

Thank you.

Resources?

I'm interested in putting a "Resources" page together, for any parents who are new to the miscarriage/pregnancy loss world and may stumble upon this blog. I've been out of the circuit for a while now, so I'm not up on where the good resources are. Blogs (for both miscarriage and pregnancy loss) would be good, or other sort of things. I really don't know what I want there, but I'd like it to be something.

Anyway. If you have any links you think may be beneficial to other families going through a miscarriage or pregnancy loss, please either email me, or leave a comment here. Thanks!

Yarn!

I'm so excited!

After digging in my parents shed, I discovered a trunk that housed my yarn. My yarn from many, many years. So I dug through the entire thing and pulled out all the yarn that would work for this ministry.

Behold.

That's a full laundry basket!

Close up of some yarn

I kind of stirred it, and viola, more yarn! ha!

 I'm so happy to have found all of this! My husband and I don't have a lot of money at the moment, so finding this stash has taken a huge burden off of my shoulders. If you have any PINK yarn laying around your house, and would like to donate it, we would really appreciate it! We received a donation of one skein at church this morning! We have several girls on the Angel Family list that need pink blankets. 

Also, this is a shot in the dark, ha! But you never know, if anyone has a yarn ball winder that is gathering dust... we'd love to take if off your hands!

Thank you, everyone, for your support. Pictures of our second blanket coming (hopefully) later this week!

Our First Blanket

Our first Angel Family blanket is completed, and will be soon making its way to its home.

This beautiful blanket was crocheted by my dear friend, Sarah. It goes out to Baby C's family. Baby C's Momma was only 6 weeks pregnant when she miscarried, and is still trying to process. Please lift her and her husband up in prayer!

More coming soon! Continue to share us with your friends, family and loved ones.

New Pages

Hello everyone! If you notice, right below the header, we've got some new pages going on. These won't appear as posts, but they are very helpful when it comes to information!

We now have a "form" for you to fill out if you would like to apply for a blanket. Just click on "Apply"

"About Us" is kind of self explanatory, don't you think?

"Angel Families" lists the current families we're ministering to, as well as families we have already ministered to. Eventually I would love to see a waiting list there as well.

I'm currently working on the "How To Help" tab, and it should be up soon!

I plan on having a "Contact Us" tab up there as well. What are some other ideas for things to put up there? Any thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated.

Our First Angel Blanket is Done!

I don't have pictures, as my friend is the one who has finished it. But it's for sweet Baby C, who was only six weeks along.When my friend comes home next week, I'll be sure to take pictures of a finished blanket before we ship it off to it's Angel Family.

Also, if you notice at the top, we're slowly adding pages to make it easier to navigate. Stay patient with us as we slowly begin building this blog and this ministry.

Comments and suggestions are, as always, welcome!

How To Get Involved

I'm beginning to get interest in this ministry, which is awesome! I'd love to share with you how you can get involved.

If you would like to help produce the blankets: Great! We are currently doing knit & crocheted blankets. I will provide you with a (very, very simple and customizable) pattern, and if needed, yarn. I would then contact you with the color of blanket needed, and the final size (amount of rows).

If you would like to donate: I'm not going to ask for monetary donations in any way, shape, or form. I don't ever want anyone to feel "fishy" about this ministry. If you would like to donate, we do accept yarn donations. We ask that they be in pastel (baby) colors and of a soft yarn. Baby yarn works, as does brands like "Simply Soft." These blankets are baby blankets, even if they will never hold a baby.

If you would like to be ministered to: Please don't feel rude or odd about asking to receive a blanket. That is what we're here for! I'm trying not to search out blogs and push my ministry on them, I would much rather that they come to me and ask to receive a blanket. If you yourself have not lost a child but would like to nominate someone to receive a blanket, that works too! There are a few questions I would need to know before beginning the blanket, but they're easy and non-intrusive.

If you would like to pray: Pray for our ministry! Pray that we continue to find funds (or yarn donations) to meet the need. Pray that we truly are a blessing to families in need. Pray that we bring hope, or at least comfort to these families. Pray for me, as I pour over each babies story, and pour my tears out onto my keyboard. Pray that our message gets out, and we are able to minister to the ones that are sometimes forgotten because they didn't lose a child, they merely miscarried.

Other ways you can help:

Share our blog! Either on facebook, by putting our "button" on your blog, or by blogging about us. Doesn't have to be anything special, just a note that says we're here. I honestly don't have time (part time working, full time mothering/being a wife, crocheting, and blogging) to search out avenues to advertise by.... so your help here would be a blessing.

I'm hoping to get a navigation bar up at the top soon, and have this be a sticky up there. If you have any comments or suggestions, please, let me know. Thank you.

Our first Angel Families

We have our first two families to minister to! As much as I hate the fact that we have people to minister to, I am thankful that I have the opportunity to do so.

Please be in prayer for these two families.

Baby C was lost around 6 weeks. The Momma didn't know she was pregnant, and is unsure of how to process it.

Baby Aiden was born sleeping at 36 weeks. You can go here to leave your love for his parents.

Pray for my hands, as I crochet these blankets.

I have 3 people willing to help me with blankets right now! And I have 8 openings for Angel families. If you know someone you would like to receive a blanket, please let me know either in a comment (please leave your email) or by emailing me at rows4remembrance at gmail dot com!

Shaina

Getting Started

Hey everyone!

I'm so excited to start this ministry. This is something that has been on my heart since November of 2008, and I'm finally pushing myself to just do it.

In November of 2008, I miscarried my first pregnancy. If you'd like to read more about it, please go to my personal blog, and read my miscarriage posts. I may post more about on here later, but for now, you can read my story there.

When I first found out I was pregnant, a family member began crocheting me a baby blanket. It was gender neutral and oh so snuggly soft. When I found out I had miscarried, she stopped crocheting it and just bound it off, then gave it to me.

It was perfect. It was soft and squishy. It was a blanket unfinished, which represented a life unfinished. It has became one of my most treasured items.

That's what I want to do here. I want to minister to families who have had a miscarriage, or suffered the death of a baby while pregnant. Sadly, I know several women who fit this niche, and I know there are thousands more out there. I want to give them a blanket, an "unfinished blanket", to represent their babies sweet lives.

Each blanket will have rows that represent the weeks of their little ones lives. Our blankets will start out with a specified amount of rows (20) and then will have an additional row for every week that you carried your baby. If you had a miscarriage at eight weeks, like me, then your blanket will be 28 rows long. If you had a baby born sleeping at 34 weeks, then your blanket will be 54 weeks. Each row signifies those memories you have of your sweet babe.

So, how can you help?

First, be in prayer for this ministry. Especially as I go through the organizational stages.

Second, If you can knit or crochet, please contact me! I would love to have a small base of crafters willing to help.

Third, You can nominate someone to receive a blanket. I'm starting out with 10 families to minister to, and my goal is to get them their blankets by April. Please email me if you have a family you would like to receive a blanket (or, if you would like to receive a blanket yourself).

I covet your prayers, and your support. Please keep an eye on us as we get this ministry started!

Any suggestions, or comments, are always appreciated!