A Very Special Week

Tanya Marie Anderson-designer

The Sampler Girl

35 ct linen

DMC and Gentle Art Samplar Threads

buttons with ribbon from Bessie Mae's Cottage

shell hearts from Walmart

This week is very special to me. Most of the time I remember in my own privacy but since I have such good stitching friends I will share.
In a hot summer in 1985 my firstborn son , Aaron, was born in certain circumstances that were in reality a nightmare in and of itself. Without getting into details, I will tell you that the hospital has since changed one of its policies in regards to the delima.
My regret is that I did not get a picture of him. Even to this day, it bothers me greatly.
Aaron weighed 7 lbs, had a headfull of straight black fine hair and was the sweetest site in my whole life. He was 23 inches long, so I think he would have been a tall boy.
To put the long of it short, I arrived at the hospital and because it was the change of shift and other extenuating circumstances, I was tossed off to the side in a room in labor without a monitor. The first person that greeted me got fetal heart tones at 144. I'll never forget that number. I knew it was going to be a boy and happy, so happy. I was actually due the day I went into labor. It seemed everything fell into place. His nursery was explicitly ready and just had a shower so I had everything a new mommy could want for. I had my bags packed and taken to the hospital not knowing he would be buried in them that weekend.


Well, not knowing that I had a cord defect and that when the water was broken the blood supply to the baby stopped, the process kept proceeding as usual. The doctor whisked in the room to break my water with an instrument who ultimately caused Aaron to meet his demise and changed my life forever. I was not on a monitor continuously.

Not long after he shot out of the room, I began to have excruciating pain and I actually felt the baby's head jerk near my pubic bone. I later found out that the child was having a seizure and dying at that time.


It took about 45 minutes for me to crawl from bathroom to bed and try to yell for help. At this point, no heart tones were found and I started to literally bleed to death. I abrupted which is a deadly emergency. I remember them stunned, all the nurses and 2 doctors by my bed when they tried to find a heartbeat on an ultrasound. I couldn't believe what was happening to me.
Because I started basiclly becoming in a serious condition I went out on narcotics listening to them yell about transfusing me as I almost died.


I didn't of course and woke up and saw a very bright light. This part is questionable as in the intensive care unit I brushed death several times. When I was waking up from the medicine and after I had him, there were people everywhere wanting me to look at him and hold him and to this day, I felt bad that I didn't until the funeral day. I buried him in a yellow jumpsuit with a blanket that said "Thank Heavens for Little Boys", a rattle, and even down to his little shoes.

A part of me died this day. A part of me left with him. Every year I celebrate his birthday mostly just myself. Everyone else wants to just brush it under the rug.
This year I thought I would stitch something in honor of him. He would be 24 this year. I have his footprints with my fingerprints right beside. I treasure that piece of paper.
Next weekend is truly his birthday weekend but I stitched it this weekend as it was laying heavy on my mind.


I picked out the two blue crosses and instead of putting OHIO and date, I put the two crosses and his year.
When I saw Tanya introduce this piece I loved it and I'll tell you why I picked it.


Unfortunately my son is buried 3 hours away from us and because it takes thousands of dollars to move him, we have just now started the process. The process is hard. It really is hard. Especially with no family support. But we are determined now more than ever that this is the right place for him to be, right by me as he was always right by my heart.

The piece, Token of Sweetness couldn't have described how I feel. He was the sweetest I have ever known. I loved him alot. And it hurt alot.


The 2 bunnies in the piece reminded me of the ones I saw last April when I went out to the cemetary where he will be moved to. I was walking around as usual out there and contemplating if I was making the right decision as I have a pattern of obviously not making some good ones, so about the time I was going to get back in the car, 2 bunnies appeared and stopped and stared at me. Now I know angels aren't bunnies, but I'm here to tell you that I felt the most peace I have ever felt. I knew my decision was right.


I'm telling you this for no sympathies but to say that life is short. It can be taken at any time.
I'm getting my life in order and just know the amount of peace I will have when he is moved here will be unrelenting. Now, I know there are folks who do not agree and thats fine with me but for me, for my son, we need to be together.
Thank you Tanya, for designing a piece that would remind us all of what is sweet in our life.