"They're not my soccer friends...they're my soccer family."

Anyone who knows Rowan knows how much he loves soccer.  We are a big soccer family.  Brian has played and coached for many many years, Ian plays club soccer, and this past year we let Rowan give it a try too.  Last season he was on the Laser Sharks, and this season he plays for the Mean Green Dragons.

 

 

and he LOVES every minute of it...

(Thank you Randi Reed for those awesome action shots of Rowan.)

When Rowan's team found out he was in the hospital this past week, they did something so special.  At practice, they made him get well cards, the coach took Go-Pro video footage of them sending Rowan their best, and at their game Saturday they asked the referee if they could please wear their "Rally for Rowan" wristbands.  The coach told the ref that they wanted to "carry him with them" during the game.  I have never been so touched by an act of support for our son, as I was by these photographs taken by one of the boys parents (thank you Randi Reed) and the video footage taken by the coach (thank you Luke Conder)...

 

This morning, they took it a step further and came to visit Rowan in the hospital ...

Rowan only had 2-3 hours of sleep last night because he kept spiking fevers, but boy did he perk up when they got here this morning...

and he was so excited that they were wearing his wristbands...

They played with glow-sticks...

 They watched the video footage together...

And they played legos together for hours...

 

 

 

They even took Go-Pro footage of their lego creations when they were finished...

They had so much fun.  Rowan didn't want them to leave.

Coach Conder, NBYSA Mean Green Dragons players, and all of your families, from the bottom of our hearts: Thank you.  Thank you for having Rowan on your team, thank you for making him cards and the video, thank you for wearing his wristbands, thank you for visiting, thank you for your prayers and support, and thank you for giving him a much needed pick-me-up today.  You all went above and beyond, and you made this little boy really, really happy after what has been a very difficult 6 days in the hospital so far.

Hopefully, it won't be long before #3 is back on the field with you. 

Until then, keep wearing those wristbands!

Because as Rowan said after you left today, "They're not just my soccer friends...they're my soccer family."

Mean Green Dragons-on three!

"I can still help Mommy. It'll mean more to her that way."

A lot of you know about our friends the Pattersons.  Little Chrissie Patterson is one of Rowan's angel friends in heaven, who passed away when she was 4 years old and Rowan was just 3.  Lorraine, Chrissie's mommy, has just recently discovered a very serious health issue of her own, and has been traveling to MD Anderson for diagnosis and a treatment plan.  Chrissie's legacy was the "Boss Your Heart" message that has now turned into a foundation assisting orphan adoptions around the world.  My daughter Zoe designed the Boss Your Heart logo after Chrissie passed away, and it has adorned thousands of t-shirts since then.  To comfort Lorraine during her blood draws, multiple doctor appointments and ongoing treatments, we decided to make a quilt...a quilt made from a bunch of the different Boss Your Heart shirts.  Lorraine told me that a friend told her to "Boss" her blood, just like Chrissie bossed her heart.  What better reminder than a blanket that she can wrap her self up in, remembering the strength of her sweet angel.

Rowan has been wanting to learn how to sew.  For years he has watched me make other quilts, sew costumes for productions at NESA, dresses for Zoe, etc.  When I started planning Lorraine's quilt he immediately asked, "Can this be the one I learn on? Please!"  I told him that I thought that was a wonderful idea.  So, over the past week and a half (before we came into the hospital) I started teaching Rowan the different parts of the sewing machine, and how to operate it, as well as gave him lessons in the art of quilting.  He loved it!  He asked me so many questions, and could not wait to get started.  He told me, "This will be so special to Lorraine, especially if I help make it."

Here he is working the sewing machine all by himself, sewing squares of the quilt together with me last week.

(his favorite part of course was working the pedal:)

Here he is last weekend helping me layer all three layers of the quilt (the quilt top, the batting and the backing), lining them up perfectly.

I planned on teaching him how to do the hand quilting during clinic this past Tuesday, so that he could help me finish the quilt in the next week, so we could give it to Lorraine before Chrissie's birthday on October 8th.  Instead, we ended up in the hospital.  Rowan has been sleeping a lot here, so I got it out and was going to get started myself today.  However, Rowan woke up this evening, saw the quilt out and said, "I can still help Mommy.  It'll mean more to her that way."  

So, despite battling an E. Coli infection in his bloodstream, fighting fevers, headaches, etc.  Tonight, Rowan learned how to hand quilt.  He was only able to work on it for about 5 minutes, before his headache got the best of him, but it was such a beautiful, selfless, inspiring 5 minutes.  And I'm pretty sure he will want to help some more tomorrow.  And I am positive that he is right...it will mean more to her this way.

We love you Lorraine.  We hope you like the quilt when we finish.  We can't wait to give it to you when we do.  You can rest assured that Chrissie's spirit, and Rowan's love will be in every stitch.