Together We Can

I am absolutely giddy with joy as I write this blog post – my very first for Quilt 2 End ALZ! And I’m even more ecstatic that you are here, joining me on this journey.

Of course, you might be wondering what exactly this adventure will entail, where it will take us, and how we will get there. I’m excited to lay out my vision, hopes, and a few goals, but honestly, I believe that Quilt 2 End ALZ is liable to take on a life of its own, that it will grow and develop organically, and that we will determine and discover most of those answers together.

First, a little about me:

I am a wife and a mom, a reader and a writer, and a yoga teacher and enthusiast. I am a quilter who also loves to scrapbook, bake, craft, and snuggle on the couch. I am an advocate to end Alzheimer’s disease because I am also a caretaker and a survivor of a loved one whose life and death has been marked by this disease.

I’m also soon to be an empty nester, which is where our journey together really begins…

My daughter – my Angel Girl, Maci – is a senior in high school, and in a very short time she will be following her big brother – my SonShine, Cannon – to the University of Tulsa.

For 20 years, my days have been centered on fixing breakfasts, dropping off and picking up at schools, and attending extracurricular activities. My weeks have been scheduled by coaches and sponsors and teachers. My months have marked by sports’ seasons, off seasons, and holiday seasons.

With a walk across a stage, all of that evaporates. Into thin air.

That sad and lonely thought immediately brought three significant “ah-ha” points (ah-ha’s)to my mind:

1. I can suddenly see why “Empty Nest Syndrome” is a real thing
2. As social, out-going, and extroverted as I am, I can easily imagine myself becoming a hermit that bathes every third day, reads a book a day, and quilts and quilts and quilts until poor Coach – my driven and ambitious better half – has to dig me out from under piles of fabric scraps.
3. I can foresee that this is not a good scenario for me!

In order to prevent this little scenario from playing out, I decided to be really intentional about how I will fill my weeks as I move into this next chapter of life.

After much soul searching, thinking, and praying, I determined that while I will certainly spend time volunteering, reading, writing, having lunch with Coach/kids/friends, and other projects that pop up here and there, there are two pastimes – two passions – that I want to purposefully fill in all over my calendar:

1. Quilting
2. Advocating to end Alzheimer’s disease

I’ve never been good at easing into a new idea, so I very quickly registered my non-profit, recruited loved ones to help me run it, and metaphorically “hung out my shingle” to make Quilt 2 End ALZ a reality.

I’ve also never been good at keeping my ideas to myself. All the way back in first grade, Mrs. Rogers at Dobbs Elementary in Rockwall, Texas, told MawMaw that I was a precious, bright child who needed to talk a lot less in class. Simply put, I love to share!

Here at Quilt 2 End ALZ, my team and I will share our finished quilts, current projects, and inspiration for new designs. We will also share what we know about Alzheimer’s Disease. We’ll pass on updates in research and legislation, recommendations for brain health, and tips for caregiving and I’ll do my best to educate us all on how we can support one another. We will find ways for us to raise our voices and raise funds to end this atrocity, and together I know that we can quilt to end Alzheimer’s Disease.

Again, thank you for being here!

With love and hugs,

Ashli