What Do Fractions and Blankets Have in Common?

More than you think!

I was at Whitesburg Middle School yesterday to accept blankets on behalf of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

The 6th graders in Rita Byrom and Melissa Feldmann's advanced and regular math classes made them as part of a study of fractions. It started a few years ago when Ms. Byrom was using the example of how to estimate the amount of fabric you would need to make something. A student suggested they make blankets, and the rest is history. This is the first year the NICU has received some of those blankets and we are very grateful for their gift!

Pat Newcomb of The Huntsville Times wrote a nice article in today's paper (with a photo). To read it, click here.

I was so touched by what these children did. I gave them a brief presentation about the NICU and the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund and even brought our tiny preemie diapers so they could get an idea of just how small some of our babies are.

We love donations of blankets to our NICU. Many people don't realize that most of our really premature babies were born before their moms could even have a baby shower.

I was one of those moms. I didn't have any blankets for my daughters when they were born. In fact, it was the last thing on my mind during that time. On the second day that Ann Catherine was in the NICU, I walked in and saw this beautiful tiny, pink blanket over her. I asked the nurse where it came from and she told me a church group had made it.

After a while, we received a bigger blanket that we kept over Ann Catherine's isolette to keep the sunlight out. We brought both of those blankets home with us and one day I will give them to Ann Catherine. They are so special to us because they are one more example of how total strangers gave love to our family while we were in NICU.

There are so many groups who make blankets for the babies in our NICU, and we appreciate them all! If you are interested in making blankets (or hats) for the babies in our NICU, post to my blog and I'll be happy to give you more information.



Teachers Melissa Feldman (l) and Rita Byrom (r) with me and some of the 6th grade students



Look at all of those blankets!

Thank you Whitesburg 6th graders. What a beautiful thing to do during this season of giving!