Where art, advocacy, and motherhood intertwine.
I’m Sadie — a mom, an artist, an advocate, and a storyteller learning as I go.
Working End began at the intersection of all the things that move me — the art that helps me process, the advocacy that gives our story purpose, and the motherhood that changed everything.
In macramé, the working end is the part of the cord that moves — the piece that threads through, ties the knots, and carries the tension. It’s what holds everything together, often quietly, behind the scenes. In life, I’ve learned that the same hands that tie knots in art also steady the ones we can’t see — the knots of fear, love, and persistence that come with raising a medically complex child and learning to keep showing up.
This space brings those threads together — art as healing, advocacy as hope, and storytelling as connection. It’s where I share what I’ve found helpful along the way: pieces made by hand, words made by heart, and the reminder that even in the tangle, there’s beauty in the work.
Because the working end is the part that moves — and so are we.
Our Story
A space where love, loss, and motherhood come together
One week since we lost Nellie
It's been one week. One week since our sweet Nellie girl passed away in our arms. We dream about what her life with us would have been like. Would she be goofy like her mama? Fearless like her daddy? We miss her every second of the day.
22 weeks pregnant
Today we made it to 22 weeks with Clifford, a big milestone. The hospital gave me a card and a cupcake to celebrate. This is the earliest gestational age where he has a chance of surviving outside of utero. With active treatment in the NICU, baby boy would have about a 28% chance of survival. It doesn't sound like much, but it's hope.
A sense of peace
Codey and I woke up today feeling a sense of peace, knowing that Nellie is in a better place and is with us, always. We’ve been receiving signs from her all day, letting us know she is okay. I don’t know if we will ever really heal from this, but I know in time things will get a little easier. Codey and I are strong and are leaning on each other to get through this incredibly tough time. And we know we have to continue to be strong for our baby boy, Clifford Brett.
Nellie Kay Carlisle
The worst day of our lives. How do I begin to put this into words This morning I woke up ecstatic that I went the entire night without cramping, I thought maybe things were looking up. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. At 8:45am on Thursday, 7/27, I unexpectedly gave birth to our baby girl at home. The first time I saw Nellie Kay, she was so tiny but so beautiful. I never loved anything so much.
20 weeks pregnant
Today I’m 20+6. Just about 21 weeks and just about two weeks away from viability. We’re so close yet so far away. The uncertainty that every day brings is excruciating. Last night what I’ve been dreading began - cramping. There is no doubt the cramps were what felt like contractions, but I’m too afraid to call them that. Because that means this is real and labor could be approaching.
Hanging on the hope
Today, I felt my stomach was bigger. Like the deflated balloon was starting to fill back up. I’ve been drinking a lot of water, and have had minimal leaking throughout the day. And now, the most incredible sign of hope just happened. The amazing nurses at Logan Hospital decided to do an ultrasound to check on baby A’s amniotic fluid. To our surprise, she had a significant amount more fluid than yesterday!
The day everything changed
The past two days have been the worst of my life. I’ve never felt so much pain and sadness all at once, as my world flipped upside down. Wednesday night (7/13/23) in Whitefish, MT my water prematurely broke. Baby A’s sac had ruptured. I immediately went to the hospital to find answers