In Memory of our sweet Lily Grace

Lily's memorial services and luncheon will be held on Saturday, Dec 20th at Fellowship Bible Church in Sewell, NJ.

9:30-11:00am Visitation with Family & Friends (open)
11:00-12:00pm Memorial Ceremony (open)
12:00-12:45pm Private Burial
12:30pm Luncheon Reception (open)

In lieu of flowers, we would like to build a playground in memory of Lily at our church. It will be a tangible reminder of the joy Lily brought us, as we gather after church activities with the many families who loved us, supported us, guided us, and wept with us throughout this journey. We will grow lilies there and give our boys a special place to play and remember their sister. Contributions may be made out to Fellowship Bible Church; subject/memo: Lily's Field

Church Address:
590 Jackson Road
Sewell, NJ 08080
Phone: 856-478-9559
http://www.aboutfbc.org/

Directions from Exit 2 on NJ Turnpike:
Take 322 East for approx 3 miles
Turn LEFT onto rt45/N. Main Street (~1 mile)
Turn slight RIGHT onto Breakneck Rd (~1.5 miles)
Turn LEFT onto Jackson Rd and you have reached your destination!

Safe In the Arms of God

At 8pm tonight, our amazing Lily Grace traveled upon angel's wings to be safe in the arms of God. We feel so blessed to have had Lily with us for 5 1/2 days. She was a real miracle to everyone who met her...surpassing all of our research and expectations. We treasured every moment with her. It was truly a pleasure to care and love for our Lily.

Details for services to follow soon. Thank you for all of your encouraging words and prayers.

Lily “Amazing” Grace Frederick

Lily is now 92 hours alive and is expected to amazingly come home with us today. We have been enjoying every minute and are amazed by all her actions and reactions. Lily loves being in Mommy’s arms, listening to our voices, but doesn’t care to be changed. We met with the hospice nurse last night and the best nurses around are teaching us on how to properly care for her.

Please pray for continued comfort, a safe trip home, and SLEEP!

(Sorry for the delay in the update, we’ve had trouble connecting to the Internet)

Lily Update!

Another proud Daddy update...

Lily is now 31 hours and counting! Though she continues with some seizures and shallow panting, she continues to get fed every 4 hours and her heartbeat and temperature remain good. However, the doctor explained that based on her breathing, we should expect Lily Grace to be in the arms of Jesus at some point today.

Mommy is all unhooked and is starting to walk a bit. Daddy has been able to stay with Mommy while family and friends take care of the outside activities (Justin, Evan, and Lucy - the dog).

Thank you for your endless support, love, and prayers. We have felt God's grace, comfort, and peace throughout the last two days. The tears (especially Daddy's) are beginning to flow, so please continue to lift us up in your prayers.

Hello from the hospital!!!!! This is Daddy providing a brief update on today's activities...

Lily Grace was born on 12/12/08 at 10:27am coming in at 17in. and a weight of 5lbs 8oz. Her apgar was 8. The surgery went well despite the waterfalls flowing into my mask. Mommy and I have been enjoying the life of our beautiful baby girl who as I write this has been with us for 12 hours. The day was spent with our family and several close friends who laughed, cried, hugged, prayed, and sang with us (Oh, and captured the day with over 500 pictures). The doctors and nurses have been so loving and caring. We simply thank God for his grace, our forever treasured moments with Lily, and the endless support of love and prayers throughout the globe.

Please continue to pray for strength, peace, and comfort as Lily has had a couple seizures.

Exactly one week from now...

It's 10:30am and in exactly one week, surgery will have begun and we will have probably met our Lily Grace.  Craig and I will have held her soft hands and feet and caressed her sweet cheeks.  Only to know we will shortly be giving her back to her heavenly home.  I pray she will be able to breathe on her own and be with us comfortably for at least a few hours.  Enough time for me to recover from surgery and to really hold her in my arms.  Enough time to allow her brothers, grandparents, and other loved friends and family to meet her.  Then I pray, I will have enough peace to not beg her to stay.  I pray for wisdom to find just the right words to comfort Justin (& Evan...though not sure how much he'll be aware of) and grow his faith through our loss.  I pray for full physical and emotional healing for the weeks ahead.

While I try to remember not to worry about tomorrow, let tomorrow worry about itself....there are plans and decisions that need to be made and require us to think through the details of what is to come.  And, it continues to break my heart.  

But, we try to stay busy each and every day and that helps.  Making plans to focus on our family and create good memories for our boys.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family.  I was thankful to have felt good enough to travel, so we could spend that time with my extended family.  Then, we came home and started the Christmas festivities...

We decorated our Christmas tree and set the boy's GeoTrax trains underneath (they really liked that)....

We let them sit on Santa's lap, fully expecting Evan to cry.  But, he surprised us!  He couldn't wait to jump right up and tell Santa something on his wish list...

During this time of dreadful anticipation, I find myself re-reading so many of your words of encouragement.  We have been shown a great amount of love through letters, emails, and thoughtful, generous gifts.  Like the Footprints poem, I know God is truly carrying us through this grief...there's just no other explanation.  But, I am sooooo thankful to the many of you who have helped to shoulder this burden and continue to walk along side of us.  Thank you.