Our beautiful baby girl was born on June 25, 2007 at 5:00pm. She weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20 inches long. She was so lovely and precious and we loved her so much. She lived for just 21 hours and passed away on June 26, 2007.
God is so good and He gave us the most precious gift we could ever ask for. We will treasure that day with Addie for as long as we live. We loved her, kissed her, held her, prayed for her, sang to her, talked to her, committed her to Jesus, and she died in the arms of her mommy and daddy. Now she is with Jesus and, though we are so sad, we praise God for that one day.
We will have a service for family and all of our friends who can make it. So, if you are able to attend, we would love to see you there.
The location is...
Cortner Chapel
221 Brookside Avenue
Redlands, CA 92373
The schedule is as follows...
Saturday, June 30
9:30 - 10:30 family visitation
10:30 - 11:30 friends visitation
11:30 - 12:30 service
This will be a very informal gathering. we will not dress up at all, we just want people to be together.
We are incredibly blessed to have so many friends who love us and we value all the prayers that have been said on our behalf. As you grieve with us, we ask that you would also praise God with us. He is so good and He gave us the most wonderful gift that day.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" - Romans 8:28
"For those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough; for you are a God who does what is right and you smooth out the path ahead of them." - Isaiah 26:7
30 comments:
Thank you, Dear Ones, for sharing the pics of your precious little girl... I was hoping you would. She was, indeed, beautiful! What a gift! I'm sooo sorry you were only able to have her with you for such a short time. I can only begin to imagine the pain you've been through over such a devastating loss.
Yet, I see by your posting that God is working in and through you. I'm sure that it's only by His strength that you are able to go on, and to share your experience with us... and to praise Him.
You've been constantly in my thoughts and prayers the last few days, as you will continue to be. My heart aches for you. But I know God will see you through this and He will heal you... and that He has a wonderful plan ahead for you... in His perfect timing.
I wish I could reach through this computer and give you a huge hug..... and to be there for your service on Sat..... but my heart will be with you......
Much love,
Candy
Our sweet Brandon and Kristen... we are so deeply saddened by your loss. What a beautiful little girl... and the love you showed her during her time at her earthly home was evident in the pictures and in your words. She's a luckly little girl to move from your arms into the arms of Jesus.
Though we didn't have the opportunity to know little Adella Mae, we feel an emptiness in our hearts with her passing. We want you to know that her life, though short, is celebrated and missed.
God has presented you with a challenge inconceivable for most, and we pray that He will bless you with abundant strength, wisdom, bravery and faith to take you through the days ahead.
We are here... as are our prayers. Our hearts will be with you Saturday. Love and sympathy, Carrie and Nick
brandon and kristin- thank you so much for sharing! i wanted to offer kristin my listening ear- i wish i was closer. but as you know our dear Simeon died soon after birth also- i feel your hurt and sorrow your pain in all this- and then knowing all along also like you said that God is SO good. JOB 42.2 is a verse that i remember EVERYDAY-
you are parents- you are a mother a father.. you have a daughter.
i love you guys and so thankful the Lord reconnected us!
love you
jamie
Dear Brandon and Kristin,
THanks for the photos of your wonderful daughter. We rejoice that you had time to be with her, and also sorrow with you as you mourn her loss.
Please know that many folks in Wisconsin are praying for you. God is good, as you stated in your blog previous to Adella's birth. He has a plan for us, as difficult as it is at times to understand, we know God is with us. He truly is our only comfort in life and in death, and we know that we belong to him, body and soul.
Love,
Chris and Sandy Kaeiser
Oh my goodness--your daughter was so beautiful! What a wonderful gift from the Lord, even for such a short time.
We are mourning with you, dear friends, and will continue to pray in the coming days and weeks. We would so love to be with you on Saturday to celebrate Addie's life.
Thank you for allowing us all to share in your journey by posting here. We look forward to continuing to walk through life together with the two of you.
We love you,
Ben & Melissa
Dear Brandon and Kristin... I can't tell you how much my heart is breaking for you right now... You haven't left my mind and heart for a moment since Monday. I have faithfully followed your blog over the last few months. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your journey. Though I know we haven't talked in a long while, I have felt so personally connected to you all throughout your pregnancy and I cannot imagine the loss that you all are feeling right now. But I am in awe of how the Lord is sustaining you and how you are trusting in Him. His strength truly is perfect... Little Addie is so beautiful. Thank you so much for posting the pictures of her... Know that we love you guys and are praying like crazy for you... Much love and many prayers, Jen and Joel
I'm so glad that other people starting writing too...I saw the post yesterday and could do nothing but cry for you guys. I felt that I should say something but, what do you say in these moments other than our hearts and definately our prayers are with you. It's hard to imagine this ever hapening to someone you love. We'll continue to pray that God will give you both strength, and that He will bring greats things from this as we all know that He can.
Love,
Marni
Dear Kristin,
I'm crying for your loss, however I praise God that He chose you and Brandon to be Adella's parents.
God is with you, and I pray to God He would give you love and comfort.
Grace and peace be yours,
Megumi
Our hearts are broken by the loss of Addie, Brandon and Kristin. We know that your lives will always be different because of the one day you spent with beautiful little Addie... and because of the longing you feel for her now. I've been praying for you often when I can't sleep at night, and we continue through the day.
love,
Bryce & Susan
My name is Shary Kramer. I'm the Prayer Chain Administrator for The Village Church in Irvine. I just want to tell you that 11 yrs. ago my darling daughter gave birth to beautiful twin boys. They died inside of her two days earlier. She had 26 hours of labor to deliver them. They were so beautiful. I hugged them, kissed them and rocked them. I thought my heart and the hearts of my daughter and son in law would break and never be healed. One day at the baby's grave the Lord said He would bless me greatly. Over the next 10 yrs. I've been blessed with 11 Grandchildren. God is so very good. I have not and never will forget my darling Grandsons and I know they are waiting for me in Heaven. Hopefully God will again bless you with other children, but they will never take the place of Addie. They'll soften the pain though. God bless both of you and your families. Love in Christ, Shary Kramer (shessie@cox.net)
Brandon and Kristin,
I cannot begin to express the grief and sadness we feel for you. But as you said in your blog, we will praise God that you were able to spend one day with your precious Addie. She was so beautiful and will be greatly missed by so many people. We love you guys and are praying for you constantly.
Love,
Chad, Dilenna, and Ashlynn
Brandon and Kristin,
My heart broke when I heard the news about Addie. She was such a sweet and beautiful little girl. Earlier this year my first niece, Abigail Grace, died after just a few short hours. Watching my sister and brother in law go through the loss of their beautiful daughter was one of the most painful things. Yet, we were blessed merely by the few short moments we could see her and hold her. Please know that you are in our prayers. Continue to embrace the Lord. He is taking good care of Addie.
Much love,
Juli Friesen
You don't know me, but I received and email from Jamie Kampman about your little Addie. Praise God that He has opened your eyes to His goodness in the midst of this great and terrible sorrow. We will be praying.
--Bryan & Jamie O'Donnell
Kristin and Brandon,
I share your loss and thank you so much for sharing the pics of Adella Mae. She was truly blest to have known you for even a short time. You will cherish the pics you have. Your faith in God will bring you through this. Please give my deepest sympathy to Bonnie and Dan. My tears are with you and all my prayers. I will be thinking of you all day Saturday.....
Love, Jean Lehman-Yaros
Kristin and Brandon,
I share your loss and thank you so much for sharing the pics of Adella Mae. She was truly blest to have known you for even a short time. You will cherish the pics you have. Your faith in God will bring you through this. Please give my deepest sympathy to Bonnie and Dan. My tears are with you and all my prayers. I will be thinking of you all day Saturday.....
Love, Jean Lehman-Yaros
Kristin and Brandon-
When I heard the news my heart ached for you guys.I am so sorry about the loss of Addy. I hope that during this time you will experience the arms of the Father holding you. I will be praying for you.I love you guys.
Deborah
Brandon and Kristin,
I've been praying for you two often and wish that I could be there to support you, hug you, and just be with you tomorrow for Addie. I, and a bunch of us NAVs (especially the ones in Europe), will be there in spirit.
I'm just so happy that God has held you both close throughout the sadness and has shown you, and everyone in your lives, what wonderful parents you are.
Your little girl has been loved greatly and continues to be loved in Heaven.
With love and prayer,
Stephanie H.
Dear Brandon and Kristin,
My heart has been aching for you all week - and you have been in my prayers constantly. Adella was truly a beautiful little girl. I wish I could be there to give you a hug...especially today. I pray that God will hold you close today and in all the days ahead.
All my love,
Rhonda
Brandon and Kristin,
We grieve with you and our hearts ache. What a beautiful girl. Thank you for sharing your lives with us. The aroma of Jesus is sweet around you.
Dale & Sherrie Magnusson
MSU Navigators
Brandon & Kristin,
I am so sorry for your loss -- I can only imagine how hard things are right now. The two of you are at the forefront of my prayers.
Hunter
Kristin & Brandon,
We weep! We weep with you! As do many others here in Chicago. We pray God proves himself good to you; although, judging by your blog, you seem to need no such proof. Humbling and inspiring for Catherine and me, who find it difficult to praise him in these excruciating circumstances.
Aaron & Catherine Lindloff
Dear Brandon & Kristin,
Thank you for sharing your hearts so openly in this painful time. We are able to sense your peace and faith in our Soverign God. Our church body here in Manitowoc has been lifting you and your family in prayer, and will continue to do so as you walk through this time. Love, Vance & Shell
Brandon and Kristin, thank you so much for allowing those of us so far from you, to share in Addie's life. My heart aches so deeply for you and your families. I pray that you are experiencing God's goodness and grace with each passing moment. Today in church we sang in memory of Addie, BLESSED BE YOUR NAME, it was so beautiful, just as she was. God chose the two of you to hold and kiss her, for the exact amount of time He had oridaned for her, what a precious thing to have. I also praise God that he has given you the blessing of grandparents to be close at this time. My heart breaks for you also Dan and Bonnie.(I wish I could hug and hold you all right now!) We love you all and will continue to pray and give praise in all that He has in store for you.
All OUR LOVE,
THE RISSE'S
Brandon and Kristen,
You guys have been in our prayers ever since we heard. We are so glad to read your comments and see that you are finding healing in Christ. We knew that you would. We wish we could have been with you during the services, but only learned of them the day of. Thank's for sharing the pictures,little Adella was beautiful!
God bless you guys... we love you and hope to see you soon!
Dear Brandon and Kristen,
Thank you for letting us share in your family's joy and grief. What a truly beautiful little girl. In your words it is clear that faith, hope and love remain. You are both in my prayers.
Andrew Ledwith
FSU Navigators
I don't know you but my husband and I are associate Nav Staff and received emails asking for prayers. I was able to be in the room recently when my close friend lost her baby only 2 hrs after his birth so your story touched close to home. I have been and will continue to pray for you. Your Christ-focused words are challenging and encouraging. God is using this already as a big billboard to point to Himself through you. Thank you for being available to be used to highlight Christ even in your personal tragedy.
Brandon and Kristin,
My heart has ached for you after hearing about Adella Mae. I'm so, so sorry for your loss. I was glad to hear about your blog and to see pictures of Addie and read your heartfelt words. She was beautiful and sweet and precious. I join with you in being thankful that you had the time with her that you did, yet I can only imagine how heartbreaking it must be to lose her. You have been and will continue to be in my prayers.
Much love,
Mistie Hutchison
I'm sorry I did not respond sooner, I just found out about this yesterday.
I'm so sorry that this happened. Your reaction and faith through this that I have seen is such an encouragement, as you both have always been so encouraging to me. I was just reading recently in a book which said that Romans 8:28 is so easy to say when things are easy, but obviously not in pain. I see you living it out despite your pain, and that is amazing.
I am praying for you.
Susan W.
Kristin and Brandon....I am sitting here at my computer crying for you and little Adella, and for the short time you had with her. I can't put into words how saddened I am for you and your families. Please know that I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. I want you also to know how inspired I am in your faith and the strength you get from God. Sue Behnke
Dear Kristin & Brandon,
This is Sarah Joy (Backstrom) Rinkenberger writing from SE Asia..having just read your blog and heard your news my eyes are full of tears, pain mixed with joy. Your little baby girl, Addela Mae, was and is BEAUTIFUL! The Father created her in His perfect image, and although His ways are higher than our ways in taking her to be with Him so soon, we must seek to trust Him still and cling to His goodness. Your words on your blog are a testimony to the Grace He has given you to do this. Praise Him!
You shared Isaiah 26:7...and it is a wonderful promise. During a period when I myself was going through some challenges (living in China during college- Kristin may remember a bit about that time) I clung to Isaiah 42:16 "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them." I began to doubt and struggle with these verses though as the way did grow rough and it seemed very dark at times.
God graciously, after a period of trial, showed me His truth in Psalm 139:11-12, "If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."
May He daily grace your eyes and hearts to realize a fresh that even the darkness is light to Him. Your precious Addie is delighting the heart of our Father.
With you in prayers,
Sarah Joy & family
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