Around 5:00 PM last night, our precious Stella Rose went to be with Jesus. Her passing was very quick and painless. After the ventilator was removed, I got to see her lovely face without tubes for about a minute when she opened her eyes slightly, raised her hands, and took her last breath. It was sad, but also beautiful. An overwhelming peace swept over her and over us as she went to be with her Creator.

We are very confident that we made the right decision. She held on until yesterday for us. When I arrived yesterday morning, she opened her eyes and reached out her hand to squeeze my finger. This was remarkable because for the past two days, she could barely move or open her eyes. By the end of yesterday afternoon, she was not longer responding to touch or moving at all. She was ready to go.

Mike and I are deeply appreciative of the many, many prayers that have been lifted up on our and Stella's behalf. We were all praying for a miracle - I realized yesterday that Stella herself WAS the miracle. Against the odds she made it to birth, and we spent six wonderful days with her. I was told over and over that babies with as many problems as Stella had rarely make it to birth. But, by God's grace, she did make it to birth, and she has changed our lives forever.

Meeting our miracle - our precious Stella Rose - has changed our hearts in so many ways. Mike and I now have a much, much greater love for each other, for our boys, our family and friends, and for life itself. So many "things" and everyday difficulties now seem so inconsequential. God used the miracle of Stella's life to perform miracles in our lives. We hope and pray that her short stay on earth performs miracles in other peoples' lives as well. Nothing would honor the memory of Stella's life more than to know that God has touched the hearts of all who know her story.

We feel like we've known Stella and loved her for a long time, not just for a few days, and we know that we will be reunited with her again someday. Though the next few days, weeks, and months (and probably years) will be difficult and emotional, we are at peace with letting Stella go. Please pray for continual peace for us over the coming weeks.

Although I did not ever believe that I could say and mean this, God has given me the grace to say as Job did,

"The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)
Please join us in praising the Lord for Stella's life.