The Lilly Memorial Project

Lilly's life, and death, has inspired me to reach out to help other Trisomy and angel families.  In addition to a card writing ministry to families remembering their angel children, my family and I work to make donations in Lilly's name and to spread Trisomy awareness.  Over time, our projects have spread from being just within the Trisomy world, to help others.

1. On May 2, 2013 we donated 17 angel bags to UNC hospital.  (In memory of Lilly's 17 months.)  Each bag included:

1. Journal & pen - journals are composition books that Tabby took and covered both the front and  backs with pretty scrapbooking paper
2.Model magic - clay for hand and footprints (donated by Jordan's mom)
3. Angel ornament - also by Jordan's mom (see her Trisomy Tea page here)
4. Disposable camera - donated by my sister-ln-law Nikki
5. Envelope for Wisp-of-Hair
6. Small Kleenex pack
7. Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep business card - from Lilly's NILMDTS photographer
8. Far Flutterby - beautiful comforting book by Karen Kingsbury
9. Lilly & Jesus notecard - with a handwritten sympathy message from me
10. Outfit for burial - this was VERY important to me as I was so thankful we had a beautiful dress already that I was able to use for Lilly - I can not imagine shopping for a burial outfit while mourning.  I have a number of outfits I bought off Ebay, a bunch of crocheted dresses (made and donated by a young woman and her mom who I met through the purchase of one on Ebay), and several burial pouches made by me and some by G.C.
11. Package of Forget-Me-Not seeds
12. Memory box - I used letter, angel, and butterfly stickers to decorate the lid of a photo box
13. Drawstring bag - I made a bag for each donation to put everything in.  I used Lilly-colored ribbon to tie them.

Original post about the above is here. Post about the day we took the donation to UNC is here.  Photo of one box collection:

2. On July 19, 2013 we donated 3 books and 18 receiving blankets to the Women's Birth and Wellness Center in Chapel Hill, NC.  The staff at the birthing center that was such a big support during Lilly's life and even after.   (Solomon and Hunter were born at the birthing center)  This donation was in honor of Lilly's 3rd birthday - July 4th.

The 3 books (for Lilly's 3rd b'day):
1. Making Babies: Fertility, Pregnancy, and Birth the Natural Way by Shoshanna Easling
2. Super Nutrition for Babies:  The Right Way to Feed Your Baby for Optimal Health by Katerine Erlich and Kelly Genzlinger
3. Trim Healthy Mama by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison

The 18 receiving blankets were for Lilly's Trisomy 18.

My original post about this donation is here.

Here is a photo of the books and blankets.  The Lilly with Jesus card explains our donation:

3. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month. Tabby crocheting "Lilly-colored" ruffle scarves (that's red-white-&-blue colors!) and sold them.  100% of what she received in payment was sent as a donation to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep at the end of the month.  This group provides free remembrance photography to families suffering the loss of a baby.  We were pleased to send in a $50.00 donation.  My summary post is here.

4. Angel feather tins.  I made my first one in honor of Caleb and sent it to his family to remember his 2nd angelversary, 8/29/13.  Inside I put a white angel feather, a poem about an angel feather, scripture about angels, little photos of Caleb, and a string of beads (with Caleb's name and a cross and angel beads.)  My original post about this is here.  I look forward to making many more! 

June 2014 update - I have made a lot more angel feather tins and will continue to do so!

5.  Cards.  Never underestimate the power of a card.  I keep a long list of Trisomy families and send cards of remembrance for every birthday and death day anniversary.  When a child first dies, I send a sympathy card and try to tuck in a little money to help with burial, or whatever the family needs.  Families don't like their child forgotten and a card is a simple way to say "I remember and I care."

6.  Drawings.  2015 is the year for drawings of Trisomy angel children.  Tabby loves to draw and I have been hiring her to draw portraits.  We find a photo of the child that she thinks she can draw, print it out, and she gets to work.  Here is the first one that she did:

 7. On August 3, 2015 we donated FIVE books to our local library, in honor of Lilly's FIFTH birthday.  My children and I each picked a book to donate.  I made special labels to put in the inside cover of each book.  See details in my post here.

8.  October 2015 - Pregnancy and Infancy Loss Month.  MAMA Project is a U.S. based Mennonite medical missions group that helps the poor in Honduras.  I'm not sure how I first learned about them, but my kids and I have enjoyed doing projects for them for years.  In one of their newsletters, I learned they were in need of some basic hospital equipment, including a pulse ox.  I finally decided to donate Lilly's pulse ox to them, along with two special little stuffed bears (one representing Lilly, the other my miscarried baby Blueberry).  My post about this is here. 
 

9. Lilly's 4th Angelversary = 4 Health Kits for MAMA Project.  On December 15, 2015, my boys and I assembled 4 "health kits" for MAMA Project - a missionary group that helps the poor in Honduras.  Each kit included: hand towel, washcloth, comb, nail clipper, toothbrush, toothpaste, and band-aids.  We sewed Lilly-colored bags (red/white/blue) to put each kit in.  My post about this project is here.

10. Trisomy 18 Awareness Day 2016 (March 18) - wedding dress for angel gowns.  I donated my wedding dress to "Precious Little Angel Gowns."  It will be made into little dresses for angel babies.  See details in my post here.