Lily Remembered in Scotland

Shona wrote Lily's name in the sand at Sand Beach, Applecross, Scotland. 

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Media

These are articles and posts that were either written by Hannah Rose or about her story. Also listed here are audio and video of Hannah Rose sharing her testimony.

To request Hannah Rose for an interview, you can email her at roseandherlily@gmail.com.

WORLD Magazine | Restoration for a wounded soul | Caroline Leal | April 1, 2013

CNN iReport | Darkness to Light | February 11, 2013

WORLD on campus | Restoration for a wounded soul | Caroline Leal | April 1, 2013

Accepting Abundance | Lily, Luke and Hannah Rose | Stacey Trasancos | February 20, 2012

Silent No More Awareness | Life in Lily

Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope | July 22, 2010

Audio of Hannah Rose sharing her testimony at Ellerslie Leadership Training in Colorado

Hannah Rose's video submission for the Every Life Matters video contest - hosted by Live Action

Hannah Rose's video tribute to her daughter Lily
 

*Soon to be posted - video of Hannah Rose sharing her testimony at the March for Life in Washington D.C. with the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, as well as a video of her sharing her testimony at a Pregnancy Center Banquet.

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New Facebook Page - Please Like and Share!

Hello everyone, at the suggestion of a friend, I created a new Facebook page as a way to share my upcoming speaking engagements, blog posts, and articles written about the lives and legacies of my precious Luke Shiloh and Lily Katherine. Please "like" and share my page. Thank you for your support! :)

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Profiled for WORLD Magazine

About a month ago, I received an email from a reporter for the Christian news publication, WORLD Magazine, asking if I was willing to be interviewed for an article to publish on their website. Writer, Caroline Leal, read my article "Darkness to Light," posted on CNN's iReport, and was very touched by my story. Shortly after that, she visited my website and read much more about my experiences. She wanted to write about my story because she thought it would be an encouragement to their wide readership.

Of course, I immediately responded upon receiving the email and said I would be completely honored to be interviewed for WORLD. Caroline contacted me on a Monday and her deadline was that upcoming Friday, so we didn't have much time for the interviewing process. I asked to be interviewed by email, rather than by phone, so I could have time to think about and pray over my responses. I am very thankful I did it that way because some of the questions were quite in depth and difficult to answer. 

Something that's really precious about this article...Caroline wrote me and mentioned she was looking for an additional source to briefly quote in the story. She wanted to interview someone from some sort of Pregnancy Center who could comment on why my story is important and worth sharing. She had the idea to interview Anna, who she had read about on my blog. Anna is my precious friend who I met at the Center that I went to when I was early in my pregnancy with Lily. She was a counselor there. This made me extremely excited because Anna is an amazing, beautiful woman and it's so special to be in the article with someone who was such a sweet part of the story, from close to the beginning. Anna graciously agreed to be interviewed.

Caroline and I emailed back and forth for weeks and through our correspondence, a sweet friendship has blossomed. Not only did we discuss the article, but things like our mutual love for the Lord, photography, and Eric and Leslie Ludy. ;-) I truly consider Caroline a dear new friend and look forward to keeping in touch with her and hopefully one day meeting her in person. It's so amazing how God has brought so many precious friendships into my life through Luke and Lily's lives...Bex, Anna, Bonnie, Brittany, and now Caroline. :-) The promise He whispered to my heart all those years ago - that if I chose LIFE, I couldn't imagine the beauty He would bring, is still being fulfilled! It's amazing. For Lily's birthday, Caroline sent me the most precious card in the mail!

From the first email I received from Caroline to the date of publication was about a month...the month of March. Lily's special month. Caroline and I both thought how neat it was that God would work this out to happen during her month. It felt like a beautiful gift from Jesus on her birthday to share her life and legacy on a broad scale. I had really hoped the article would publish at some point in March, but it ended up publishing on April 1st due to different reasons. It was published on the day after Easter, which I think is special, as a reflection of the redemptive work Christ has done in my life through my little ones. As Caroline said to me, it was published on April 1st, the day after the end of March. New beginnings... Yes, indeed. :-)

I am so thankful WORLD was able to include my website in the article because they usually don't include links to outside sources. It is my hope and prayer, as well as Caroline's, that this article will open up more doors for me to share my story, both in speaking and writing. It has been such an amazing experience to be interviewed, to make a new friend, and to see the hand of my God. He has spoken through this entire thing that He is in control. He is sovereign over all. He has a mighty plan and purpose. All I must do is be obedient to Him and what He asks of me, one step at a time. I was obedient in sharing my story on the CNN iReport, which is how Caroline discovered my story. I am wondering who will discover my story through the WORLD article and what doors God will open next...it's such an exciting adventure, this life with Him! :-)

I was also quite pleased with the photo they chose for the article. In the photo, I am wearing the necklace my grandmother gave me on March 27th, 2010 - the day of Lily's burial. It has a heart and symbolizes the four generations - three pearls on the bottom to symbolize my grandmother, mother, and myself (living on earth), and the stone above symbolizes Lily in Heaven. How incredibly sweet and thoughtful! It was so special to have to wear to the service. It's precious that it's in the photo.

I didn't quite know what to expect with how the article would turn out and couldn't read it before it was published. But, once I did read it, I was quite pleased with the final result. Of course, it was disappointing that so much had to be left out because of length constraints. But, I thought Caroline summarized everything beautifully. She had a hard time knowing how to consolidate everything, but didn't she do a lovely job? :-) And thankfully, since my website was included, if people wish to read in greater depth, they can visit and read all they want. All my responses to the interview questions were so lengthy, so it's interesting to see how short the article ended up being and how little of my responses could be used. That's the world of writing and articles, I suppose.

It meant so much to me when Caroline told me that engaging with the material I shared with her was such a blessing and got her thinking about the importance of promoting the Pro-Life message and being an encourager to other young women facing similar situations as I once did. She said she even looked up local Pregnancy Centers that she could volunteer at in the future. 

I am so honored and blessed to have been interviewed for this magazine. The article is one of the Lead Stories published today - April 1st, 2013. I am thankful for this opportunity to be a voice for my precious Lily Katherine and Luke Shiloh, like I promised them I would be. I pray their lives and legacies will help change and save lives, in Jesus' name! And I pray my story will touch those who have had an abortion, those facing an unplanned pregnancy, and those who have lost a child. I hope those in the church will better understand those who are post-abortive and have a tender heart of mercy and compassion towards them. So many men and women are affected by this topic, both in and out of the church, and I think it's time it is discussed and time for the church to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I hope whoever reads this article will walk away with the hope of Jesus in their hearts.

Thank you, Caroline, for thinking my story is worth telling and for having the desire to tell it. You are a beautiful person and writer.

Thank you, Anna, for being willing to be interviewed and for taking part in this awesome opportunity with me. 

Thank you, WORLD Magazine, for publishing the article!

Please read and share!

Read the article here:

WORLD | Restoration for a wounded soul | Caroline Leal | April 1, 2013

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Goodbye Bittersweet March

The month of March will officially be over in less than half an hour...this month has flown by. It feels like I was just posting my "Well, it's March" post on the first day of the month.

I have mixed feelings about it ending...in one sense, I feel like I can now breathe a sigh of relief. March is hard on me. It is emotionally really difficult to relive all the significant dates from March 2010.

On the other hand, March truly has a very special place in my heart. It is hard, yes, but it is beautiful...it is her month. And somehow living in it makes me feel somehow closer to her. She feels right here. Though it's tough, that is not something I would ever give up. I want to feel her near. I am so thankful she has a special day all her own that we can celebrate.

It's bittersweet...that's the perfect word.

I will miss her month. Though, it will be good to not feel the fog for a while. Next time March rolls around, Lily would be 4! Time just keeps marching by.

This month has been busy. All the anniversary dates...Lily's due date, her birthday, the day of her Celebration of LIFE Service and burial, St. Patrick's Day, and Easter just to name a few...

So many amazing things have happened in the month of March for Lily's birth month. I got the official letter saying I am speaking at my first Pregnancy Center Banquet in Illinois in October, I ordered Lily's headstone, I was asked by the Founder of Huntsville Right to Life to share my story on their website, now Lily's name will be in the credits of Return to Zero...and something else super exciting (which I will be sharing tomorrow hopefully).

And I have some other amazing news from this month! My BROTHER, Joseph, is ENGAGED...to my BEST FRIEND, Kala!! I thought Easter would be the perfect day to share this exciting news because their God-written love story is a beautiful story of redemption and grace! We are all thrilled! I already said my "official title" is Maid of Honor/Best Woman. ;)

It's been a beautiful and special month of celebration, remembrance, opened doors, and new seasons beginning.

I love you so much, Lily! My precious March flower...

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Easter Sunday

My sweet Lily was born just a couple weeks before Easter Sunday. It was on April 4th in 2010. I had so anticipated dressing her in a pink frilly dress and putting together her first Easter basket.

Thank you to my sweet friend, Catherine, for making these Easter 

eggs for Lily and Luke and for taking photos of them for me. :-)

Besides St. Patrick's Day, Easter would have been Lily's first "big" holiday. It was the first big holiday without her. Each year, it will remind me of her...though I suppose every holiday does, but some more than others.

I have been seeing so many posts and pictures on facebook of kiddos with their Easter outfits and baskets. I've been hearing friends talk about Easter egg hunts...with each word, picture, and post, the ache in my heart stirs...

I have no little girl to dress in her Easter Sunday best. Nobody will ooh and aah over how pretty she looks in her pink dress, sandals, and big bow. This year, she would have been old enough to help pick out her specisl outfit. This would already be her 4th Easter...how can that be?

I see the hand of my God in choosing for Lily's birthday, the genesis of Spring, and Easter to all be within just a couple weeks of each other. He silently speaks with the vibrant colors, fresh smells, and the beauty of the season. There may be pain, there may be sorrow, there may be winter...oh, but in Him, we have the hope and the certainty that joy and spring are coming!

So, on this day that I wish was full of a 3-year-old Lily going on an Easter egg hunt and dressing in a pretty outfit...and though I don't have any child to do those things with...

I am rejoicing on this Easter Sunday that Jesus is Victor...always! He is Victor over sin and death. He is Victor over sorrow that pierces the soul. He is Victor over stillbirth. He is Victor over anything and everything that holds us down. And because of His victory over the grave, I can rest in the assurance that I will see my sweet girl again...

"There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain:

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave he rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,

For I am His and He is mine -

Bought with the precious blood of Christ."

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen." ~Matthew 28:5

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." ~Revelation 21:4

"He died not for men, but for each man. If each had been the only man made, He would have done no less." ~C.S Lewis

I love Fernando Ortega's voice and music...and love the words in this song. So appropriate for Resurrection Sunday.

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Lily's Name in a Movie!

I am so excited to share that my precious Lily Katherine Allen-Ball's name is going to be in the credits of a new movie coming out about stillbirth called Return to Zero. I am so proud to call her my daughter. :-)

In an exclusive section to appear BEFORE the other credits, the film will read:

This film was made possible through the generous donations of StillBirthday Families

Immediately below this line, will list the names of many precious babies in Heaven, including my girl! This is a special prominant section of the credits and will be highly visible!

For a short time, anyone who donated $5 to the movie could have their child's name added...now it has gone back up to $250. I'm thankful I made my donation in time!

The movie will be distributed in theaters around the country at some point either at the end of 2013 or beginning of 2014. That's the estimate that they are currently giving. And how awesome that I will get to go see it in the actual theatre and will see my daughter's name on the screen!! I will definitely post again when I know it's coming out.

Thank you so much to stillbirthday and Return to Zero for making this possible! Check out the Return to Zero website for more information on the movie. Consider supporting it as well if you are able. And become a fan on their facebook page for updates. This is such an important message that many people need to hear/see. We need to break the silence of stillbirth. I am proud to be Lily's voice! Her life matters, as all the little ones who we must say hello and goodbye to at once.

I will share more about the movie when I see it and will be sure to post a photo of Lily's name in the credits! I'm sure when I finally do see it, I will cry. To know she is making a difference. To see her name on a movie will be a precious reminder that she is real, loved, missed, important, remembered...always.

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