Carmen’s funeral will be held this Friday, August 20, 2010 at 7:30pm at Church of the Redeemer, 19425 Woodfield Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20879. We would be honored to have you join us as we celebrate Carmen’s life and the impact she had on us. Click here to get directions.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in the name of Carmen Coddington to:
Mi Refugio (an organization serving the children living in and around the Guatemala City dump)
4908 Jasmine Drive
Rockville, MD 20853
301-929-1267 www.mirefugio.org
Or
National Tay Sachs and Allied Diseases (an organization fighting to find a cure for Tay Sachs)
2001 Beacon Street
Suite 204
Boston, MA 02135
or make a donation online at www.ntsad.org
1-800-906-8723
(NOTE: We’ve updated the date of the post so that this remains on top for this week. See below for newer posts.)
Praying for you guys during this difficult time. Know that sweet Carmen is looking down from above smiling!
Heavenly Father take precious Carmen in your arms and comfort her family through this time of transition, help Carmen gain her feet now she is whole and healthy again and guide her when she is watching over her family AMEN xoxox
I so wish that we could be there for you guys. Please know that we love you and are praying for you. You are in our every thought and prayer.
I will be there. Coming with Uncle Willy, Aunt Joan and Aunt Ruthanne. We are praying for you all. We are coming on Thursday some time. Grace has made our reservation at Residence Inn. See you then
Dear Lana and Dave,
If I wasnt here in Guatemala, I would love to be there. Carmen has made such an impact on so many peoples lives in her four short years on Earth. She is a very special little girl.
Diane
Please know how much you all are in my heart. I’ve tried to figure a way to get there, but it’s not working out. May your days ahead be filled with the Glory of The Lord. And, may your hearts be held tenderly in His hands. Blessings and Comfort…. Love Dearly, Betty.
If we had known we would have come by way of I80 and picked you up!
REALLY hoping to make it there. It’s about 1.5 hours away without traffic, but I really want to be there.
It saddens me that Carmen has passed away, but I know she’s having fun at her new home in the presence of her heavenly Father. I look forward to seeing you this week. Love always, Dad
Will be there in spirit!!! Carmen and all of you have made such an impact on so many…God Bless all of you!!!
My heart breaks in the physical loss of your beautiful Carmen. She will always be with all of you in your hearts and minds. I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like to see Jesus face to face. Carmen is more alive now than she has ever been. It is we who are left behind who grieve. When a loved ones leaves us the physical emptiness is almost to much to comprehend. The Lord is walking with you and I’m praying for you all to be immersed in His great grace, peace, love, and understanding.
I have been thinking of you all non stop!!! My heart is with you through the challenges ahead. Made a donation in Carmen’s memory to NTSAD. (((Hugs to you all)))
Thanks Desiree!
I have been reading this blog about beautiful Carmen for a long time and the loss of beautiful Carmen is so sad. But im grateful that she is playing and laughing up in heaven.
im praying for you
Anything I or Hospice Caring can do for you. We are happy to do it. Hugs, food, transportation, childcare. Anything at all.
love, hugs & prayers, monica
What wonderful ways to honor and remember Carmen! Beautiful – it makes my heart smile thinking of them…
I’ll be with all of you in spirit on Friday night. ^I love you Carmen^; if I were PHYSICALLY able to be present alongside you, I would be. You are in my heart, my thoughts, snd my continuing prayers.
God Bless our sweet, ^Carmen^. We all love you very much, Sweet One.
Love,
Becky
We would love to come and celebrate her amazing life with you (we used to live in Montgomery Village), unfortunately we are now in North Carolina and cannot arrange to be there. Our thoughts and prayers are being sent; we will be there in Spirit. God Bless Carmen.
Carrie T. & Bella (NC)
Our family is sorry to hear of your loss. We are praying for you and trusting God to comfort you in the coming days and weeks!
Thankful that she is no longer in any discomfort and in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father!
Blessings,
Jill (mom to 5 from Guatemala)
I wish we didn’t live so far away, but please know that I will be there in thought and spirit. I will continue praying for you to feel God’s love and comfort now more than ever, especially as the reality of life without Carmen begins to set in in the weeks ahead. I know that your sorrow must be overwhelming, but remember that God is bigger than any of our pain. He is cradling you in His arms, and He will get you through this.
With love, Christina
I will be there in SPIRT!
You don’t even know me, and I have never had the privledge of knowing you or sweet Carmen. But I have followed your blog for the past year. My daughter was born on July 6 in Guatemala and looks just like Carmen. I felt drawn to your story and have been blessed, touched by her life and your description of faith in the face of such a journey. Thank you, thank you sweet Carmen. In your short life you have touched and blessed so many people. Now, sweet angel, you have your wings back and are with the Father in heaven. I pray for your mom and dad and sisters as they miss you and look to God for comfort.
I wish so much that I could be there with you. I will be there with you in spirit and we are praying for you all daily.
Debbie
Dear God, thank you for your abundant grace. Thank you dear God for the blessing you gave us through Carmen. I pray your peace and comfort over the Coddington family that you will carry them through these dark times like you have promised.
Lana and Dave, your burden is so great, and yet you bless me, all of us, by turning our faces to our Creator. Thank you for your faith. It is so evident that God has carefully selected you for His glory and to hold Carmen during her short time here. I am constantly praying that God fills your mourning with an outflow of His peace. Amen.
Sorry, I can’t be there in person but love to all.
You do not know me, but I feel like I know you. I have a beautiful adopted daughter form Guatemala who looks just like Carmen. I have been reading and praying for her and all of you. Carmen is with God where she is smiling down at you all and she is not sick any more. Try to find comfort in the Lord’s blessings.
Just really thinking about you as you prepare for the celebration of Carmen’s life. I’m praying for you and you are close to my heart. I’m especially thinking about little Lauren.
I was reviewing some old posts here and I came upon the slide show of your family. Those pictures are so very beautiful and I am so glad you were able to capture those wonderful moments. You will cherish them forver.
Just to let you know you are in my thoughts and I will lift you up in prayer today and always.
Debbie
I wish we could attend so badly! We’re not able to take the time off from work in the afternoon. It’s about a 4 hour drive. We will definitely be there in spirit and with prayers! Our hearts have been with you this entire week, and will be in the time to come!
Lana, Dave, Lauren and hope,
Today I am praying that God gives you the peace and grace to get through this most difficult of difficult days. As a nursing student, Carmen’s message has touched me greatly as I’ve followed your posts on the BBB and on your blog for the past 2 years. Thank you for the reminder that each person is a child of God and is beautiful and special.
God be with you today and always,
Angelina
Dave, Lana, Lauren, Hope and Family,
Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you today as you celebrate Carmen’s life. She is, and will always be, an inspiration to me. Your faith and love of God is also an inspiration.
May God Bless you always,
Denise
It’s 6:18, and I am in prayer for all of you. I wish we could be there!
Made a donation in Carmens memory to NTSAD, lots of hugs and prayers to you all at this difficult time.
Dave and Lana,
What a beautiful send-off to Carmen and a lovely celebration of her life. It was 7:15 tonight when I first read Lana’s email that Carmen had passed and that the funeral service was tonight at 7:30. I dropped everything, jumped in my car, and drove to the church. I must have made it there in record time because I was only a little late! I feel privileged to have been there and privileged to have been a part of Carmen’s life and your lives. I know that God will continue to richly bless you and your family and to be near you during your grief.
Sara
Just wanted to let you know, I feel like I had a small sign from ^Carmen^ tonight. Although this may sound somewhat random, here me out:
I had two 20 oz. Pepsis in my fridge. At present, Pepsi has a contest going on involving MLB teams – if you collect 3 bottle caps with the same team name on it, youget a free MLB cap of your choice. Anyhow, a few days ago, as I was thinking of Carmen and the fact that she is/was sick and struggling, I had the thought that, “What if this cap were to have ‘Angels’ on it, or something along those lines? That night I was unable to loosen that bottle’s cover, so I moved on to the second. When I opened it and it said “Blue Jays,” I had to smile, thinking “Well, birds fly free,” so maybe it is a sign…” Tonight I finally opened the second Pepsi and on the underside of the cap? “Braves”. I smiled in my heart because I’ve been thinking of ^Carmen^ and your family all day… and Carmen is Brave and Lana’s Twitter name of “Lana Braves”…
Just wanted to share that with you all and see what you and/or your other friends may think of my sign. Thanks, ^Carmen^. I love you and God Bless You. “Fly High and Dream Big,” Brave ^Carmen^!! <3
Love,
Becky
For whatever it’s worth, the Blue Jays are my favorite baseball team and have been for more than 25 years.
Dave and Lana: It was a beautiful and very touching tribute to Carmen. Noone can fully comprehend the road you travelled but it was great to see how you embraced Carmen and also hear her giggles. Our prayers are with your family.
Thank Abiy. It was good to see and chat with you last night.
Praying for your family! I have been following your blog too. I also have an adopted daughter from Guatemala who resembles Carmen. Youe family must be very special for God to have chosen you to care for Carmen and fulfill His mission for her. May God richly bless you for your service to Him!