Gabriel update

Here is an email that I received yesterday from my friend Dawn.... Praise God for His mighty works!

Dear loved ones,

We are home and Gabriel is doing great. I am sorry for not e-mailing sooner. Since we came home we needed to just focus on him and his continued recovery and for our recovery as well. The children are home with us again and we are all very happy to be together. The Doctors are very pleased with Gabriel's recovery and he has adjusted to being home quite nicely. I was worried that he would have a difficult time getting back into routine, but he is so happy to be home he has just picked up right where he left off. He is sleeping very good, napping good, and in good humor most of the time. He has become a little shy and wants only Mama but that’s a normal thing anyway.

I want to take this opportunity to give God the Glory for all He has done for us. We have had a very difficult year. The knowledge of Gabriel's heart defect was the beginning of this long and trying journey. On January 20th, 2006 we were told by my Doctor that most parents would just let their baby die. We were given no hope from her and we were devastated. I remember leaving the clinic in shock and fear. I also remember that we had a girl's name picked out but not a boy's name. That afternoon, the name Gabriel Michael came to mind and Brian confirmed that was the name for our son. I believe that was his God given name. We determined that we would face this challenge together and do whatever we could to help our son live and be thankful for time we did get to have him. He will soon be 6 months old. He has had 2 open heart bypass surgeries and is doing fantastic. (He will have another surgery in a few years. )

We are not guaranteed a perfect and happy life. We are not guaranteed anything in life. One guarantee that I hold to is that God loves his own. He did not spare us this trial, but He was with us through this trial. My prayer for my family and friends who do not have a relationship with God our Maker, is that each and every one of you will seek Him. This life is very short and we don’t know what tomorrow holds for us. God sent his son Jesus Christ to die for our sins so we could have peace and comfort in knowing our eternity will be with Him.

We have 4 beautiful children and our deepest desire and prayer is not that they are spared difficulties in life, not that they will have a happy and carefree life, it is that they will have a personal relationship with our Father in Heaven. That they will know Him and love Him. We pray for wisdom in the training of our children and we pray for guidance when we are facing trials.

I feel like we are at the end of a chapter in our life. Thank you all for your prayers and support this year. Your love and encouragement has been a blessing to me. I pray God will bless you for your faithfulness in prayer.

Love to you all,

Dawn