I'm Still Alive!

WOW! No new post from me in 7 weeks???!!! Life is definetly a lot crazier and I rarely have any time to post anything anymore, but I somewhat have Gabriel on a sleeping schedule now, so that helps a little!

What a past few months it has been!

We welcomed our beautiful baby boy into the world on Nov. 30th-2 weeks early! Our crib came that day, so I was very happy it came in time!

Here's our angel baby!

He is such an overwhelming blessing to us and we love him so much!

3 days after he was born, we had a huge loss in our family when my sister lost her precious baby, Brie Hackett. She went in to the hospital b/c she was in labor, and there was no heartbeat. Brie's cord knotted up leaving her slowly loosing oxygen for a few weeks, resulting in her heart suddenly stopping. We of course were devasted!

It has been an extremely hard time for Sarah and her husband, PJ as they mourn the loss of their child so late in pregnancy. Sarah later told me that she felt God told her that Brie and Gabriel were friends in heaven and Brie wanted to make sure he was born and ok, before she died. It killed me when she said that, but I know that Brie will never know any pains of this world and is at total peace in heaven with Jesus.

We all cannot wait to be reunited with her in heaven! Here's Brie resting in her mother's womb. That is how I will always remember her...resting in peace!

B/c of this horrible situation, Christmas was a little bittersweet this year but still a lot of fun. Maddy was so much fun opening her presents. I love that she is older now and gets so excited about everything!!!

She got so much and was definetly spoiled from grandparents!! Christmas definetly becomes about the kids when you get older!

She learned to say "Jesus" this year and "Kissmas" which was so sweet to hear!!!

Our new years was also a blast, except on January 1st, we rushed Gabe to the hospital for a high fever. He was diagnosed with a severe respiratory infection that spread up his spinal cord and into his brain resutling in viral menenjitis. He spent 3 days in the special care unit at Children's hospital. It was a very scary and sad time, and we didn't know if he was going to be ok or not!

God gave us such comfort and healed him and he just improved and improved. We were so thankful his menenjitis was not bacterial which can cause brain damage and even death.

He will be just fine and has no long-term effects at all! He is our little fighter and I know God has huge plans for his life that Satan cannot stand!

We are all finally back to normal around here and have huge anticipations for the new year. We are hoping to get a house this fall, are keeping strong faith that Sarah and PJ will experience the miracle of another pregnancy this year, are adjusting, with joy, to a family of four, are in prayer for healing for Joe's sis, Naomi from Crones Disease.,and are praying for another baby for my dear friend who miscarried her baby over Christmas. We cannot wait to see what is in store for 2011!