Before and After

Here I am, still in Ohio at daughter Sarah's and SIL Lance's home, and still euphoric over the Wednesday birth of grandchild #5, Gabriel Parker Mekeel.

As I write this, the new family of three is packing up and getting ready to come home from the hospital.
I'm thinking back over the last four or five years, and realizing there have been a lot of hopes and dreams that began very long ago and finally culminated in Gabriel's joyous birth the other day.

In some ways, Sarah had a rough road in getting to this day.

She has rheumatoid arthritis, so when they first decided to make plans toward a pregnancy, for the safety of a potential growing baby Sarah had to stop taking the medications she used for pain relief.

Over the next several years, she suffered two miscarriages, both happening with complications and resultant surgeries.

Following the second miscarriage, a series of tests revealed she had some sort of tumor in her abdomen.  A very large tumor.  In fact, a cantaloupe or football sized tumor.  It was theorized that the presence of this mass was causing the miscarriages.

A very risky surgery ensued, and the tumor was successfully removed from the outside of her uterus, preserving her ability to try again for a pregnancy.  Thankfully, although it was found to be an abnormal fibroid, it was non-cancerous.

All systems were apparently "go," and Sarah and Lance were soon delighted to learn of this third pregnancy.

Seeing their baby in an ultrasound picture early in the pregnancy made them realize their hopes and dreams were really coming true.

And now, Gabriel is here.  The miracle of birth is, well... a miracle.  An answer to many prayers.  The culmination of many hopes and dreams.  The gift at the end of a long wait.  The billions of pots of gold at the end of the rainbow.

And he's amazing.

Thank you God, for making Sarah's and Lance's dreams come true, and for entrusting them with this most precious gift.  YOU are amazing.