The Miracle of Gabriel

Albert Einstein said it best "There are only two ways to live your life. One as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." And until recently I always believed in miracles and did my best to listen to Albert Einstein and look at everything as a miracle. But my true perception changed on miracles when 4 weeks ago I held in my arms the biggest miracle of my life.

I am 100% pro-life, a baby is a baby at conception, there is no reason for abortion type of person. I get slack from some people (what if the mother may die, what if its incest/rape) but I know in my heart of hearts that God has a plan for every baby and for the rest of my life I will do whatever I can to stop abortions.

God wants us to chose life... Deuteronomy 30:19 states "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" and all because someone chose life I can now truly feel the gift of a miracle.

Did you know our son's birth mother, once his condition of schizencephaly was diagnosed, was explained all of her "options." She was "young" and the baby she was carrying didn't have a real shot at life (my summary of the doctors words, not their words). But instead of evaluating her options, Miss B chose life. She did not choose the easy path; she was a young pregnant girl in a critical world. But still she heeded Deuteronomy 30:19 and chose life. And due to her decision to choose life, I have a better understanding of miracles.

After Miss B chose life and began making a plan of adoption for the baby we know as Gabriel, she was turned away from an adoption agencey.... yes, I said turned away, because that agency didn't place special needs baby. By the grace of God, she found our attorney, MCB, and MCB contacted us. Because of Gabriel's special needs she had to ask if we'd be interested in having our lifebook submitted.... after praying, speaking to doctors and a lot more praying we took, what was for me, a gigantic step of faith and met Miss B, Mr. C and their families.

Why was it such a gigantic step of faith for me? Because I wanted a baby so badly and I was so afraid that this baby, with this HUGE problem would come into this world only to leave it quickly. Schizencephaly is a pretty scary condition when you look it up on the internet. It's even scarier when you talk to a doctor who says Gabriel doesn't have any brain tissue on the right side of the brain (he does - miracle) and will have many, unbearable conditions. And while initially our fears kept us at bay, God did His thing with our hearts and we met with Miss B.

What did God do to our hearts? He reminded us of just how strong our stance on choosing life is and that if we'd concieved a child with schizencephaly we'd still love, want and cherrish that child. God also reminded us of Jeremiah 29:11... that He knows the plans He has for us, and although I'm ashamed to admit I questioned God, asked Him why us, how could we handle a 'special needs' baby, was He sure that this was the plan He had for us... I couldn't ignore His will any longer and we knew that if God wanted to include Gabriel in our lives, who were we to question that.

And God's plans did include Gabriel in our lives... after falling in love with Miss B and her family, sharing laughter, tears and lots of love we met our miracle.

Wikipedia defines a miracle as "a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature, such that can be attempted to be explained by divine intervention." I'm no scholar but I completely agree with that definition... and boy does that definition shine down on our Gabe.

Gabriel does have schizencephaly. But unlike the 1st doctors description he has almost all of the right side of his brain, he's just missing a small portion. He has the 'best' type of schizencephaly you can have - closed and unilateral. The doctors believe that its near or in his gross motor area of the brain but we won't know that until Gabe goes for a MRI. Note, that right now Gabriel has no deficits in his gross motor area. An ultra sound also showed that he may also have partial agenesis of the corpus callosum and that he's missing the septum pellucidum.

Missing the septum pellucidum can cause septo-optic dysplasia, which is a problem with Gabe's optic nerves and vision. An opthomologist appointment was set up immediately and after looking at his nerves, Gabriel's nerves and vision are fine. The other problems (knowing where the schizencephaly occurs and agenesis or the corpus callosum) can not be difinitively be known until he has a MRI. And because Gabriel is doing so well, he won't have a MRI until he's a bit older (at least 6 months of age)

So, while there are some concerns in regards to Gabriel and his schizencephaly, it is not what we expected. We expected a baby with severe problems, I can honestly say I was afraid that we'd lose him before ever really knowing him. But we prayed for a miracle, his birth family prayed for a miracle and lots of you prayed for a miracle... and God gave us our miracle.

Gabriel is our miracle for many reasons.... 1.) every baby is a miracle; scientifically conception is almost impossible... yet our world is full of babies 2.) a beautiful baby boy was born after a doctor reccommended abortion 3.) Gabriel is healthy, with a fully functioning brain and a plan written for him by God and 4.) God chose us to be the parents of this beautiful little boy.

Did God grant us our miracle.... I believe he did. Yet, I know that in God's omnicient wisdom He knew Gabriel would be born healthy, that he'd come home with us and shower us with more happiness than Matt and I could ever imagine.

God is so good. Do you believe in miracles? I know I do.

Love & Blessings, Meredith

Our miracle after a bath :)

Gabriel, 25 days old, pushing up during tummy time. Now I spent the last 4 years of my life working in a child development center and most of the babies that would start at our center were at least double his age and were never this strong! Just another miracle of Gabriel I suppose!