Summer Fun!

We have been so busy these days. I have started back to work and the days are longer and hotter! Gabby is now walking about 10-15 steps. She took her first step while Grandpa Chuck was talking with us on Skype. He saw her on the web cam! Gabby doesn't like to travel all that long int he car so visiting family this summer has been a little difficult. WE did go to Bass Lake for father's day and had a good time once we were there. Here's a few photo's of Father's day week end and swimming out back in our pool. Enjoy and thank you all for your prayers!

Let Freedom Ring!

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Hannah Turns 11

Happy Birthday To Hannah this month. We have had fun celebrating Hannah's 11th year! So much in such a short time! We are proud of the little lady Hannah is becoming and we enjoy her laughter, humor, wit....she is a true entertainer!

Little Gabby in April 2008

Gabby sits in her Chinese bathtub given to her mama from Auntie Kimmie for Mother's Day last year. Auntie Kimmie found it at a designer expo in San Francisco! Auntie Kimmie is a professional designer and her company is Simply Detailed, LLC. the company is located on the Monterey Penninsula and she is wonderful at what she does! Her clients just love her! Auntie Kimmie is also big on serving in her community and she currently serves on the Board of Education at her Church in Monterey. Auntie Kimmie took time off from being a school teacher when Jessie was born and now 12 years later, she has found that being there for her own kiddos, serving at the Church and in the community, and working in an areas she is truly gifted has allowed her to serve others for God's glory and not her own! We are thankful for Auntie Kimmie! God bless you! (next post we will feature Auntie Heather)


Gabby loves to play the drums! She has danced to the beat from the first day she was placed in our arms. Her caregivers had reported that she loved music. Well, it shows and now she has a 7 pc band and two large Diet Pepsi Box Drums! Go, Gabba Gabba, Go!!!!!!!!!

Gabby's Bathtime and Pigtails!

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A Fatih Filled Roller Coaster!

So many of you already know of the rocky road we have been down since Gabby's surgery. This is a brief but vivid reporting for those who don't........

March 17th Surgery scheduled and done at Kaiser North in Sacramento.

-successful

-two night stay as Gabby wasn't getting fluids in on her own very well

-discharged by wonderful nurse Tiffany on Wed morning March 19th

March 23rd Easter Morning

-Gabby is able to pull herself up in her crib for the first time (with her arm restaints on even!)

-Gabby and Hannah get Easter Baskets and then go Egg hunting

-We attend Children's program and breakfast at Church and then go to the 11:15am service

-Gabby ready to leave 3/4 of the way into it so we head to Bel Air to pick up food trays

-We attend Easter Gathering at the Castro's house and enjoy good food and fellowship

March 24th Monday

-Hannah back to school and the Hastings drive her this week

March 25th Tuesday

-Mom goes back to her work out class with Lisa K

-Dad calls mom and says Gabby's nose was bleeding

-mom comes home and although the bleeding had stopped, Lisa (a nurse) looks at it, mom looks at it and has dad call the doctor's office while on the phone Gabby's nose begins to bleed. Mom says hang up we are going to emergency

-on the way we call the advice nurse she says yes head to ER right away

-Gabby bleeds again very bad in ER waiting room, nurse takes a back right away

-prayers have been requested and are going up, 11:15 pm we are discharged with no bleeding

March 26th Wed

-doctor is not in and doesn't call us back, we are suppose to follow up today per ER discharge notes, no bleeding but Gabby fussy, tired, and turning more yellow, won't eat very well, have to force fluids down her

March 27th Thurs

-mom goes to Bible Study 7-9PM

-dad puts Gabby to bed at 8pm and Hannah to bed at 9pm

-mom comes home and asks dad how everythign went.

-Hannah was tired and fell asleep just before I got home and Gabby ate and was really tired and falling asleep in her chair and went down at 8pm.

-mom checks email and gets ready for bed.

-mom gives Hannah a kiss on the forehead and says prayers for all her kids! Mom asks dad about what Gabby ate and how much but dad is tired and doesn't really answer. Gabby wakes if she hears or smells mom near by so mom goes to bed without checking on her because Dad put her down and checked on her once she was asleep.

-mom begins to pray and hears stirring around in Gabby's room, no crying, just stirring.

GOD MOMENT ARRIVES AND GOD SPEAKS TO MOM!!!!!!!

Mom thinks to herself, she's not crying and if I go in there she will wake and be up for all night! Dad has to get up early and mom is tired so I will just wait to hear for her to settle in for the night. She may have heard my voice and it caused her to stir. Just let her be.

GOD SAYS, "NO, YOU MUST GET UP AND TAKE CARE OF HER."

Mom says to herself well, she must not have eaten enough and so I will get up get the food and liquids ready adn then get her and feed her and then I will rock her back to sleep. Better now while I am still awake then to have her wake me later.

GOD SAYS, "GET UP AND TAKE CARE OF GABBY!"

Mom decides to get up and this all transpired over 8 minutes.

Mom walks into Gabby's room at 10:38 pm to find Gabby awake. No crying she makes! Her eyes are wondering and not focused on me, she is looking around as if she is going to pass out. Her face is covered in blood. On either side of her head are pools of blood. Mom quickly picks up Gabby and holds her up and puts pressure on her nose that is pouring out blood. Mom calls to dad to get up now and call 911. Mom is remarkably calm and taking charge of the situation. Dad can't even speak. He hands phone to mom who is trying to hold baby Gabby and stop the bleeding, mom says put on speaker and set it down. Mom tells the dispatch the address, the problem and within 3 minutes there are 4 fire trucks and 2 ambulances lining our private road. They come in and asscess Gabby. Since the bleeding is now stopped they offer the option to go with them or drive oursleves but that she should be looked at tonight. I tell them I must go with them. Dad has to stay with Hannah and she may bleed again and after tuesday the advice nurce had said call 911 if there is bleeding while driving and go by ambulance. On the ride Gabby begins to bleed again. WE go through lots and lots of gauze! WE are taken in to room 1 in the ER there we stay for the night and most of the next day. PR Eddy and Karen visit us in the ER and pray for us. ER docs try to send us home 3 seperate times and I refuse to leave. Head and neck on coll doctor orders blood work up finally and guess what-------Seh ahs lost so much blood she needs transfusion---(Ya, think!) Now they want to send me home, I refuse and call my surgeons office. Tell him to come see us in ER and we won't leave! He talks to me on the phone and was unaware Gabby bleed again, miscommunicaiton between the ER docs and him. He says, you will be admitted for observation through Sunday. Anymore bleedding and we will go back into surgery! We get into the hospital stay one night have blood drawn again and guess what she still needs more blood. Seh didn't get enough in the ER. We stay again, no more bleeding, and now the blood is drawn and she is GOOD!!! No more bleeding it has stopped! She is feeling better and her color is looking better. WE go home on Sunday, March 30!!!

March 31st

-Gabby's no-no's(arm restaints come off)

-she wakes up with a smile!

-no bleeding and her color is looking better!

April 1

-Gabby is doing great, eats like normal, even a bit better!

-Hannah seems happier(the whole thing scared her, she hates hospitals, shots IV bags etc)

April 2

-Gabby sees her Surgeon who is now back from Hawaii

-he said she looks good and is so very sorry for the trauma we have gone through!

-he has done this for 11 years, does about 12 surgeries per month, and in his career only two patients have had post op bleeding Gabby and one other about 4 years ago. The other was in the hospital though and right after in recovery room. That patient and Gabby are the only ones to have to have a blood transfusion! Gabby had two and she is the only one to have two!!!!

-Said it was bleeding from the nose and on the nose repair he filets the septum and helps to create a floor of Gabby's nose, it is very raw and vascular and soemthing must have just been agrevated and bleed, would clot and then release again. He felt now though she should be done as it was about 6 days of no more bleeding!

April 3

-dad notices Gabby is really happy again

-Hannah raps the Bill of Rights at school

-We go to Chevy's for dinner and Gabby loves the lights and the high chair!

April 4

-Gabby and mom take Hannah to school. Gabby is doing so much better mom tells her we will go to Disneyland soon with sister!

We thank the Lord our God for prompting me to get up and take care of Gabby, for giving me the courage and strength to encounter blood, needles and smells I normally would not be able to stomach. God has great plans for Gabby and we thank Him everyday for bringing her to us!

Gabby Still Recovering!

Although Gabby had surgery on Monday and by day 4 it began to seem like she was back to normal, what we think is that she is beginning to process it all and she is having a hard time. She is now taking just Tylenol for pain and is having some issues still with eating. Today was actually better again but yesterday was very hard on us all. Gabby woke at 1 am after being put down at 930pm and she stayed awake the whole night!!!! She finally took two short naps today and now she is in bed at 805 pm and we pray she stays asleep until morning. She didn't really eat much yesterday so I think she must of awoke due to hunger but the pain too much to actually eat. Who knows, it may be her ears, allergies etc. She is such a trooper! WE hope you enjoy the photos in our smilebox for Easter and although some photos are without her no-no's she puts them back on after the photo. She must wear these for one more week. They prevent her from putting her hands in her mouth and compromising the stitches in her mouth. WE can see inside and it looks like it is healing nicely! We thank God for the many blessings and now we ask that He grant us rest and continued healing for Gabby! Thank you Lord for all your love and for the gift of Eternal Life in Christ Jesus! Blessings, Hayley

Easter 2008

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A Heartfelt Thank You!

We would like to thank all of our family, friends, and Bethany Family for your prayers and support at this time in our life. Gabby's surgery was a success and we now endure the days of recovery. We felt all the prayers and God was good to us. Thank you all. We also need continued prayer as she heals and for her to get the nutrition she needs everyday. As you can imagine it is painful to eat or drink and she is not thrilled with it, but needs to to stay out of the hospital and at home. So we appreciate your continued prayerful support and may God bless you all! Peace, Hayley PS. on the night I stayed by myself and sent Kevin home. The nightitme nurse heard me talking with other patients family and knew I was a Christian. She took very good care of me and asked if she could pray for Gabby and I before we went to bed. I said of course. As she was truning to leave, she said she sees how perfectly God has choosen us to be her parents and thanked us for being His hands and feet, and now the arms to hold her and comfort her. What a blessing, to God be the Glory now and forever, amen!

Gabby's Surgery Slideshow

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Gabby Meets Ahnalin, India and Sivje!

Ahnalin and Gabby at McKinnely Park in Sacramento! We met up with Sivje and her two girls on Wednesday and after waiting this last year of our journey with us they finally got to meet Gabby! We had a lovely day and enjoyed the park, the ducks, the geese and most of all embracing one another after praying for little Gabby for so long!!! Blessings to the Parrish Family and may God continue to work in your lives as you love and serve Lord according to His plans for you.

Spring at The Friedman's

nobow2big@yahoo.com to order handmade big bows if you are in need of any! Gabby was blessed with a whole bunch of them from the my childhood babysitter. I beleive it is her daughter-in-law that makes them! WE love 'em. Also, you will notice that Tiger our cat well, he's actually Chase's cat but we are taking care of him until Chase comes home....hmmm...we are hoping soon, anyhow, Tiger loves the girls and walks around with them. This is Hannah and Gabby on the fishing boat out by our pond! What a beautiful day! blessings, Hayley

Emily's Baptism

Both Gabby and Emily have are Adopted into God's family!!!!! The picture of Gabby is her attending worshop service, lol, on the lawn of the church. I think she has lived up to her name, "Gabby"!

More Photos "Welcome Week End"

Here's photo's of Bass Lake on March 2, 2008 and a few formt he shower. Katey and Sophie with Gabby and Kathy and Dennise with Gabby. Kathy was known to me as DeDe, she was my babysitter from 0-4 years of age! Dennise is her daughter. She made the pink blanket wrapped around Gabby! Wow, this made me cry! How blessed we truly are, thank you Lord! Heather ordered the cakes, they were wonderful! Most everyone tried a bit of both! One was chocolate and toffee and the other vanilla and strawberry. yummmmm!


We enjoyed the shower on Saturday and on Sunday we attended the Baptismal Services of Emily; Emily and Gabby are second cousins! Gabby wanted to talk so we had to play outside after the baptism. The Church is very small and so babies are asked to go the nursery. I can't leave Gabby in a nursery, especially out of town and so soon after her placement into our family so we played out on the grass! We had a wonderful time and great visit! Congratulations to Emily and her parents on her baptisim into God's family! blessings, Hayley

Gabby's Welcome Home Shower

A big thank you to Heather who organized the shower and enlisted the following to help throw Gabby a Welcome Home Shower for family and friends in the Bass Lake, Fresno, and Monterey Areas. The shower was held at Grandmother's house in Bass Lake. It's actually their home which is a huge Cabin near the lake. The weather was amazing! 73 degress F. Wow, beautiful. Many folks had to send their regrets last minute as they woke up with illnesses. Nothing too serious but enough to stay away from a baby who will have surgery in two weeks! Heather asked for help and she got it! She asked Grandmother to use her home, Auntie Kimmi for invites and decorations, Auntie Patricia, Auntie Bene, and Auntie Kelly all helped too with food and costs of such a lovely event! The theme was Asian ans we had candies, nuts, and snacks from every Asian country represented. Even candy wrapped in rice paper(Auntie Heather's favorite!hehehehe) What a wonderful time and so many traveled from so far away to welcome Gabby. She is truly loved and we are all very well supported! Cousin Sofia helped too, it was nice to have so many offer so much for our little Gabby! Hannah and daddy had to stay at home. Hannah had many things to do for the same week end and daddy made sure she got to all of them. He also was a nurse to our dear dog Amos. I will explain in next post dedicated to him!! Gabby was flooded with gifts and love and Auntie Kelly had a great idea to give Gabby a scrapbook and camera to have evreyone take a pciture with her and then sign a special page in her scrapbook where the photo will go! What a wonderful idea and now Gabby will have this forever and know that she has been loved formt he start!!!! She is a full memer of our entire family and friends and we couldn't be happier! Thank you, thank you!!!! May God lift each of you today as you read this and may He fill you with His peace and joy!! Blessings, Hayley

Love Is In The Air

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