Day 7: A photo that makes you happy

The 4th of July last year was such a good day. We woke up way early to go to the Freedom Run 5k where Ben and Skylar ran with our friends, the Mailes, in remembrance of our friend, Naki. We then headed over to the parade route and joined up with other friends for some good food and fun times watching the parade, cheering for our friends, the Tongs, that were in the parade, and enjoying the celebration of our country that day. This is where this picture was taken...by the famous, talented photographer, Casey, I might add. I love it! We all look so happy, all be it pretty pooped at that point in the day. We were all together as a family enjoying ourselves and having fun. Even little Gabe was there growing and kicking and alive. It was a very happy time for us. It's strange to think that of that group of friends there, two of our families would have to experience the pain of losing our baby boys less than a year later. We could've never imagined what we were in store for on such a happy day, and that's good. I'm glad we had a fun-filled summer last year. I'm glad we had that time of anticipating and growing to love our little baby on the way. Although I don't feel like we had nearly enough time with him, I feel so grateful for the extended time we did have. People often say it would be easier on me if we had just lost Gabriel a little earlier, before I felt so bonded to him. I, on the other hand, wish that if he was going to die as part of his plan, that we had more time with him, more time to create memories for our family where he was part of them. We were so blessed that we had an amazing summer filled with lots of fun family memories, and Gabe was there for most of it. I'm thankful for every single minute that he was.

I recently found a quote that has found a special place in my heart because it shares the complete love I have for my baby boy, as his mother, the only one lucky enough to really know that crazy little kicking boy the way I did.

"I held you every second of your life."

...and I did. What an enormous gift I was given.