We are praising God for his faithfulness to our family. This past year has been incredibly hard for so many reasons. A year ago we had very little hope for a future with Noah. When picturing his future at all it felt bleak. There were days and weeks where we thought he would die, there were months where life outside of the hospital walls felt impossible. I can't stop thinking about the ways God showed up through dreams, through answered prayers and rainbows, through the church, to encourage us and comfort us. He has been FAITHFUL.

“Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of
the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 117

But I am reminded that the Lord isn't faithful because Noah survived and is currently thriving. I am humbled and saddened that so many children with similar hearts to Noah don't make it to their first birthday. HLHS is always fatal without treatment and until a little over 30 years ago no children survived. The only option was comfort care until they passed. Still today with so many advances in treatment only about half will make it to age 5. I will never be able to understand why Noah has been saved and all kiddos aren't. In a similar way that it is hard to understand why Noah was born with the conditions he has that have no cure.

This world is broken. There is heartache and the effects of sin in the world are devastating. Babies shouldn't be born with half a heart or brain damage. Babies shouldn't die. But these things happening have not pointed my heart towards distrust in God. Instead I experienced the Lord's grief alongside us. He was as close as our breath in the hospital. His presence was often palpable. His voice was louder than ever before. 

We are exceedingly grateful that the Lord did wonders and miracles for our boy. We are simultaneously still heartbroken for the pain and uncertainty he has and will experience in this life. But the Lord has taught us about his power, and most importantly his presence. He has reminded us about his promises. His promises are not that he will always do miracles, but that he will always love and care for us. And he has already done that in the most incredible way through the work of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection.  The truth of that promise and what it means for our lives has never felt more relevant or important. It allows us to live without fear of the future because we know who our future belongs to. And no matter what it holds, we know his character and we trust him. 

So yes, the Lord has been GOOD to Noah. He is alive because of the grace of God. We have the sweetest and most joyful little boy in our lives because the Lord made away and we praise him for it. We took Noah to Disneyland, the beach, we take him to church each week or to family and friends houses and the park or the zoo or snuggle at home because of the miracles he has experienced. All glory to God for each of these daily miracles. We are filled with hope for Noah's future for so many reasons.

Thank you all for being faithful to pray for our boy. We can't wait to tell him about the ways the church was the hands and feet of Jesus in our lives. We are excited to teach him of the Lord's faithfulness and just how much God loves him.