Reconnecting with Loved Ones and Friends

Greetings! We apologize for our “silence” during the past few months. This newsletter is our attempt to reconnect with our friends and loved ones. We are excited to share our lives with you!

Where shall we begin? Which story shall we share first?

As we prepared this newsletter, we were faced with some tough choices. So much has happened in our lives during the past few months. Much of it was unexpected but each was a learning experience for both of us.

Shall we begin by telling you about the joy we felt when found out we were pregnant last December 30?

Or maybe we should start with the disappointment we felt when we were informed on December 31 that Herbert's work contract wasn't going to be renewed?

Maybe it would be best to start by sharing about our thanksgiving and praises as we marked our first wedding anniversary last January 7?

What about our move to a new house in Los Banos, Laguna just a few days after our anniversary?

Maybe we ought to begin by writing about our anxiety when Grace was hospitalized due to typhoid fever in February?

Finally, how do we tell our friends and loved ones about our shock and grief when we lost our baby just two days after Valentine's Day?

First Quarter Roller Coaster
In a matter of just three short months, we experienced some major changes in our young marriage. Some were good, some were bad. Things happened one right after the other and there were times we felt that we had inadequate time to adjust to the events.

According to a 2006 study conducted by the University of Washington, there are seven leading causes of stress. A review of the list will show that we've gone through all seven leading causes during the past three months.

It's been one challenging roller coaster ride.

Through it all, our source of strength and peace has been Jeremiah 29:11 -- "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

In God's sovereignty, He has allowed all these changes to occur and He has been faithful in sustaining us through it all --- physically, emotionally, financially. He took care of it all!

Through these events, we have learned much about ourselves as individuals and as a couple. It brought out a different side of us. We learned to persevere, be supportive of each other, to be patient and to wait upon the Lord constantly. Yes, we have learned and we are still learning. If there is anything the past few months has taught us, it's that God has so much more for us to learn --- and the "learning environment" won't always be the kind we'd prefer to be in.

Looking Back
It was a little past six in the morning of December 30. We sat joyful in our room as we looked at the positive home pregnancy test. It was undeniably one of the happiest moments in our lives! We had been praying for a baby and God had granted our hearts' desires. It was the best New Year's gift ever! It was hard not to pray that the months would go by faster. We were counting the days with much anticipation...

But God had other plans for us and our little one.

As we were getting ready to announce our pregnancy to our friends, Grace got sick. It was midnight of February 7 when Grace was rushed to the ER because of high fever that had been going on for a couple of days. The test results came back positive for typhoid fever. After a brief confinement and a few days of rest, she was able to return to work. But things were not as well as they seemed. On February 16, Grace’s routine ultrasound revealed that our baby's heart had ceased to beat. Within an hour of the ultrasound, she was in the operating room being prepped for her D&C.

Months have passed since then and we are both recovering well. We thank God that Grace is feeling much better physically and looking forward to the end of the schoolyear at Brent. Emotionally, we are both doing much better as well. Though there are still moments of sadness, we are confident that God will bless us with our own children someday. In His time.

Because He Lives
Despite the rather challenging beginning of this year for both of us, we are excited to see what else God has in store for the rest of this year. We have witnessed His mighty hand and His faithfulness in both our lives. We rest in the shelter of His arms. Because Christ lives, we can face tomorrow. Because Christ lives, our fear is gone. We know He holds the future and life is worth living just because He lives!

As we look forward to the rest of this year, we praise God for friends and loved ones like you. Your prayers for us have sustained us through the past few months.

Wedding Photographs
Our wedding last January 7, 2007 was one of the best experiences of our lives! Whenever we look back at our wedding, we are amazed by how God helped us to put together such a memorable event despite our very limited resources. We are thankful to the many people who helped us and prayed for us before, after and during the wedding. We deeply appreciated each thoughtful gift and kind word. You are a blessing to us!

Though the pictures are over a year old by now, we have still posted some photographs from our wedding on this blog. We hope you enjoy them! Our wedding website is still active so check out http://barefoot.weddingannouncer.com if you'd like a glimpse of our wedding preparations.

Keep in touch!
At our new house in Los Banos, our Sun cellular phones have very poor reception. We now use a Smart phone along with our Sun phones. Please use 09295195937 to contact us. Our joint email account is h.g.osio@gmail.com