A (Birth)Day of Thanksgiving

Last October 20, we celebrated our baby boy Gabbie’s first birthday party and dedication (which may be likened to a baptism, except that we leave that “decision” to be baptized to him when he gets older; dedication is simply a ceremony of sorts dedicating him to God and praying over him). 

Gabbie's family and godparents pray over him

The party was of a picnic-inspired theme which means, relaxed and very informal. We were blessed with spectacular weather—sunny but cool—which went very well with our venue, UP Bonsai Garden (Tel. no. 925-6996). Practically everything was DIY or “labors of love” by the entire family:

Invitation was designed by my uber-talented sister-in-law, pasta, salad and empanadas were by my mom-in-law, brother-in-law and aunt, barbeque were homemade too by my family, giveaways were handled by my mom, and hubby and I took care of printing of invites and Gabbie’s photos. 

Red checked table mantels with homemade food, with Gabbie's photos (from birth to present) hanging on the background

We had a catering service handle one dish, the bread, and all tables and chairs. One supplier I’m very, very happy with, however was our cake-maker, Sugarplum (contact Lovely Jiao 0917-5161411). They followed my sister-in-law’s design very well, did not scrimp on the ingredients, and charged us a very affordable price. From all the suppliers I’ve asked, this was the cheapest by far! Theirs is almost half the price of all others (I have quotations of about five other suppliers).

But amidst the busyness and logistical hullabaloo, this day was about something infinitely more significant. This was a day of thanksgiving to our God Almighty. October 20 is a special day not just for Gabbie, but for our family. This day commemorated the journey that God took us through one year later, and what a journey it has been! You all know that Gabbie was born prematurely, and all of our family and friends have bore witness just how gracefully Gabbie has grown to be a happy, healthy baby. And this we can only attribute to God, who has indeed given us a blessing without sorrow.

So, as we say thanks to the Lord, we pray that we may live gratefully as well, delighting in Him always, and finding joy in our hearts which He has graciously given. As we celebrated Gabbie’s birthday, we found our hearts welling up of love and thankfulness. We are grateful for having a God who is our Abba, our Father as well who loves us without question. For me, as Gabbie’s mom, I am grateful today, as I was years ago, that He has saved me, restored me, and has given me life to the full. I am grateful that He has given me my husband and my Gabbie boy. I am grateful that I find joy in them, and in my life with them. I am grateful that I am grateful. Thank you, Father. I pray for my son’s purpose to come to pass as he celebrates birthday after birthday in the years to come.

A PICNIC SETTING