Dear Gabriel,

It was great to meet you last Sunday.  I have been praying for you for a long time, and it was good to finally see you face to face.  You entered God’s world in a routine way, but surely a bit of a shock to you. Maybe that’s why you didn’t open your eyes much…..lots of lights and new noises out here.

But my eyes were wide open. In fact, I couldn’t stop staring at you, even through the tears.  Your mom and dad stared a lot too. It’s just that we all are amazed at how God has made you - indeed you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your name reflects who I pray you will become: “a strong man of God”.

You are really blessed with the mom and dad God gave you.  Don’t ever worry, they know just how to take care of you.  You’ll need to always listen to them carefully, even when they tell you to eat broccoli.  And you can trust them to do what’s best for you.  They’ll take care of everything for a while, but soon enough they’ll teach you to take care of yourself - that’s in their job description.

I hope we can spend some time together as you grow up. I’d like to kick a soccer ball with you, hunt salamanders together, tell funny stories, and lie in the hammock on a summer day.  And I really want you to meet my best friend, Jesus.  I think you’ll like him. He’s why I made the sign of the cross on your forehead last Sunday morning.

I don’t know if you remember (after all, you were only 10 hours old) but when I first held you, you reached out and held my finger.  That was really cool.  I hope that’s the first of many times that you’ll hold my hand as you grow up.  But I pray that you will remember that when there’s no one around to hold your hand, you can always hold God’s hand.  God will always be there for you…and you can be sure He will care for you and guide you.

So welcome to this world grandson.  May you live a life of love, faith, kindness and goodness….for that’s why God made you.

Love always,

Grandpa Frank

                                                                            Gabriel Alexander Fowler-Hurtado