Golden Birthday!!

Tobias Gabriel Shelfer, 09\08\02, 2 lbs 3 oz, 14" long. This picture was the first time we met.
Wow! I mean, I can hardly believe that Tobi is 8 years old today! Just remembering the emotions of that early Sunday morning, terror, pain, worry, panic, fear....all bad, however, once I got to see Tobi, all 2 lbs 3 oz of his tiny 14" long little, skinned-squirrel-looking body, I fell in love and knew I would do anything to move heaven and earth to save him. They are supposed to be the weakest, whimpy little white boys, but he was and is so strong, such a fighter. I'll never forget that night when he was a little over a week old and he took a turn for the worse and a female fellow called about 1am and said that he was not doing well and we may have to come down to the hospital, but they were gonna try to put him on a different type ventilator, an osscilator, to see if that would help. Of course I could not sleep after that. I kept the devotional from that night, and put it in Tobi's time capsule. It was on September 18th, 2002, and the verse was

Psalms 46 NIV " God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress . Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought to the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shield s with fire. BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. I will be exalted amoung the nations, I will be exalted in the earth . The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "

Here is the devotional from that day:

"In the fall of 2001, a thunderous storm blew accross Lake Michigan for 36 hours straight. Sustained winds of 60 miles per hour, with gusts much stronger, whipped up the highest waves in 15 years. One frothing roller after another, some up to 18 feet high crashed over the breakwaters and pounded the shore with great fury.
The writer of Psalm 46 must have experienced a sustained spiritual and emotional crisis like the incessant pounding of a giant storm, for he wrote of troubled waters and roaring seas. He also mentioned the quaking of the mountains.
That may describe how life iin this world feels to you right now. If so, continue on to verse 4, which tells of a quiet river that delights and refreshes the people of God. Its cool, peaceful waters flow continually as a never-ending source of joy and blessing.

This psalm describes God as our refuge and strength. We have no need to fear, even when the nations of the world are angry and pounding one another with their tools of war, for "the Lord of hosts is with us".
Let the Lord quiet the storms in your heart. For He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Give me a spirit of peace, dear Lord,

Midst the storms and the temests the roll,

That I may find rest and quiet within,

A calm buried deep in my soul.

God does not shield us from life's storms; he shelters us in life's storms

The peace and comfort that I was overcome with as I read that devotional cannot be explained in words. I am so thankful that through all of our tradgedies, the Lord has always made His presence known. He has continued to be faithful and looking back on Tobi's 108 days in the NICU, I know that He just wanted me to "be still" and let Him work things out in Tobi's body.

Thank You Father God, for your precious gift of life through Tobi. I do not deserve such a blessing. I am so humble that you thought of me to be his mom. I have always tried my best to never take him for granted. I pray you will help us to raise him to be in favor with You and favor with man. I pray that he will draw many to you with his story of miraculous life!

Faithfully His,

Mika