Please keep praying for Grace

Hello all!
As some of you know, Grace has been struggeling with depression. In the last few months, things have been getting better there, and I've been going into the office more and more.

This past week, things have taken a dive. She is really struggeling -- she feels like she's drowning at times. She'll be seeing her doctor tomorrow, and trying to set up more appointments with her counselor.

But I sense a real part of this is spiritual. Could you be continuing to pray for her? Your prayers make a big difference.

Praise God for parental leave. It's given me the opportunity to be home with my family more as we work through this difficult time. I will continue to try and be back at the office when I can, but we'll see how that goes.

Thanks for your continued prayer.

Steve.

Thanks for praying!

Sorry it's taken so long to give you an update. My breathing has been much better. A doctor gave me a puffer, and some other drugs to get the breathing going again, and our friends have put their cats in the basement while we are here. As a result, I've been breathing much better.

We'll be in halifax till sunday, and then heading back to Ontario through the states, visiting some
family on the way.

Thanks for your prayers and the good sugestions I received from a bunch of you. I'll look forward to connecting with you again soon!

Steve.

Please pray for Steve's health

Hey all!

Sorry I've been so tardy in keeping you up to date lately. As many of you know, I've been on parental leave for a while while Grace gets back to full health after Zane's birth. Things have been generally going quite well. Grace is getting better almost every day, and her depression has been getting much better. Thanks so much for your prayer in this.

At the moment, we're on a trip to the east cost visit with friends & family, do some support raising, and do some sightseeing. It's been generally a good time. We've had some good visits with more to come. Please pray for guidance in some of these talks.

One challenge we've run into however is my allergies. I'm allergic to cats, and the friends we're staying with have 2. I brought some good antihistamines along, hoping they would deal with the problem. Well, no runny nose or itchy eyes, but I've been experiencing a real shortness of breath & resulting lack of energy that seems kinda like Asthma -- something I've never struggled with before (aside from a few really minor incidents with my in laws cats.) I seem to be OK for about a day before it kicks in now. The challenge is that we have been planing to be staying here for most of 2 weeks. Please pray for us -- wisdom in knowing what to do, protection from it getting worse, and even healing.

Thanks so much!

Steve.

Please pray for Grace

Greetings friends,

Thanks so much for your congratulations for the birth of our son Zane. It's been great to know we have friends!

Could you be really praying for Grace now. As I've mentioned, she's suffering postpartum depression, and has been having some really rough days recently. We sense there's a lot of spiritual warfare going too, so we really need you during this time to be in prayer for her.

Thanks so much.

Steve.

Zane, and Us

Hello all!

Now that a few weeks have gone by, and I'm able to slow down a bit, I thought I'd update you on what's going on in our family.

Zane has been a wonderful, healthy baby who continues to grow, and is doing very well.  Grace has been continuing her recovery, which is generally going well.  She is suffering from postpartum depression, so that is having an impact on various things.  She is also struggling with fatigue at times.  Praise God, she's able to see a counselor for the depression.  Pray that this helps, and she recovers quickly.

I've begun a parental leave to be able to be home to support Grace, and spend time with the kids.  It has been a blessing to all so far.  (me included).  The plan is that I begin going back to work part time as I'm able, and end the paternity leave when I'm no longer necessary at home more than normal.

During this time, we're continuing to raise support to cover various expenses, with the surplus going towards savings for a minivan.  (In a previous letter, I mentioned that we were hoping to get one.)

Thanks for your continued prayer and support.You are a`real blessing.

Attached are a few more pictures Zane and the family.

Steve & Grace.

It's a Boy!

Grace and I are pleased to announce that we've had a baby boy!

Zane Tavish Van Bruwaene was born on July 1 at 6:49 am, weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces.

The labour lasted for 7 hours (45 hours less than with Aris), with no major interventions.  Grace has been recovering well, although is still rather tired, and sore.

My parents say that Zane looks very much like his father did at that age, except that Zane has hair.

For those interested, here are meanings of his names:
Zane: God is gracious or God's gracious gift. A form of John. (Hebrew)
Tavish: A twin. A form of Thomas. (Scottish Gaelic)

God has truly been gracious to us, and this also seemed like a neat way to name him after his grandfathers (John is my dad, and Tom is Grace's dad).

Thanks for all your prayers.  Please continue to pray for Zane's continued health, Grace's recovery, and protection for Grace from postpartum depression.

Your Friends,
Steve & Grace.

Greetings Friends!

Hello all!  I trust you are doing well.

As many of you know, Grace and I are expecting, and the baby is almost ready to arrive!  Grace is due June 21, so it could be any time now.  Grace is wanting to get the baby out!  And I am very excited too.

Could you be praying for all of us during this exciting time, that everything would go well -- that Grace and the little one would be healthy, that Aris would adjust well to being a big sister, and that I and others around them would know how best to be a support.

Another area of prayer is for Grace afterwards.  While she did not suffer postpartum depression with Aris, she is at somewhat higher risk than many, so please be praying that she's protected from it this time too.

Thanks so much.  I'll look forward to sending another email when the baby arrives!

Your Friend,
Steve.