One California couple with three children planned to add just one more to the family. Still, after four years of fertility treatments, they were stunned to learn they were pregnant with just as many children. In June, Gabriel and Callie Smith welcomed quadruplets.

Callie told People Magazine of welcoming their newborn babies into the world, “It feels like they’re our first kids because they’re our first preemies. It’s definitely been a learning curve.” She added, “We’ve had to readjust our expectations, and we’re just constantly trying to figure it out as we go.” The babies, Norah, Selah, Ezra, and Abigail, were born nine weeks early, on June 16.

Dr. Huy Truong, the neonatologist responsible for delivering the preemie babies, said the birth “couldn’t have gone better,” adding, “After all the preparation and other precautions, it all occurred without any hiccups.” Two of the babies, Selah and Norah, went home together at the end of July. Ezra and Abigail were released from the hospital about a week later. Due to feeding issues, Abigail returned shortly after being released, where doctors performed surgery to close a blood vessel. All four babies are now healthy and at home with mom and dad.

 

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Reflecting on their expanded family, 37-year-old Gabriel said it’s “a miracle” they had quadruplets. Along with the miracle, though, was a significant loss: About a week after welcoming their newborn babies, Gabriel’s brother died of a heart attack at just 49 years old. After learning about his brother’s sudden death, Gabriel traveled to San Diego while his wife stayed in Upland, caring for their children.

They planned, Gabriel said, “for everything except” the loss of his brother, a tragedy that, in his words, left him “just kind of bottomed out for a while.” Thankfully, the Smith’s church community has been a great support amid their serious life changes. Gabriel said of the congregation, “They’ve really reached out. We were like, ‘We’ll figure this out, and we kind of got this.’ And then it’s like, ‘OK, we don’t got this.’”

Callie added, “Every week, it’s kind of an uphill battle. We’re getting very little sleep, probably like two or three hours each night. But we know it’s a season.” She continued, “We have the benefit of having other kids, so we know that things are going to get a little bit easier. And it has been a joy, seeing their little personalities come out.”

Please keep the Smith family in your prayers. If you would like to contribute to a GoFundMe set up to help the young family purchase a larger van to seat all their children, click here.