Gabe

This week Gabe celebrated is third birthday.  I has made the best of the last few months of being a  terrible two.  So we'll see what this year brings.  I am constantly reminded of the miracle it is to have him in our family.  Way back to when we were adopting Daryl lost his job.  Which delayed our adoption just long enough for Gabe to become available to be adopted.  It was a trial at the time but enduring has brought the greatest blessings.  So we have had him for almost two years and in that time he's grown and changed so much.  This is a picture of our first night together.  This was taken after his traumatic first bath.  The best part was that I bathed him first and he screamed the whole time and then I dressed him.  Emma was next and he screamed the whole time for her.   It had been a big day.  

When he was in the orphanage and we would visit he wanted nothing to do with me.  In fact when they tried to hand him to me he wouldn't come.  All he wanted was Daryl.  And if Daryl moved Gabe moved so that he was touching him.  But the day we got them Daryl had to leave right away to go get their travel documents so we bonded right away.  The poor guy got sick and stayed that way for most of our first year together.

  Here he is in his traditional Russian clothing and with his first stitches.  He endured surgery within two months of coming home and was as tough as nails.  He has an extremely high pain tolerance. I was, and am amazed.  He can totally crash and jump up and continue on.  

Gabe is so loving and thoughtful.  His sister might disagree but he is constantly aware of others feelings.  And I love this sweet side of him.  I love this picture because he loves to give kisses and I love kissing him.  I've told him several times that I'm just making up for that first year of his life when I didn't get to kiss him at all. 

I loved the day that we were sealed as a family and will forever treasure the temple and the blessing that we receive within it's walls.  The kids were really good that day and when they walked into the sealing room there was such an amazing feeling there. And I couldn't stop crying just looking at him because he looked like a mini missionary getting ready to leave for his mission.

So Happy Birthday Gabe we love having you in our family  you are a ton of fun.  Thank you for all the fun memories. You are an amazing kid and I'm so glad I get to be your mom.