gabe is 10!

Gabe turned double-digits last week!

We celebrated on Saturday with birth family, grandparents, and cousins. Amie is now the official cake-baker of the family, and Gabe requested a chocolate birthday cake with peanut butter frosting.

 

 

Birthday gifts included a mountain bike, a Hogwarts Lego set, games, Pokemon cards, and the favorite gift of all from his birth mom, Christi, a hoverboard. We’ll see how long we can go without a broken bone.

 

 

Gabe is a true middle child of the family, with a peace-making personality. He is such an encourager — of both children and adults — and wants everyone in his world to be happy.

He enjoys adult friends, and has always gravitated toward his grandparents and older people in our church. Recently he asked our friend, Mrs. Joyce, if they could spend time together. So she picked him up for an afternoon of Mexican food, walking her dog, riding her lawn mower, and playing at the park. This is Gabe’s idea of quality time!

 

 

In school, he excels at math and Latin, but says that science is his favorite subject. He loved the twice-a-week co-op we did this year.

 

 

Gabe’s favorite hobbies are playing games (he can be found at all times of the day in our house, asking someone to play a game with him), puzzles, jumping on the trampoline, riding his hoverboard, and organizing Pokemon cards. Video games would be the top hobby if we had them, but currently we don’t!

He’s a good reader, but wouldn’t claim reading as a hobby yet. I’ve given him lots of space in that area for a couple years, but started reading an excellent book on raising boys (Wild Things: the Art of Nurturing Boys) which recommends that parents do whatever it takes to encourage their sons to enjoy reading. So I instituted an incentive for Gabe that every time he finishes a chapter book, he can choose a candy bar out of a stash. Thus far it’s worked like a charm.

Gabe is nothing if not motivated. Now we have to remind him to put down his book and do others things! Go figure.

 

 

David and I are so thankful to God for bringing Gabe into our lives 6 years ago. He has a unique, curious mind and makes us see the world differently. He loves Jesus. This year he started his personal quiet time with the Jesus Storybook Bible, and often has comments or questions about what he reads. We love pursuing God with our kids.

We can’t believe our boy is 10!