Saturday, November 28, 2020

Our Eight-Year-Old Gabriel


Today we celebrate eight years of having Gabriel in our arms. It is crazy that it has been that long and yet it's like he's always been in our family. 

Gabriel adds so much life to our home. His giant smile, tremendous laugh and high energy fills our home with amazing joy! This precious boy loves God, loves the Bible, loves life. He seeks to know God better, loves to memorize Scripture and explore the world God created. He enjoys gathering with the church and singing and drumming. God has filled him with such life!

Gabriel is all about art, science and animals. He draws anything and everything, but he especially loves to draw animals or made up creatures. He will sit and draw for hours coming up with all kinds of pictures or working through a drawing book and drawing everything in it. He is extremely creative. He loves learning about animals and nature. At this point, Gabriel wants to be a nurse like Daddy and so he has starting reading anatomy books and learning the human body functions on his own. He so enjoys reading and learning and putting things together.

Gabriel loves to learn hands on. He builds, he does puzzles, he digs up kudzu and cuts up bushes. He bakes with Lillian and loves to cook. Math blocks are a favorite building toy and he quickly picks up math concepts using them. It is so fun to watch him learn, explore and grow.

Gabriel is also a huge helper. He sees what needs to be done and does it. He is industrious and volunteers to help with all kinds of projects. He is eager to do something helpful. 

We are so grateful for this precious boy. Gabriel means mighty man of God, and we see God making Gabriel into a mighty man of God. It is incredible to think that when he was born, we thought we knew what his name would be. But one look at him and we knew that name wasn't right. God completely named this boy and it is a blessing to see God bringing to fruition the name He gave to us for Gabriel after he was born.

Father, we are so grateful that You have given Gabriel to us to raise for You! Thank You that You are making him mighty in You. Please continue to speak to Gabriel, growing him in grace and making him more like Jesus. Hide Your Words in his heart that He may not sin against You. Teach Him to trust You and Your Word fully as he seeks to be who You created him to be. We pray it all in Jesus Name, Amen!