Ridin' his John Deere

Emerson was ready to roll...

He hopped on his John Deere, put it in gear, and took off...  (a slight exaggeration)

He was being real, real careful to not run over anything he shouldn't...

Ok, enough work for one day...

"Hi Ben!"

Emerson was having a grand time talking on the phone...

He'd talk a while, then give the phone to me or his Papa and tell us to talk.

Then he'd talk a little more...

He carried on a pretty good conversation...

I asked him who he was talking to...

"It's Ben!" he told me.

He listened hard to what Benjamin had to say...

After 'hanging up' from Ben, he had a couple of more conversations....

Does it get much cuter than this?

 After he hung up, I thought he was through for a while...he grabbed the phone, started dialing...

I think he was checking his messages...

My baby boy turns 33!

1978 - Pregnant with Gabe...with Mimi

1978 - with my Dad and Joshua

1978

Gabrial's first home...in Oregon

33 years ago today, my baby boy was born...


Joshua became a big brother...


Once more, my dreams became flesh...

We had toyed over his name, knowing Gabrial was part of it, but undecided, not agreeing for awhile on what went with it.  Would he be Forrest Gabriel or would he be Gabriel Ryan?  I think there were a few more combinations we thought about...but those were the main two.  I didn't like Forrest, Ron, being a forester, did.  At birth, he became Gabrial Ryan...the spelling of his name with an 'a' instead of an 'e' was an error on his dad's part.  It was suppose to be Gabriel...but I love that it's different.

Names...  As parents, it's such a monumental decision to make.  Gabrial, in Hebrew, means "God is my might" or "Man of God" or "God's able-bodied one."  In Spanish, Gabrial means "God is my strength."  The angel, Gabriel, in the bible foretold the birth of Christ.  For me, Gabrial was an angel.  Ryan is a gaelic name meaning "Little King."  I don't think I ever looked up the meaning of 'Ryan' until just before I wrote this.  All I can say to that is, "Wow!"

With your children, so many of your hopes and dreams are tied up in these little bundles of joy... these little miracles we've been blessed with.

I always felt... and still feel... that being a parent is a person's highest calling... to raise, nurture, and teach these little gifts we've been given.  As a parent, hopefully, you are willing to sacrifice so much for the good of your child...to give them the best you can give them...to teach them as best you can... to give them a solid foundation to go through this life.

Gabrial... he was a bruiser from the beginning... 9 lbs., 9.5 ounces...and 23.5 inches long.  His poor, older brother (just kidding on the 'poor' part) had to stop taking naps since Gabrial was so loud and wouldn't sleep during the day.

They were buddies...always....

Some of my favorite pictures of them are outside...

with dirty faces, probably a little tired of having to stop their playing to look at their mom with her camera.  (Thalia, Emerson, and Benjamin already know that nothing has changed from 35 years ago when Joshua was born!)

Saddie and Gabe

Gabe and Grammy

October 2, 1979

With Aunt Patti, who had heard him scream one time too many!

Licking the batter with Lacy...Lacy's mom, Linda, and I were pregnant together.

Building 'Ned'

Playing with the leaves

First haircut

Reading with Saddie

 When Lindsey was born, Gabrial became a big brother.  He was both protector and torturer of his poor sister.  (Again, just kidding on the 'poor' part!)

Gabrial always was a sports guy...always wanting to play...learning from his big brother and all of Joshua's friends... wanting to do what they did.

Gabe was the affectionate one... in high school, we would stay up late at night talking... just talking... when he was home from college, we did the same thing... after college and marriage, we still would stay up late after everyone else had gone to bed... and talk.  I love those times...

I always cherished, cherished more than I even realized, those times with Gabe.  He's been one of my dearest, dearest friends...I've loved him - I love him - with a love that I don't think every parent has...

brothers and buddies

Hanging out in the forest together

June, 1980

Typical...

Climbing Aunt Jane's tree

Lindsey and Gabe

His name...Gabrial Ryan... man of God... little King... my angel... that was my prayer 33 years ago, and it's still my prayer today.


I love you, Gabe...    
Happy Birthday!