Gabe's 14th birthday.

Today we get to celebrate our tenth birthday with Gabe as begins his 14th year. It’s crazy to think how fast these last years have gone and how I blinked and our smiley, silly and sports loving little boy has grown into a smiley, still silly and sports loving handsome young man. These teenage years are teaching us all some new things but we are so proud of the young man he is becoming. From watching him play with his younger siblings, to observing him pray each morning to himself before he eats and how kind he can be to others. He’d be the first to tell you we expect a lot of of him and sometimes he thinks it’s unfair, but it’s only because we want him to be his best.

So grown up, I feel like I"m looking at a senior picture, not his 14th birthday picture.

Isn't he so cute in this one?  This will always be one of my favorite pictures from when he was a young boy.  Such a sweet and genuine smile.

He doesn't like this picture but I think its crazy how much he's grown in just a few years.

This is when he was going into 6th grade.  He was growing so much that summer.

And just last November (2018)... starting to look like a man.

This one is my absolute favorite... he looks like a toddler still to me in this one.  I remember when he came home to us, his hands still had baby fat on them.  So cute.  

And here he was just this summer, meeting his baby brother.  I know Jennings is going to look up to him.  

 Tonight's birthday celebration was very low key, as we technically gave you your birthday present in July when you got to go to California to compete in a baseball tournament and spent a few days on the beach.  So it was pretty low key... you got DQ after school with your birthday buddy Dane, we had your favorite (Orange Chicken) for dinner and you got to play video games.  Then mom forced us to play a family game.

While this birthday wasn't filled with a big party or even a big hoopla, it was one of my favorites spent with you.  I hope you will know that sometimes low key is just as good, if not better.

Gabe, Dad and I are proud of you and hope your 14th year is your best yet. We are so grateful to be your parents, even when you make us crazy 😜. Keep striving for your biggest goals, we will always cheer you on. Love you always.

Mom and Dad

PS:  Don't grow up on us too fast.  See in our eyes you're still the little boy who grabbed my hand and led me around the first time we met.  That little boy who within minutes of meeting said, "this is my mommy."  Yep, you had me from hello... and Gabe you'll always be my little boy, even if you tower over me.  Love you Gabriel.  Always and forever.