Gabe: A Boy of Character

My oldest, Gabe, is no longer a first grader. He informed me that he is now to be referred to as a second grader.

Exhibit A: Gabe, a boy of strong will.



Gabe has always been a leader, never a follower. His strong will and determination work hand-in-hand to make him an independent young man, from day one. I remember taking care of Gabe as a baby. A colicky, high-maintenance, 'I'll sleep when I want to' kind of baby. He about did me in. But I knew from those early days he would not be one to go along with the crowd. He would lead.

At the same time, Gabe has a sensitive soul.

Exhibit B: Gabe, a boy with a tender heart.



Gabe can be so insensitive about some things. Like when his mom is crying during sad movies, and he decides to make fun of said mom. Insensitive.

But then there are the times when he starts to think about orphans in the world. About kids his own age, who have no families, no mom and dad, and no place to call home. It is in those moments that his sensitive side becomes evident. He has such an ability to empathize with others, to put himself in their shoes and truly feel what they might be feeling. As he prays for those orphans through his tears, it is then that I see what a heart he has for others, and my cup overfloweth.

And then there are the times when people call him 'freckles' and he gets embarrassed.

Exhibit C: Gabe, the blusher.



Gabe has been called 'freckles' a number of times in my presence the last few weeks. As a freckle kid myself, I remember the childhood days of summer when the sun would shine and call to my freckles, "Come on out!" And my freckles would cover my face, my arms, my shoulders, begging out for people to give me the same nickname my son now has. I remember a time of self-consciousness, the feeling of, 'Boy, I wish I didn't have these freckles.' But then I realized, God made me beautiful in His own image. He gave me these freckles, so they can't be that bad. And I shared the same enlightenment I was once given with my son, and he now loves his freckles too.

Which leads me to Exhibit D: Gabe, a boy of confidence. Gabe is perhaps one of the most confident kids I've ever met. He has a contentment about himself, like he's comfortable in his own skin. Not an arrogance that he's better than anyone else, just an assurance that he can in fact put his mind to something and accomplish it. He's happy to play air guitar or wear crazy socks and not care who sees him...







And then there's Exhibit E: Gabe, the sweet boy.

Gabe, on his own prompting, wanted to write his teacher a letter, thanking her for being such a great teacher. With the exception of a few spelling questions, Gabe wrote the letter by himself. It read:

"Dear Mrs. Gardemann,

Thank you for being my teacher.
You are the best teacher ever.
I will miss you.
Have a good summer.

{heart} Gabe."

And at the bottom he added, "I {heart} Mrs. Gardemann."





Exhibit F: Gabe, the ladies man.

Gabe has long been a boy surrounded by girls. Maybe it's his confidence, or his leadership qualities. Maybe it's his tender heart or his sweetness. Or maybe it's just his cute face & blue eyes...



Regardless, I am so proud of the depth of character my young man has at the age of seven. What great things I pray Gabe can do in the world as he grows, by the grace of God. I pray we continue to let him become whoever the Lord wants him to be, and be there to guide him toward straight paths.

I love you Gabe, my second grader!