Wow.

17.

So much more grown up sounding, looking, feeling.

As hard as it is watching them grow, it’s also quite amazing. You can start to see the “real” them come out. Who they are striving to become, who they are becoming, who they have become.

Awesome.

Especially when the kid is as awesome Gabe.

Today we had a nice birthday breakfast, then went out to pick up some of Gabe’s friends who he is spending the day with. They hung out with us at a picnic and then headed off to celebrate downtown.

17 things I love about Gabe:

1. His smile – it is contagious; as is his laugh.

2. His sense of humour  – how he introduces us to the funniest things

3. His passion for learning about the things he is interested in

4. The way he twiddles his hair when he is in deep thought

5. How much he looks to his Dad as an example – and even starting to vocalize that to us

6. His love of cars and his knowledge about them

7. His technology skills

8. His willingness to help around the house

9. How much he has grown in learning how to assert himself

10. His growing hunger:)

11. His growing testimony and the growing Spirit inside himself

12. The big brother that he is – how he is becoming better and better friends with his siblings

13. The leader that he is

14. His ability to socialize with all – his ability to work the room, to get to know others

15. His caring heart

16. How he can buckle down, put his mind to things and get things done.

17. His strong ambitions and dreams for his future.

I love this kid so much and am so excited for him for his future! This is a big year for him; final year of high school. And while it is scary, it is awesome to see him on the brink of the rest of his life. So glad that we are there to guide him, share with him  and love him through it all.

Love you Gabe. Happy 17th.

xo