Gabe and his GAK

Do you have a GAK? Gabe has a GAK! Matt doesn't have a GAK and I don't have a GAK.

Meet GAK:

This is Gabe and his Great Aunt Kim. Gabe's GAK is my aunt. And a few weekends ago she mosied up here from her farm down south to visit with her sister and see her great nephew. I still hold fast to the fact that she came only to see Gabe and visiting with my mom was just a bonus.

Gabe did his usual "I don't like new people" face at their first visit but as the weekend progressed fell into quite a comfortable repoire with his GAK. And I was so happy! Happy that Aunt Kim was finally able to meet Gabriel, happy to see Aunt Kim after 1 1/2 years and happy that Gabe seemed to love his GAK as much as I love my auntie.

Throughout Gabe's first year I'd think of Aunt Kim often and remember the sweet and supportive emails she would send me as Matt and I began trying to have a family and when we decided to adopt. I'd remember talking to her at the big kitchen table in their old farm house and wish she was sitting at my little kitchen table with me and Gabe. And then sometimes I'd be sad that Gabe wouldn't know his great aunt Kim like I knew my aunt Kim.

But Aunt Kim surprised us with a visit and my little man who wants no one but his Mama and Daddy was easily (well, maybe not easily) won over by GAK and that filled my heart to overflowing. Because aunt Kim is very special to me and I wanted Gabe to know her too.

Gabe has lots of wonderful people in his life who are going to teach him so many different things. He has uncles who will teach him all about sports, trucks and mudding, aunts who will teach him about love and forgiveness, 'aunties' who will teach him about perseverance and what family really means and so many other people who will help us teach Gabe everything he needs to know to help him grow up into a Christ-loving young man.

And Gabe's GAK, from her he'll learn about strength, perseverance and how to love your family fiercely. Because with a husband, 6 children and oodles of grandchildren Aunt Kim loves her family fiercely. And that's what I too learned from her: to love my famly fiercely. Thanks GAK!

Silly boy and GAK

Nothing says love like blowing raspberries!