5 Minutes

5 minutes.   That's how long we were at the Houston Rockets game before the noise and chaos became a little too much for Gabriel.  Actually, we were there for about an hour because we over estimated the Houston traffic and travel was quicker than anticipated. 

It was a little disappointing that we couldn't stay longer but the tickets and parking were free so nothing was truly lost.  And, we did get out for a little while! 

The exciting thing about the evening; for Gabe's first NBA game he sat in floor seats inches away from the announcers and mere feet away from the basketball players. 

And a few pictures from the evening

So the announcers desk is about 4 feet off the ground but at
6'9" Mr. Scola had no problem putting his foot up there [smile].

Gabe was so close to the announcer.  People kept asking this
gentleman for his photograph but we had no clue who he was.

How close we were to the announcers on the court!

Security :)

And of course, a family photograph

Emotions

Some days I am just overwhelmed with emotions for my children. 

Yes, technically, my only child is Gabe, but in my heart, there already is a child (or two) on the other side of the world whom I call my own; who I love deeply, passionately and fiercely.  Just like I love Gabriel. 

These emotions I feel... love that feels like it can suffocate me because it's so strong, agony for their pain and challenges, joy for their triumphs and hope for their futures.  These feelings are usually the followed by feelings of gratitude to their birth families and inadequacy and unbelievability that God has trusted us to raise these children; to love them and to teach them to love Him. 

Then I read a poem like this and in a simple cadence, it describes my feelings beautifully:

...
  I tiptoed into your room one night.
I watched you sleeping there.
Your tiny body looked so snug
Wrapped in peaceful slumber's care.

I thought of how you came to be
The child we'd longed to know.
I wondered at the sight of you:
"How could she let you go?"

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I
Felt the pain she must have known.
For I will have to let you go
Some day when you are grown.

A mother I might never meet
Had given me her son.
Yet, surely as you've filled my heart,
A piece of hers you'd won.

"How could she let you go?"
The question kept returning.
And in the depths of my own heart.
A question kept on burning.

"How can I ever let you go
When years have come and gone?"
I stood there by your crib until
The nighttime turned to dawn.

And as the sun peeked through the shades,
The voice of God broke through.
"I trusted her to give him life
And now I'm trusting to you.

"To show him what is right and wrong,
to love him and to be
The one who teaches him the way
To come back home to me.

"He wasn't hers to give, you know.
And he's not yours to own.
I've placed him in your life to love

-Valerie Kay Gwin, from Chicken Soup for the Adopted Soul

1 more day!

A huge thank you to everyone that has participated in our Scentsy fundraiser!  We are truly blessed by your kindness. 
The Scentsy fundraiser continues through tomorrow, so click here (and choose LaGorga Adoption Fundraiser) if you're interested in checking it out, making your house smell lovely and helping us bring our little one (or two) home where they belong. 

And just a little cuteness to leave you with. 

Gabe sitting in the train at the mall.  After the day
he had here, he deserved a little fun!

Misadventures

This week definately started off on the wrong foot with Gabe and I being locked out of the house.  For 4 hours.  And Matt was out of town.  And we didn't have a spare key.  Yikes! 

Thankfully the weather was nice and Gabe spent a lot of time climbing in and out of the flower bed and playing with his car.  Gabe now prefers to push his car and watch his mama chase after it then ride in the car like it is intended. 

We weren't imagining it being 4 hours, but with a key snafu with our landlord husband then traffic problems it couldn't be helped.  Well, it could have been helped by calling a locksmith right away, but that's neither here nor there. 

In the meantime, I found out that I had locked our car by setting the alarm off (it is a very loud and long alarm) and the only thing I could get out of the car was Gabe's sweatshirt.  That was definitely a good thing because while it was 65 and sunny at 2:45 when we went outside by 6:00 when the sun had set, the air had a good chill to it.  We took refuge in the garage where I twirled brooms, wore buckets on my head and sang Wheels on the Bus at least 40 times to keep Gabe happy.  And his happiness allowed me to keep my sanity.

Around 7:30 our landlord showed up, let us into our house and we cleaned up, ate dinner and went to bed.  Truly, Gabe was asleep by 8:30 - complete madness!

Now we have a spare key and I am just a tad bit paranoid about being locked.  By tad paranoid I mean I checked and rechecked about 5 times before we left the house yesterday and today.  I will not be locked out of my house again.  For 4 hours.  With a 2 year old.  I will not!

For entertainment value, when we left to go to physical therapy Tuesday morning my SUV alerted me that there was a theft attempt on our vehicle.  Good to know, except for the fact that I was the one trying to break in.