Two Years Ago... Today.

Two years ago this week. Paul was in Guangzhou on the Island that is so well known by the blessed families who have completed their adoption journies to China. As you will remember the province where Gates was born was a poor one and Paul's time there was difficult. But we remain thankful for the many citizens of the PRC who did their utmost to help. You can read through the older posts on this blog if you'd like to read the details but suffice to say, Paul was grateful to have our agency reps along for the final stages and challenging details. Most assuredly, the Lord was (and is) with us.

Gates will celebrate his second homecoming anniversary on July 2nd and his 6th birthday on July 14th. He is 42 inches tall and weighs 32lbs. We are still waiting on a few developmental milestones for him physically but he continues to provide evidence that patience pays off when it comes to such things. Gates's vocabulary continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Correct pronunciation remains optional to him, but he thinks he is mimicing us exactly. If Bridger repeats his Brother's words back to him in the way that Gates said them, Gates will ask, "Are you speaking Spanich?"

Gates is very fond of books and squeals with delight if a catalog shows up in the mail. He will memorize those before he tosses them aside. "I done that one." He is looking forward to his birthday this year and asks me daily how many more days until it arrives.

Gates is a precious and completely unique individual. You can never be sure how he will respond to something. He is less sensitive than Bridger on just about every front. So that can be interesting. For instance, Gates loves to learn about sharks and then shares details after lights out with his Brother across the room. Bridger's muffled voice comes out from underneath his pillow, "Mooooommmm! Make Gates stop talking!" His Sister Aimee gave him a sea shell and he hugged it to his chest and said, "I will name him Ian." No idea.

Sister Chari took both of her little Brothers and two other slightly older boys for an afternoon at the Children's Immaginarium recently. They had an outstanding time and Gates was delighted to report on his arrival home that he 'petted a stingray'.

Gates is always chatting and singing around the house. This morning as he woke up, he walked by me to take his jammies to the laundry hamper and he was humming "Crocodile Rock"

Both of our Boys like hockey and Bridger took ice skating classes this year. Gates loves the Everblades mascot, "Swampee" because: number one, Swampee is an alligator and our 'Gater' LOVES alligators and number two Gatsey says that he doesn't like costumes and Swampee doesn't wear a costume. Kids are so cute that way. When visiting Disney World's Hollywood Studios last Dec. we visited with Handy Manny and Gates just chatted away with him. Afterward we adults commented on how suprised we were that Gates responded that way. Bridger piped up, "That's because Gatesy hates costumes but Handy Manny doesn't wear a costume." Ahhh. 'Nuff said.

Gates has become more posessive of me in the past few months, which is another nice 'fill in the blank' developmental milestone and also nice for me. Often little ones who suffered such lonliness throughout their infancy and toddler years subconciously hold it against the 'mamma' figure for not being there for them back then. Gates asks me sometimes where I was and I tell him, "I was looking for you Baby and I missed you very much." He usually responds, "I missed you too." But recently he replied, "Well you should have got a map!" lol