My Buddy

This is one of my brothers. Isn't he just the sweetest looking human you have ever seen? He is in real life too!

A few things about Gabriel:

He loves monkeys. They are his friends. But, they can't just be any old monkey. They are the ones with long arms that have Velcro on the ends that you can make hang from bed posts and such. Yes, those ones. He has like 30 of them. But none have the Velcro left on the pads of their hands (is hand the correct term for a monkey??). He doesn't like his to have Velcro.

He once called 911 because he couldn't find a couple of his "friends" and insisted to the dispatcher that someone had stolen them.

Gabe loves his nieces and nephews. He doesn't always realize how big he is compared to them, and sometimes wrestles a little too hard. But he loves them dearly and they love him back.

Goober always lovingly referred to me as Bubba. In the last few years he has started calling me Liz, and I cringe every time he calls me by my correct name. I really like and miss the sound of "Buuuuubba!"

Mr. Gabe is a huge fan of the High School Musical characters. He wants to be just like Troy Bolton! (Hence the haircut he sports)

Gabe is an artist. He loves to draw. He has these little figural people he creates. I think they are an outlet for him. He can create them and their worlds. Something he can control in his life when so many things are difficult for him, drawing is his way to be "normal".

He is a prankster. Mr. Funny loves to tease.

When someone in the family has a birthday, Gabe goes through his DVD collection, books or other favorite things (well besides the monkeys...those are HIS!) and gives the birthday person something from his stash. He always wraps it up and has a huge grin on his face. He is so proud of himself. What better gift to give someone than something you personally enjoy?! On my birthday two years ago he gave me an empty Spongebob DVD case. I think he forgot where he had put the DVD, but I got the case...and still have it! :)

Gabriel will be 16 this next October. Sixteen. Amazing how fast the years have flown by. I remember the first time I saw him. I was twelve. Someone handed him to me in the hospital room and I recall looking down at his perfect little face and thinking to myself that he was special. I knew he was different, but no one had told any of us yet. But I vividly remember holding him and staring down with my big sister eyes, already adoring the little boy I was holding. I was hooked from that moment on...