Gabriel's Adoption Day

This handsome man is Gabriel Richard Johnson. He doesn't know it yet, but his middle name honors another handsome man, his Grandfather Richard Johnson. If Mike and I were the "fertile type" we'd call Gabriel our "oops baby." Suffice it to say, we were not planning on 3 children under 3!

We received a phone call from the state the week we finalized our older son's adoption, informing us that his biological brother was about to become legally free and that because we had already adopted his brother, we had the option of choosing to adopt Gabriel, too. With my heart beating very loudly, I called Mike at work and told him the news. Fully prepared to hear him say all the wise and appropriate things about finances, stress, our large family already, etc. I was stunned to tears to hear him say, "Well, I guess we'd better let them know we'll take him." What a man. What an amazing, big hearted, brave man.

We went to court to finalize Gabriel's adoption 6 short months after he came home. Now that we're old hands at this, we were able to relax and dress up in Hawaiian Theme for this adoption day. Who'd have thought we would have so many adoption days that we would distinguish them by what we wore!?! Our Judge, a man named Judge Wilkins, was himself one of 7 children. He was so kind and supportive of our family that he really made the day special for us.