Getting Ready: Gabriel's Room

I do believe that Mr. Gabriel's room is ready for him.

Want a tour?

Just smile and nod "yes" and indulge me.

We added a master suite 6 1/2 years ago during Noah's adoption process, so our home currently has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. This room that will be Gabriel's has been our nursery for each of our new children as they've come home - with the exception of Lily Kay, who went straight into sharing a room with Elisabeth (they share the original master bedroom that has its own bathroom in it).

Gabriel's future room was a nursery for the 9-month old that lived in the house when we purchased the house 8.5 years ago. It was already painted a pale yellow, and while we repainted it before Elisabeth came home, I loved the color so we repainted it a very similar color.

First the room looked like this as we waited for Miss Elisabeth:

Red and white...and ladybugs everywhere.

And when we adopted again, Noah snuck up on us...and I had to change out the room in pretty short order:

The red and white gingham check was replaced by blue and white gingham check. And the ladybugs flew away to be replaced by a sports theme.

But then the room stayed very similar for Mr. Daniel:

And when we were just about to bring Lily Kay home, and we knew that the girls were going to be sharing a room, the boys thought that sounded like fun and decided they also wanted to share a room. So we've had an empty bedroom for 2 years now...

And that bedroom became very empty after we had a garage sale and sold ALL of our baby stuff because we knew we'd never need it again. Sold: crib, glider rocker, changing table/dresser.

And then...the Lord led us to adopt again. An infant. ("We make plans...God laughs!")

Back to the room...

This is the smallest bedroom in the house, so it's pretty tight quarters in there right now! Yes, that empty nursery is full again...mostly due to precious family and friends. For instance, that beautiful crib and bedding? On loan from our dear friends, the S family.

But let me back up...

When you first enter the bedroom door and start looking on your immediate left, you have the closet...
...which is a nice size and has a great organizational system in it (the former owners installed these in all three of the original bedroom closets - I love them!).


Yes, Mr. Gabriel is already set for clothes (thanks to Laoli and Leah).

And over his crib is the art project I did (with some expert input from my dear friends Vicki and Amy).


These are each a combination of a plain art canvas, scrapbooking paper, and mod podge - so easy!



And then next to the crib is this beautiful and oh-so-comfy glider rocker from my brother Jeff and sis-in-law Mandi.


And on the wall above the glider rocker are these two little shelves. We've had them for years and when I mentioned to Vicki that I would repaint them white or red or blue, she said "Every room needs a splash of black." So, that advice - combined with the fact that I'm always in favor of the easiest option (not repainting!) - they're still black!

On the shelves are some books and toys we've had for years. But then there is a picture that Elisabeth drew of her and Gabriel, and then some cute little shoes that Noah insisted we buy for Gabriel when he found them at a consignment shop months ago.

Then looking further around the room, you see this view:

I'll start with the curtains. Laoli and I sewed them in anticipation of E's arrival over 7 years ago. It's the only thing I've ever sewed and we had so much fun making these! I knew exactly what I wanted and couldn't find it...AND I didn't have 4 children then so I could take time to do projects like that!


Under the window is this "picket fence" bookcase made before Elisabeth came home.

I had a vision and Jas made it come true. I've always loved this bookcase!

We purchased this changing table at a local consignment shop....although it looked very different then. It was missing the bottom shelf, and was - therefore - a very good price. But when I saw it I thought, "Jas can easily fix that." And when Jas stopped by the store to check it out, he called me and said, "I can fix that real easy!" So he bought it, fixed it, and I repainted it.

(You can see the moby wrap and My Brest Frend peeking out from the bottom shelf.)

Above the changing table is this art project I did over 7 years ago:
Mr. Gabriel won't be from China like his siblings, but we weren't about to paint over this scripture on his wall!

And that, my friends, brings us back to the door that we used to walk into Gabriel's room!

We are ready for Gabriel.

Oh. so. ready.

But, to be honest, this all feels so surreal at this point. Like, "well, it has been fun getting everything ready...but it's not really ever going to happen." I can't really believe a precious baby boy is ever really going to sleep in that crib. Am I ever really going to change a new little treasure on that changing table?

I've gone through this "surreal-feeling" stage every time we've adopted.

But...in previous adoptions I've always had a photograph to look at and pine over. And to help me remember that it is real. It is really going to happen.

What I have this time? The Lord.

I'm learning to rely on Him - trust Him - in a different way than I ever have before. He led Jas and I to this - each separately. This is where He wants us. And He will bring Gabriel to us, in His perfect timing.