Happy Birthday to Gay!

Happy Birthday Gay!

As a special birthday surprise some friends & family of the Girl Named Gay have decided to take over the bloggy for a day and tell our Gizay just how much we adore her… 

From the very first time you bounced up to me in 7th grade English with a, " Are you Teri Wallace's sister?", my life was forever changed.  You have taught me more about living, loving, and laughing than any other person in my life.  But most importantly you have taught me life is for living.  While I could on and on about all of our different memories, some good and some bad (orange hair, split cup slurpies, Double 07, hotel rooms, and singing) I know those live in your heart and mind as they do mine. So instead, I will just say THANK YOU, for bouncing into my life all those years ago and for still touching my soul even though you are thousands of miles away.  I am so very blessed that God chose to put you in my life. Whether I am calling you Gay, Gizay, Gaby Baby (but never Gabby) I will always call you my friend.  Happy Birthday to an amazing woman...my blue eyed beauty.  Here is to celebrating YOU! I miss you and cannot wait to come to Austin to visit! 

XOXOX -T-

Gay Gay--You are such a great friend. You are kind, humble, generous, loyal, hilarious, wise and profound and a heck of a lot of fun. You make everyone around you better and it's not a party if your not there. You are a secret keeper and incredibly thoughtful. You are so loved in the Palisades and you are the kind of friend that no one would ever let go. Love you and happy birthday!

xoxoxo

Beverly

Gay, there are two qualities you possess that make me love u: you are admirably laid back and yet equally spunky! You make all the craziness life bring seem so effortless. You have an incredible ability to push your own cares aside in order to help others. You are wonderfully compassionate, extremely giving, and more hilarious than I think you know! You tell it how it is- no painting pictures, no wearing two faces. You're the real deal and I love it. I love you. Thank you for being the bomb.com, gay gay! I look up to you (and not just because you're taller)! You inspire me to be a better person!  Happy Birthday!

Allie

Happy Happy Birthday Gay. I have always loved that your birthday is July 17th.. It turned a very sad day for me into a reason for celebration :)   I have now known you for about 10 years and totally admire how you have lovingly helped Josh to become a better person.  I love your energy and how you carry out the things that you want to accomplish.

I appreciate the way you have planned great vacations and activities for our family. You are a wonderful mother and have a very positive

way of bringing out the best in your darling children. You have created a very comfortable enviroment in your home and I love coming to visit:)

You have been blessed with a very magnetic personality and have a ton of wonderful friends. Everyone enjoys being around you.

Enjoy your birthday.... I love you...

Nancy

If I had to sum Gabrielle Hansen up in one word, it would be...
Sunshine. What is it about her? She lights up a room. Even the very
sound of her voice through the telephone just puts a smile on my face.
I always leave her a better person & somehow feeling like I can
conquer the world. She's loyal, honest, patient, spontaneous, always
up for an adventure & always just a phone call away. I'm not sure how
I got to lucky to have the honor of knowing Gay, but I am beyond
thankful and honored to call her my friend.
Thank you Gaybe for making me a better person! You have forever left
an impression on my heart.
Xoxo,
Whitney

Gay, Happy Happy Birthday! I hope you have a fabulous day. There are so many great things about you, but here are a few of my favs. I love that you are never afraid to just be you, whether it be in how you dress or express yourself. You are an amazing Mom and I love that you love your kiddos! You have a gift for writing and I know I always tell you this, but you really need to write a book already! I wish you luck with your move and hope that you will adjust well and find your new niche out there:)

love ya girl-ali

There is SO much that I love about Gay!! Love, love, love her!! She is so genuine and so positive to be around. When I first met her I was a little intimidated ... our husbands were best friends and everyone knew and loved her .... the second we started talking I realized why everyone loves her We became such good friends so fast and I am so grateful for that. Another thing I love about Gay is that every time I talk to her on the phone I feel better about myself and better about the mother that I am. No joke, if I need a boost I know who to call and who will always listen to me and make me feel like a million bucks Even though we don't live in the same state she really has been there, especially this last nightmare of a year, she has listened to me complain and made me feel like I could do it. That to me is such an amazing trait and the greatest thing to have in a friend. She is also an amazing Mother and I really look up to how amazing she is with her kids, and I always have. She loves those cute little kids so much, you can just feel it. I love that. She is one of my greatest friends and I am so thankful for her and her amazing example. Love you Gay and a very happy birthday to you!!!

Love, Jess

Happy birthday to the girl named gay.  She started off as Gabrielle, got shortened to Gabey and then ended up Gay.  Always evolving, she is!  Summed up, Gay is little bit spit-fire, real big heart & soul.  She lifts, inspires, & believes in you, as well as puts you in your place.  A big hug around the middle and a slight curse word in the ear.  Your biggest fan and cheerleader, with an occasional kick in the biscuits.  A great friend, great times, good conversations, good laughs, cherished memories to last a lifetime.
Happy, happy birthday Gay!! 
Love,

roodoggs

Where do I even begin? Besides the endless good advice that I seek from Gay... She is probably everyone's biggest cheerleader. I look up to her in all aspects if life. As a mother, wife, friend, etc. she has given me opportunities that I never would of dreamed of. She is always there for you in a pinch and not only that but she checks in to see how you’re doing. What kind of person with 4 kids and a LIFE a busy one at that cares enough to keep following up to see how you are. It's my Gay Gay. She is genuine, real, and legit. Here's to my girl. Thanks for believing in me from day número UNO over a salad, and for showing me to never back down to new things. Thanks for teaching me about life, relationships, and pure friendship. I'm so grateful for your influence in my life. This only explains half of how I feel. The rest can't be put into words! Happy Bday sis!

Love ya.
-Chels

Dearest Gay!
Happy Birthday my love! I can't tell you how much I look up to and admire you. From the good old days in LA when we would constantly invite ourselves over, I would watch in awe at your parenting skills. I constantly refer back to that when I'm talking with my boy and think ok what would Gay do! Haha! You are a wonderful friend, amazing person, and hilarious writer! I hope all your birthday wishes come true and those darling kids and husband spoil you. I wish we lived closer so I could invite myself over every day....one day it will happen.
Love you friend!
Happy Birthday
Xo
Cami

Gabrielle, Gay, Gabey (my favorite), La Gay Gay, Gizay (your favorite),

Much like the numerous name options there are way too many qualities and characteristics that make you YOU!  Everything that is YOU is to be admired.  Because I find it impossible to list everything that is impressive and I’m nervous to highlight those obvious Gabey qualities for fear of limiting your depth of amazingness, I just wanted to tell you on your birthday how much I love YOU for YOU.  The girl from St. Louis who listens to rap too loud with her kids in the car, to the girl in the Palisades who became a woman as she listened to her own voice, to the force never to be reckoned with regardless of where life takes her.  Because if there is one thing I know about Gabey, it’s that she’s a fighter and not just because she throws the hardest punch of any girl one I ever met but because she is a FIGHTER… for GOOD, for ALL, and that can’t be stopped.  

You can’t be stopped Gabrielle, Gay, Gabey (my favorite), La Gay Gay, Gizay (your favorite) i.e. my best friend.  I’m so lucky to have you.  Happy 43^rd 33^rd Birthday!  Love you,

Love Christy.

Strikeouts inspired by Gay!

Gay, what can I say!!  I remember the high school days and the parties we would tear up together:)  I loved, as time and distance and circumstance changed, that you loved the heck out of my kids.  When you stole Kobe and slept with him when Roo was getting married.  How you would ask Colin the sound of animals and then get into his "fridge" for a snack!  

I have loved watching you learn and grow raising four beautiful kiddos and being a wonderful wife.  I have also loved reading about your passions and expressing yourself so creatively in writing.  

I am so happy you're having a birthday (now I don't feel so much older;) and that I get to see you and the kiddos soon! 

Happiest of Birthdays to my beautiful sis!

Love,

Cali

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAY! The Queen of hosts. She has always made sure we had a fun filled time during our CALI visits. She really has a contagious spirit for life. She is always there for you and in your corner when you need her. Watching her evolve over the past 10 years into the woman she is today has been so inspiring to me in my journey to find "ME". She can cook like nobodys business! She owns the kitchen! She taught me the tricks to making the BEST smore EVER!  I have loved watching our relationship grow from sister in laws to true SISTERS! Love you Gay and wishing you the most AMAZING BIRTHDAY yet! :)
 love,

Hailey

You are one of my favorite people of all time. I love your concern for others. I love your thoughtfulness, your sense of humor and how easy you are to talk to. I going to miss you living here but I know we will always be friends and that makes the move less painful. Thank you for caring about me and my family, for always being someone I can laugh, cry and just hangout with. You mean a lot to me and you will be missed.

Much love,

Anneli

Gay, A Haiku

Long, laughing, smiling.

Rippin' urban slang fo' shiz.

Golden lovely Gay.

You know how sometimes the orbit of your life crosses unexpectedly into the path of another life and there's a burst of light and energy?  The day-to-day of my life is separated from Gay by space, time, age, and what busies each of us, but those moments of contact are moments of brilliance!  In a three day trip full of running and beaching and eating and tripping over our 7 kids, we manage to solve our problems, our husbands' problems, our kids' problems, and, just to finish what we've started, the world's problems.  She is strong and funny and sharp and easy to love.  I love the person she is and the person she makes me want to be! Happy Happy Birthday to one of my very best friends, EVER.

Love,

Auntie Michelle

Happy 33rd birthday Gay!
Things I love about Gay: you are always up for a good time and a good laugh and are so fun to be around,  you exude confidence and positivity that draw people in and want to be friends with you, you are caring and concerned for your friends, and you go after what you want in life without fear.
We've been friends for over eight years and you've become like family to me!  We have seen each other through the births of seven kids total, several moves, and have countless great memories together. I hope your 33rd year is full of great new adventures and lots of happiness.
Much love,
Laura

Dearest Gizay,

You’re one of the funniest, most thoughtful, generous people I’ve ever known. You’ve taught me so much about making things happen, loving life, and treasuring memories. Truly, the list of things I’ve learned from my Gay Gay is endless. Thank you for belly-laughing with me in the middle of the night (or anytime past 8), encouraging my dreams, and being a light in my life. I don’t think I could love you more if we were held captage together in Deseret Storm. May your birthday be as colorful as a porcupine! I love you girl. Happiest of Birthdays to you!

XOXO

Kady

Happy happy birthday to you! To a loyal, loving, and incredible friend, an honest writer, dedicated mama, my favorite blogger, and one of my favorite peeps! You have a lot of great qualities, but one of my favorites about you is your self confidence and how you know how to take care of yourself so that you can take care of the rest of your crew. You balance everything in your life in an incredible way, and I will always look up to that. We are (selfishly) getting robbed of our favorite Hansen family. A short 10 months of So Cal together wasn't enough, but Austin is lucky to get you guys. Hope today is the best day yet, love you Gizay!

Chelsi

My dear, sweet sister!! Happy birthday! I love you and am so grateful for the great example you are to me, and for the love you've given me before I can even remember. Like the time you got my hefty little self out of my crib to change my diaper when you were just 5. Or playing on the trampoline in the middle of the night during summer. Or convincing me to wear my first thong. Or letting me hang out with you at Ricks college and hang out with older boys and play Mario Cart. You've always had my back and I'm so thankful for the joy you bring me and those around you! I love you and the fun memories I have with you. Happy birthday! I hope you had a year filled with fun memories and your upcoming year can be filled with more of those fun adventures.
Tess

Happy Birthday to you~

Happy Birthday to you~~

Happy BIRTHday sweet daughter Gabey~~~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you~~~!    And MANY more!

July 17th, 1980.  A hot, humid day in Fenton, Missouri.  Finally the contractions are for real.  Because we wanted to have the baby at home, we had being seeing a doctor who made house calls.  It is time to give Dr. Duhart a call to let him know labor has started, then get things ready at home.  Jerusha (3 1/2) and Cali (2 1/2) are taken to the neighbors.  Anthony (7) and Micah (5 1/2) stay around to watch the event.  They take their box of popsicles and their lawn chairs out by the driveway to sit and wait for the doctor's arrival.  Dad and I wait in the house.   When the doctor finally arrives, he and the boys join Dad and I in the bedroom.  We do not know if we are having a boy or a girl.  Since our family consists of 2 boys and 2 girls, the anticipation is high to see how the tie will be broken!  We all get situated: the boys are seated on a bench a bit back from the foot of the bed.  I am laying on the bed; Dad is by my head, holding my hand and coaching my breathing.  The doctor checks me, says, "It is time", and breaks my water.  After a few moans and groans and pushes from me, the doctor announces, "It's.... a GIRL!!!"  Our baby is finally here!  What a precious moment!  The doctor checks you out (all is well), weighs you (10 lbs.), then packs up his bags and leaves.  We spend the afternoon rejoicing in the arrival of our new baby - YOU!!!  What a soft, round belly!  What dark hair!  What tiny fingers!  What tiny toes!  The name we give you is "Gabrielle Marie".  Micah looks at you and says, "She's named after the angel Gabriel and the angel Alby".  (Explanation:  My mother's name is Wanda Marie.  The grandkids call her Alby).  SWEET:)  And an amusing moment--- Micah is sitting on the floor watching me change your diaper.  He says thoughtfully, "Well, Mom, it looks like all of ours are going to come out white."  I assume he is thinking about the fact that Dr. Duhart is a black man!

That all happened 33 years ago!  What a wonderful addition you have been to the family, Gabrielle!  You have given us many wonderful memories, many tender experiences.  Thank you, thank you for coming to our house to live!  I'm so glad I get to be your Mother!  I love you:)  

Mom