Any Resemblance ??

Do you see the resemblance?  

Luke's face is longer, Chase's was more round and Luke's lips are a little fuller but other than that.... 

the expressions, the eyes, the hair, ears, chin, dimples.  Did I mention how similar their expressions are??  

They are definitely brothers and cut out from the same mold!! :)

Family Time

This past weekend we had a lot of opportunities to spend time with the entire family on Charles' side.  Charles' sister, Anna, and her fiance, Jake, came into town on Thursday evening so Friday after work we went over for dinner.  Uncle Brian, Aunt Brook and cousins Emma & Ben were also there so that added to the fun.  After all the kids had dinner they all headed outside.

Chase loves every second with Uncle Brian... Uncle Brian always seems to come up with the neatest things to do with his nephews.... all he needs is a rope and you'd be amazed with what he can come up with!!!

Luke had lots of snuggle time with Aunt Brook while enjoying the warm evening.

Jacob with his Ginga... he enjoyed a nice treasure hunt with Grandma in her backyard.

Big Ben, being pulled around in the wagon and playing with the knife Uncle Brian carved.  I'm telling you, Brian is a real life survivorman!!!  I think he could give Bear Grylls a run for his money if given the chance!

Sweet Emma.... pausing for a quick picture :)

Chase showing off his baseball skills... he starts t-ball in June and he is really excited!!  The only thing I am not sure about is the size of his uniform... the smallest option was an extra small (size 6-8).  He still wears 2T and he has a few things that are 3T but only for length.  The lady helping me when I signed him up said you could put it in the dryer right away before washing it and it may shrink some... I have a feeling "some" isn't going to be enough!! :)

Luke fascinated by the leaves hanging down near him.  It kept him occupied for a long time :)

Saturday morning we went over to Charles' Uncle Robert's house for a family get together/wedding shower for Anna & Jake.  It was so fun being around all the extended family... we have such a good time when we all get together.  They live out in Blythewood on a lot of land so normally all the kids and big kids (guys) get outside and enjoy the fresh air but it was raining, cold and not very nice out.  We were all stuck inside but we still managed to have a really good time!!

Then Sunday we pulled up just before Anna & Jake headed back to Clemson so the boys got to give them a few quick hugs.  We had our normal Sunday lunch and headed home for a restful Sunday afternoon.  Monday after work we were right back at the Smoak's house to celebrate Uncle Brian's 28th birthday.  There are months where we go without getting to see Brian, Brook and the kids very much but then there are times where we see them a lot and in those times where we see each other a lot we love it!!  We loved being around the Smoak side of the family all weekend and look forward to being around more cousins, aunts and uncles on my side in the next few weeks and months.  We are looking forward to spending Easter with Sarah, the kids, Nana, Pop-Pop, Ashley, Dan & Eli (and hopefully GG & Goomba).  Then in June we'll get to spend some good time with Becky, Jason, Noah & Colin.  We are definitely very blessed with such an amazing family, on both sides!!

Saying It Again ... and again :)

My boys... the focus of this blog.  My family, things we do, the fun we have, the good times, the bad times... all reasons why I keep up with my blog.  There are moments that are so special that I want to blog about so that five, ten, twenty years down the road I can have these things written down to remind me of all the things that make me smile.  There are events that need to be documented because at this phase in my life I am not sure when my scrap booking things will ever make it's way out of my closet.  There are conversations, random thoughts, pictures ... all things I want to hold onto and cherish. 

Things, though, are not always so great around here.  I now have a four year old, a three year old, and a baby.  We have our hard days, the days where my patience as a mommy is tested.  There are days where I fail miserably to be the mom I so desire to be. There are days that I want to push rewind and try it all over again.  We have days where it's all I can do to get through... there are days where it seems like it would physically hurt the boys to get along and be nice to each other.  But, in all those days that are so hard, we also have our great days.  The days where there are no spankings to be had, no timeouts to set the timer for, no fussing or arguing, happy, content and helpful boys and those are the days that make the hard days better. Those are the days that make the hard days worth it.  One thing I've learned over the last few years is that the hard times, the trying times, the difficult times are all phases.  I think that the Lord knows just when to give you the "bright" days... He allows the good to come just when you can't take any more of the bad.  He brings those days at just the right time to bring encouragement, to give me a break when I am just about to my breaking point.  I am so thankful that the Lord cares and loves me so much that He is constantly aware of what I need as a mom. 

The last few weeks have been rough... we've been sick, we've all been tired, attitudes have been awful.  There have been more spankings and time outs than I care to keep up with.  Wednesday night the Lord used a "seasoned" mom to offer me some encouragement and it helped me realize that even during the bad days, even when I don't think I can discipline any more, to keep on going because if I allow Him to, He is going to use all of those moments. Those moments are SO good because even now, at just ages 3 and 4, we are laying the foundation for the years to come.  All of the conversations about their words, or about their responses to adults, or about getting along with their brother... all of those things, even as small as they may seem, are so important to the kind of children and young adults they will turn in to.  So... it's all in my perspective.  I need to remember as I'm saying the same thing over and over, as I start getting frustrated, that it's the little things that are going to make a difference.  It's all those tiny teachable moments that I need to be thankful for because it's in those teachable moments that the Lord uses me to guide their hearts towards Him and begin the process of helping them become who He ultimately wants them to be.  Wow! 

With all of that said we've had a really great weekend... the spanking spoon stayed in it's "home", the timeout corner is starting to get dusty and the boy's have had the most amazing attitudes. Hard work pays off... and just when things get comfortable they will go through yet another phase where the "kinks" have to be worked out, again! :)  But what an amazing privilege to raise three boys, to pray for these boys and to guide them as they get older.  The Lord knew what He was doing in giving me all boys... and it's my heart's desire to do all that I can do to help them become the men that He wants them to be!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jacob Michael

I officially have a four year old and a three year old... Jacob turned three yesterday.  It was a great day of celebrating, remembering that day and rejoicing the Lord for blessing us so much.  I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with Jacob... it was June 2007.  We were in Virginia Beach visiting my older brother, Matt, his wife, Sarah and their two little girls.  The day before leaving to drive up there I just had this nagging feeling to go buy a pregnancy test at the store and take it with me.  At that point I hadn't missed a period or anything, Chase was only 6 months old (barely!) but something inside of me told me to go ahead and get one.  I packed it in our suitcase and didn't tell Charles I had even gotten one.  He would have thought I was insane to think there was even a possibility I was pregnant.  Again, Chase was only 6 months old and I was nursing.  The morning after we arrived I was awake very early ... Chase was going through a phase where he would wake up super early (like 5:00 early) and be ready for the day.  I went up and got him very quickly because I didn't want him waking up the entire house and brought him down to sit with Charles for a minute.  I took that opportunity to take the test and it turned positive before I even had a chance to blink.  I sat there for a minute, in the bathroom, listening to my 6 month old squeal in the other room.  I cried... tears mainly of joy and of feeling so blessed.  I walked out of the bathroom and as soon as Charles saw my face he knew something was going on.  He asked me what was wrong... I told him nothing was wrong but that I had just taken a pregnancy test.  He didn't even have to ask... he knew.  There he was, sitting with his 6 month old BABY on his lap and he just found out there was another baby on the way!  I cried some more... happy, scared, worried that Chase would have to grow up so quickly.  At that point my older brother was downstairs and started to hear what we were talking about... he walked in the room and he was the first one to hear the news.  In true Matt style he asked "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?!"  Our response was that of course it was a good thing but the reality had still not set in yet completely.  My sister-in-law didn't even have to hear the words... she heard some noise and immediately ran out of her room, looked over the balcony and said "You're pregnant, aren't you?!!"  What a crazy morning that was... finding out we were pregnant, being with my brother and his family.  But when I think back to that morning, I don't think about my feelings of being scared or unsure about having two so close in age.  I think about the joy and excitement that I felt knowing the Lord had given us another blessing. 

Three years ago, on March 13th, at 11:30 in the morning we welcomed our second son into the world.  Jacob Michael joined this family and from the very beginning was the perfect fit.  He was a very laid back baby and still is very laid back.  Not a whole lot phases him.  He is sensitive, caring, loving and loves to snuggle.  He has always been so happy, he loves to smile and loves to make everyone around him smile.  He can be silly, he can be shy.  He loves to learn new things and lives to help Daddy with whatever he is doing.  He has taken his role as a big brother very seriously and loves to hold Luke and make him happy.  He is a good helper, he is content with what he has.  Sometimes he lives to see how much he can push his big brother's buttons but looks up to Chase so much and wants to do everything just like him!  He is an observer and in new situations likes to take things in for a few minutes before jumping in.  He has always been a good eater... he eats just about anything you put in front of him.  I think his favorite things are Grandma's carrots, macaroni and cheese (any kind - box or crock pot), fruit of any kind and chicken.  He loves playing outside... give him a shovel and bucket and he'll be happy for hours!!  He is very different from Chase in that he doesn't care how dirty he gets... he loves it!  Same goes with eating... he loves to see how much he can get into his mouth without choking.  I love how different he is from his big brother!

I could not imagine life without my Jacob... I love how sensitive he is.  

I love those big, beautiful eyes.

I love his laugh.  

I love kissing those cheeks.

I love hearing him talk and all the funny things he says.  

I love that he's my thumb sucker (might be an orthodontist's nightmare but it's so sweet!).

I love his desire to please and his love for Jesus.

I love how much he is learning.

I love how happy he has always been!!

I love how much he adores his big brother and wants to do things just like him!

I love listening to his nighttime prayers that can sometimes last for 5 minutes.

I love how silly he can be and the things he comes up with.

I love how thankful he is.  Even if it's just a cup of milk he's just so thankful for it!! :)

I love how much he loves his baby brother and how much he wants to help out.

I love he sweet nature.

I love his smile.

I love the three years we've had with this boy and look forward to all the fun times we'll have this year!

Thank you, Jesus, for giving us this unexpected gift.  For blessing us with our second son just 14 months after becoming parents for the first time.  Thank you, Jesus, for the joy that he brings to our days and for loving him more than we can.  We pray that he will continue to learn about you and ask you to be his Savior at an early age.  We will never stop praying for wisdom as parents, for knowledge in raising them to love you.  We will always work hard every day to be the example that we need to be for him.  Lord, use me as his Mom to show him what a Godly woman looks like and what kind of wife he wants to look for one day.  We pray that he will learn from his Daddy what it means to be a leader, a strong man who desires to know You on a deep level, a role model for those around him.  We pray that you would use Jacob throughout his life in a way that will impact your Kingdom for all eternity!!!

Today's Conversation Over Breakfast & More

One of the purposes of my blog is to document some of the things the boys say and do so that one day, whenever I finally find the time to scrapbook (which seems to be getting farther and farther away), I can look back and remember some of the cute things they say.  Just this morning the boys started on the topic of when they get bigger while they were eating breakfast.  Here is how it went: 

Chase: When I get bigger I'm going to be like Daddy and teach kids.
Mommy: You mean you want to be a teacher like Daddy?
Chase:  Yes, but I want to teach boys and girls about Jesus.
Mommy: That is so great, Chase!  Who teaches you about Jesus?
Chase: Mommy, Daddy, Mrs. Michelle and Mr. Ken... Miss Danielle, my Gawanas teachers... Miss Sarah.  Miss Annie, Grandma, Nana, Pop-Pop.  I have a lot of people to teach me about Jesus.  And I want to teach people about Jesus when I get big!

Not long after, Jacob joins in.
Jacob:  I want to be just like Daddy!
Mommy: Do you want to be a teacher just like Daddy, Jacob?
Jacob: Yep!  I want to teach people to sing the A-B-Cs, teach people their numbers.  I want to get big and go to work, go to school just like Daddy!
Mommy: Jacob, you're going to be a great teacher one day.
Jacob: Yeah...

I can't put into words how thankful I am that we are all healthy again.  We've kept the two younger boys home from church the last few weeks to give their immune systems time to recover but we're hoping to go back to church as a family again SOON!

Luke is definitely back to his normal happy self!  He is also back to his normal sleeping habits, thank goodness!!  I wasn't sure how much more I could take or how much more sleep deprived I could get!!

And just the other night he had such a good time playing with his feet.  He found his feet a while back but lately he will keep himself entertained for the longest time playing with his toes. 

These pictures were taken a few nights ago just before bedtime.  Normally this time of the day is a little rough but this night he was in such a good mood and so happy!!

The big boys have been having such a good time outside lately.  They have a great time getting dirty, playing football and soccer, swinging together, climbing and going down the slide.  I love opening the door and letting them go.  It really helps break up our mornings and afternoons on days we don't have much to do!!

I love how much these two boys love each other!!  Crazy to think that this time next year we'll have a toddler running around after them!!

We're still alive and kicking

So... after a rough few weeks things are finally looking up!!  Luke & Jacob both have had a rough go at it lately but thankfully Chase has stayed well through all of this... after he had that quick moving fever virus he has been super healthy.  Luke turned the corner about Saturday/Sunday which was such a relief for all of us!  Not knowing if he was going to kick it on his own or have to be admitted to the hospital was a little unnerving.  It is SO good to see him smiling again (sometimes at nothing at all but his hands or feet), so good to hear him laughing again and is back to his normal super content self.  Such an answer to prayer!

Jacob still needs a few prayers but as of yesterday his lungs sounded much better and the puss in his ear is gone.  There is still lots of fluid but we're waiting to see if it'll heal the rest of the way on it's own before putting him on yet another round of antibiotics.  And then yesterday a strange rash appeared... on his bottom.  He is done with diapers completely and has been since last summer so I called the nurse to see what it could be and find out if I needed to be giving him anything for it.  As soon as the nurse called me back she immediately told me that my pediatrician had a 2:10 and she wanted Jacob to be seen.  I thought that was a little strange until I heard what the doctor had to say about his rash... his rash is one of two scenarios: 1. He could be having an allergic reaction to the very strong antibiotics that he was on; or 2. It could be something pretty serious, serious enough that he wouldn't tell me exactly what because he didn't want me to Google it and freak out.  He told me to put him on Benadryl and watch the rash...that if it spread to all over his bottom and the backs of his legs to call immediately.  Well, this morning his rash looked just like what he said... all over his tiny bottom and all down the backs of his legs to his knees.  Now, we have to watch to see if the spots stay red/pinkish in color or if they turn purple.  The one good sign against the more serious condition is that he has some spots on his face, hands and arms... which is not as characteristic of the second, more serious scenario.  So... wait and see, praying that it's just a reaction to the meds and that it will start to fade in the next day or two and praying for peace for this momma.  Hard not knowing exactly but I'm working really hard on not focusing on what could be the worst case scenario and trusting that this is no big deal and will clear up soon.  Just no more Zithromax for Jacob!! 

So ready for this little guy to be 100% and back to his normal self!!