Happy 4th Birthday Isaac!

Happy Birthday Isaac. You are turning 4 years-old this year and becoming quite the big guy. I am amazed at how much you have changed this past year, probably more so than any of the boys thus far. I mean, we had days early on at the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011 that were tough. You were not always the most agreeable kid. Frankly, you were kind of a hellion. But boy, in these past sixish months, you have grown so much. You are much more reasonable and really quite logical. You are super smart and that is very evident in the conversations you and I have. You are funny and expressive. You are really a great sidekick during the day.
We moved to Frisco this summer and you took that all in stride. Although you talk about missing “Arkansalt”, as long as your brothers are with you, you are fine. You took swimming lessons this summer in Texas. It was a nice break from the extreme heat. The class had four students and you were the only boy:). You weren’t sure you wanted to go to any of the lessons but you always went and did just as you were told and overall, you seemed to enjoy it.
In August, you began preschool at the Musical Arts Schoolhouse in Frisco. Moving late in the summer made it questionable whether you were going to even get into a school but God always takes care of us and gives us things we didn’t even know we were looking for. Ms. Lacy is your teacher on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. She calls you and the other students “friends”. As with most things, you are not really excited about going but when I pick you up, you always tell me that you had a great day. Your class spends 45 minutes in each of the following areas: art, music, theater, academics, and dance. I ask you quite often about dance class. All you tell me is that you dance “big boy dance” not “girl dance”. I am not sure what that means. I may have to sneak a peek one of these days. I think you have found a place you feel comfortable and a teacher you really like.
And I am not sure, but I think all this creative time has really had an impact in your personality. You have become SO expressive. You are a ham these days. You love to have dance parties with Mac and I swear, if you lost your hands tomorrow you would lose your ability to talk too:). You talk quite a bit and get frustrated if someone doesn’t know what you are talking about. You tell lots of jokes that don’t really make any sense but you are super funny when you don’t mean to be.
Although things are getting a lot better between you and your siblings, you still give your brothers fits, especially Sam. You might just give him a heart attack one of these days. You found his button early and push it frequently. You love him but like to drive him batty! In the new house, you share a room with Sam. You two are forming a great friendship and making wonderful memories but neither of you know it just yet.
You have the smarts and abilities of an older kid but the reason of a 3 turning 4 year-old. That can get you into hot water with the older boys and even with Mac. He is just enough into your business that I am not sure you care much for him these days but for the most part you look out for him. Sometimes you’ll almost kill him trying to keep him out of harm’s way but it seems your heart is in the right spot.
This week, you start basketball. You have never done anything like this before so you are not quite certain you are capable but I am sure you are gonna be a champ! You get dragged to all of Sam and Will’s extracurricular activities so it will be kind of nice for you to have your time to shine. I will let you know in another blog how it turns out.
Really Isaac, we have had some rough days with you. You are incredibly stubborn and carry an attitude with it. But over the last several months, you have become such a sweet, young boy. You are a great snuggler and come to our bed often in the middle of the night. You won’t hear your daddy or I complain because we love having you there.
You have soft, sweet eyes and a gentle smile (with a dead tooth or two:)). You have personality that will take you places. Coming up third in line, I am excited that you are beginning to take on a world of your own. You are figuring things out and the world out with it. Your brain is always working and I am never surprised but usually tickled at what you come up with.
You still love your cold milk and need help getting the lights on in the “bafroom”. You eat very little variety. You pretty much just eat yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, anything sugary, bananas, the little oranges, chicken, chicken, and more CHICKEN. Oh, and you eat grilled cheese too but no other sandwiches and no cheese outside of the grilled kind.
You are a complicated bug Isaac Chism but I love you. You are precious, and I know God has some amazing things in store for you. By the way, the other day you asked me, “When is Jesus gonna shave?” I cannot wait to see what you do with all of those gifts He gave you. I know it is going to be amazing!
I love you buddy! Happy 4th Birthday Ike:).

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Happy 10th Birthday Will!

Happy 10th Birthday Will. Wow! It seems like forever ago that we brought you home but then again, time sure has flown by. This past year has been especially crazy. With only about 30% of your support, we moved to Texas. I say 30% because there were parts of moving that interested you like having an upstairs and getting your own bedroom but the other 70% of you was pretty happy back in NWA. Although it was actually the second place you lived, Cincinnati being your first, NWA was the place you called your home. It was what you knew and where you loved. Your dad and I both know you well so we knew that moving would cause a few bruises but we just really felt like right now, Dallas is where we should be.
So in the past year, you have been busy. You had Mrs. Powell for 3rd grade and you loved her. She was a wonderful teacher who really made you feel comfortable to just be you. Your writing improved tremendously from 2nd grade maybe not because you gained so many new mechanics in her class but possibly because she encouraged and loved on your just in the right way to bring out the best and most creative parts of you. So, thank you to Mrs. Powell.
Now you have Mrs. Theos. She had an uphill battle with you when the year began because 1) you were in a new school, a totally new environment where you weren’t quite certain of yourself and 2) she wasn’t Mrs. Powell. Well, you are about 2 months in and although those first weeks were rough, you are rounding a corner and I think your path is looking clearer to you. Mrs. Theos is not Mrs. Powell. She is not as cuddly or lovey but she is going to be a teacher that challenges you and really develops you in ways no other teacher has. She is a no nonsense kind of teacher. Right now, you don’t exactly appreciate that but as your mother, I do. She is going to make you expect things from yourself. She is going to help make you great!
This summer you chose to take a break from soccer and try baseball. Unfortunately, it has been one of the hottest summers on record so the practices have been brutal. And honestly, although you can do anything you want to do Will Chism, athletics are just something that at this point, you have to work a little harder at because they are not quite as natural as academics or social types of activities. So you are not totally loving baseball because it is hot, time consuming, and quite frankly, hard for you. The first few weeks and even first couple of games, it was pretty apparent that you weren’t digging it but I think you are feeling more comfortable in a lot of areas of your life now and that is bleeding onto the baseball field. You are still learning every single game but you are playing ball now and seeming to enjoy it more and more each game:).
Will, this move has been the toughest on you. But we predicted that before we even committed to moving. We knew it would be hard on you but we also knew that you would find a way to work through it and be a stronger and more compassionate kid for it. And, you are beginning to do that. Three months in, your attitude is improving tremendously and therefore, your schoolwork is too. Your teacher is not always the enemy anymore, sometimes mommy is;). Your steps are lighter now. Your heart is open again. Your smile is genuine. I think you are beginning to understand that as long as you have your God and your family, you have your home. And that is the most important lesson you could have gained from this experience. It is also exactly what Daddy and I have been praying for you. We love you Will Chism, and cannot wait to see what other plans He has for you. Happy Birthday big guy!

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Happy 7th Birthday Sam!

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Happy Birthday, Sambo! Today we celebrate the amazing gift God gave us seven years ago. Today we celebrate you.
The past year has been full of big events. You finished your first year of school at Bernice Young Elementary with Ms. Norris, a teacher that you were kind of afraid of and then began your second year of school but this time at Ashley Elementary with Mrs. Woolford. I am not sure if you are just more certain of yourself this go round or if Mrs. Woolford just gives off a different vibe, but either way, you are not scared anymore.
This year you also finished soccer and swim review (it annoys you and Will if I call them lessons because you know how to swim;)) and began baseball. Unfortunately, you began playing in July in Texas. Most of your practices were in 100+ degree weather so you weren’t lovin’ it but were a trooper and stuck it out. With a lot of practice on your part and patience on your coach’s part, you are getting the hang of it and starting to like it. You actually get a bit excited about it, and that makes me happy and you make me proud.
Because we moved, you got a new bedroom and a new roommate. Now you share a bed with Isaac. He knows you well, how to get under your skin, and how to make your blood boil. You two get tangled up in little disagreements more than any of the other boys but you guys are getting better and might actually be enjoying one another more and more. I think you would prefer to still share with Will but seem to be settling in okay.
You still love playing the Wii but now prefer to play with the neighbor boys or your brothers which is a nice change. You still run as fast as possible into the living room when you first get out of bed afraid you might be missing something. You still have the most infectious and wonderful laugh I have ever been around. (Your daddy and I love to hear you in the back seat of the car. Will can get you so tickled.) You don’t come into our bed in the middle of the night very often anymore but when you do, you still snuggle up as close as you can to Dad or me. You are a great bedfellow!
Academically, you are bright and an amazing reader. Your handwriting is still a bit difficult to read and you could care less about lines on the paper;) but it is all improving. You are extremely tough on yourself and get frustrated if you have to redo homework. I don’t think it is the fact that you have to take the time to redo it but that you didn’t do it just right the first time. I hate correcting you because you are already awfully hard on yourself, and I hate to frustrate you when I know that you are doing your best.
Honestly, I hate correcting you in general. If I say something to you about poor judgment or a mistake you might have made, you quite often get these big tears in your eyes. It is very sad, pathetic really. I have really never seen anything like it. You can be fine one minute and then huge crocodile tears the next! I think acting might be for you:).
Sam, you are an awesome little boy. You have a very tender heart and are a ton of fun to be around. Your laugh and excitement can light up a room. Your anger can also bring one down but we won’t talk about that. You are such a sweet boy with great intentions but can be thrown off track if someone, aka Isaac, tries to annoy you. You are also very honest which tends to make you very funny! You are a precious, precious gift, and I am so very thankful to God for giving you to me so that I could be your mommy. I cannot wait to see the plans God has for you. I know they’re going to be awesome!!!!
Happy 7th Birthday Sam.
PS – Here is a letter that I gave to your teacher, Mrs. Woolford. She had asked for a little background on all of her students. Here is what I wrote:
Dear Mrs. Woolford,
Sam is the second oldest of our four boys. As one of our middle children, he seeks a world of truth and justice. We work hard to create as much “fairness” as we can, but we remind him regularly and he experiences regularly that life is just not fair.
Sam is our son that most lives and leads with his heart. Therefore, he can be our emotional child at times. When he is sad, you can tell and when he is happy or excited, he is fun!
He is a bit more shy than the other boys when he is new to a situation but quickly warms up, finds his place, and falls right in line. He follows rules and really thrives in a structured environment.
Sam is an awesome reader and enjoys chapter books. The expected reading level for the end of Kindergarten in Arkansas was 4. Sam finished at a level 24. His fine motor skills, however, are a lot less developed, and this is the area we hope to see tremendous growth. His writing skills in terms of mechanics are poor but we know that with practice, he can and will improve. (As you might have noticed, his poor penmanship was probably inherited.)
We would also love to see an overall increase in his confidence level. He is not as self-assured as his older brother, Will, who Sam swears hung the moon! Sam can close up out of fear of an authority figure. We are working on teaching him to ask when he has a question and volunteer when he knows the answer.
Overall, Sam is a genuinely sweet boy. We are new to Texas so more than just your classroom is unfamiliar to him. We have been praying for our boys, their new school, and their new teachers (Mrs. Theos & you). If there is any way we can help make this year and/or Sam’s transition smoother, please just let us know!

Thank you,
Brent & Ashlee Chism

The Rest of Us - Brent, Ash, & Mac

Brent is loving his new job at Dr. Pepper. He loves the pressure of making important decisions that can make or break you. I on the other hand, would hate it. I like someone else to make the decisions and just tell me what to do But, Brent is doing his thing and doing it well. He is getting great feedback and has found a place that he feels comfortable and valued. And that makes me happy!
Mac & I are trying our best to find a groove. Mac is a very busy boy, very busy boy. He keeps me on my toes. I feel like I get very little accomplished in the day because he is tough to run errands with and at home, I have to keep my eyes on him all the time. The only way I am writing this blog right now is because he is asleep. And when he rests, it is so very peaceful.
All in all, these past few months have been whacked out busy, but you know what? It has been wonderful! Our family is making a major life change and it is so exciting to see what is ahead. I mean, don’t get me wrong, we dearly miss our friends in NWA, our house, school, church, and being close to family. But we have so much to be thankful for and excited about. We are so very blessed!!!!!

Buy Me Some Peanuts & Cracker Jacks

Sam & Will started baseball. They have only played in preseason tournaments up to this point so it will be interesting to see how the regular season goes. So far, my boys are making HUGE strides. They had never played or even been interested in baseball before this year. I am not sure they were interested in playing even this year but they had to choose a sport, and I guess they were tired of soccer. Well, it has been an eye opener for them. They really knew very little about the game at all (not for lack of effort on their father’s part). But in such a short time and with great pain, they are getting it. Although Will thinks we are pushing sports for scholarship opportunities, we really just want them to understand the game, feel comfortable playing it, and be willing and open to all things new. You know what, they are doing just that. I mean, I am amazed. It has been SOOOOOO hot here this summer. Many, many days of 100+ heat with 2 hour practices and they have complained a little, but really given it effort and are doing their best. I am SO proud to watch them, cheer them on, and to take them home, even when Sam hit the ball and ran to 3rd

First Day of School in Texas

The boys started 1st & 4th grade at their new school, Ashley Elementary. Being new, we weren’t sure what teachers to want or not want, so we were indifferent when we were assigned Mrs. Woolford for Sam and Mrs. Theos for Will. They have been in the classroom for 3 weeks now, and although they have had some bumps, it is going to be a great year. Sam seems to really like his teacher. At the end of each day, I ask how it went, and every day, he says, “Awesome!” Will on the other hand has had a bit more of a slow start. I am not sure it is his teacher but possibly that each year gets progressively less fun and more intent on work. That just bums him out Having been around both their teachers a couple times now, I know that this year will be challenging, full of growth potential, and one to remember!
Isaac started Preschool this year. He is attending a musical arts preschool. He spends 45 minutes in each of 5 areas: academic, music, art, theater, & dance. His class meets from 12:00 – 3:45 on Tuesday-Thursday. He complains every day that he has to go but when I pick him up, he is in a super good mood and speaks of the awesome day that he had! I am hoping to sneak over sometime to check out the dance class. I can only imagine the fun that looks like!

Summer 2011

Over the Summer, we were very busy trying to sell the house and wrap our brains around the idea that our home on Firefly Catch would only be “ours” for a little while longer. This was the home that we built to live in forever. We brought three of the four boys home from the hospital to this house. It was the place we made some of our closest friendships, some of our most wonderful memories and within a short time, we would call somewhere else home. It was sad but it was also very exciting. God has always taken care of us. I am not sure we have always understood His plan or gone along with it happily but He has always taken care of us. And even in our sadness, we could see He was working.
My mom, Nana, stayed with us most of the Summer. Nana & Pawpaw relocated to NWA, yes just as we were relocating out of there, so Nana stayed with us to help in Brent’s absence. We loved having her. I think she loved being there too. Although, there were days (house showing days), that she was wishing she was staying somewhere else. We took home showing to a whole new level of crazy! Trash cans out, hampers out, dirty clothes out, soft music playing, all lights on, blinds open, shower curtains open, baked goods on the table, and always something to drink! Yep, doing that enough times could definitely get you a visit to the crazy house!!
Thankfully, a wonderful family purchased our home and that allowed us to purchase a home in Frisco, TX. So, on July 11, 2011, we closed on our new home in Texas. We have been here just under 2 months and God has taken care of us. We see it every day. Sometimes it is in a big way, other days in a small little way. We struggled with choosing a house here. Heck, there are SO many choices. So feeling confident in our choice was difficult. But again, God has taken care. We have a couple new families that just moved in about the same time as us. They each have 2 boys. (Probably asking too much for any household to provide a playmate for all my kiddos;)) Two of the boys are just Will and Sam’s ages. Another boy is just in between Will & Sam and still another is closer to Isaac’s age. So, for all intents and purposes, the boys are taken care of. Almost every single day, the doorbell rings and a little boy is on the other side asking the boys to come out and play. And that is wonderful!
This summer we have spent special time with family, celebrated friendships that will last a lifetime, said goodbye to our old home and found comfort in a new one. Brent spent his first weekend with all three boys, ALONE and I got to have a special time with my college friends right here in Dallas. When I look at the pictures in this slideshow, I realize how much life we live, how tremendously blessed we are. There is love and fun in each of these photos. This summer seemed to fly by but in looking back at the pictures, we savored our time and hold those memories and people so very close. God is a great God!!!