Happy Belated 3rd Birthday Mac!

Happy Birthday Buddy! I am SUPER late in writing this post but frankly, life has been crazy busy. I will attribute most of that crazy to you;) so I hope you understand. Let me begin by saying that you are awesome! You are really a lot of fun. Everything is exciting to you. If I offer to take y'all swimming, you are ready to go. If I ask if you want a snack, you come running. If I buy bread at the store, you are over the moon! You are great and life to you is F-U-N! Because of this "go for it" kind of attitude, you can be challenging. You are always into something. I'm not sure I can really fault you for it though. You see your brothers doing things and you figure out how to do them too. And since there are four of you and one of me, you have some free time to get into some trouble. (You are too smart for your own good.) Last summer you wandered away from your dad at the family reunion at the Red Apple Inn in Heber Springs, AR. It is an older resort with lots of older people. It is a prim and proper kind of establishment. When we found you, you were naked and peeing in the Inn's fountain right in front of their floor to ceiling windows that looked into the breakfast brunch;) I think you left a long lasting impression on the Red Apple Inn and I am not sure we will be allowed back.:) This year you also cut your own hair with dad's clippers. You found them out on the counter and started at the center, front of your head. They were on the shortest setting so we just went ahead and had your head shaved. We were leaving for Disney World the next day and I think some people thought we had brought a child for the Make-A-Wish Foundation:) You love playing outside, no matter the temperature. If I say that it is hot, you say, "No, it not hot. It warm." You love to play all sports but you love just kicking the ball too. Right now, you want people to kick with you but you require that everyone begin with exercise. We probably spend more time "exercising" than playing soccer. And I will say that if anyone were to see what you have us do and the fact that we do it, they would think we were not right;) I think you enjoy seeing what you can make us do. And then laugh on the inside at how ridiculous we look:) Mac, you love to laugh. You smile a lot. You are full of life! Yes, you have moments of frustration and scream but mostly, you are joy. You are beginning to really play with Isaac who has kind of taken you under his wing in the last few months. I think you will be great friends one day very soon. Mostly right now though, you are my buddy. You kind of go everywhere with me. You always wanna go. You think I am amazing. The feeling is mutual;) Many of my errands are twice as challenging because you are my sidekick but they are also always much more interesting. They are always more unpredictable when you come along. Mac, I love you very much. And even though you create quite a bit more work, you are worth it. I love that when I call you dude, you say, "I am not dude. I am Mac, MacArfur, M A C." I treasure our bedtime together when you say, "Goodnight Mom. I wub you." It just melts my heart. I am so thankful that God gave you to me. You make me a better mom and a better person. Thank you for challenging me to be better, smarter, faster, and more open to all the little blessings in life! I love you and Happy Belated Birthday MacArfur:)

Happy 5th Birthday Isaac, a little/lot late!

Happy birthday Ike! You are 5 years-old and boy are you growing up fast. I think having two older brothers that you really think are spectacular is rushing the process. You just want to do and be all they are. Wow! How a year has changed you! Last year at this time you were crying when you had to go to preschool and never wanted to leave my side. You were clingy! Now, you can’t wait to go to school and always walk out with a skip in your step and a smile on your face. That makes me feel sooooo happy! And although you are not super happy when I have to get a sitter or when I leave for anything, you at least make the best of it while I am gone and celebrate when I return. A mom has got to love that:) You are playing soccer again this season. You are the only boy in the family playing this Spring but you don’t seem to mind. You just go out there and do your thing. You are fun to watch. You are also interested in music right now. While the other boys would rather watch a movie in the car, you quite often will choose to listen to music. Your favorite two songs in the car are from the soundtrack to Cars the movie and one from Jars of Clay:). We listen to them over and over as we drive down the road. I am not sure you ever get tired of those songs. You also pick up other songs really quickly. So quite often I will see you playing on your Kindle and singing to yourself some song you heard on the radio or off of tv. You also like to keep the beat with your finger and dance now and again in the car. You might just be our musician of the bunch! You are also so smart. You are learning so much at school but really, the world is your classroom. You say the funniest and really, some very witty things. You are sharp! You are also very honest. You say what you mean and mean what you say. And although some might take offense to the way you approach them or don’t approach them, it is always genuine and a person has to find that refreshing. We know what and who you like and what and who you don’t. It makes me frustrated sometimes but mostly makes me laugh and shake my head:) Isaac, this is a big year for you. You will start school in the Fall and soon my morning entertainment will go from two to one. But I am very excited for you. You are a special guy, and I cannot wait to see all that God has planned for you! Happy birthday Isaac. I love you to the moon and back, and I am so proud to be your mama!

Happy 11th Birthday Will!

Happy 11th Birthday Will! Where has the time gone? Where is the little boy that at 2 years-old complimented me on my belt and at 4 years-old cried with me about my Granny’s passing? Where is that little boy? That little boy is gone and in his place is a too rapidly growing, too quickly maturing 11 year-old. But you know what? You are an awesome 11 year-old! I miss that little boy but I love the sweet, big boy that you have become. You have always been good to your brothers and even though you are getting bigger and needing more space, you have not changed. Sure, you give them a bit of attitude from time to time but I get that. They all think you hung the moon so they follow you and invade your space quite a bit. But for the most part, you are kind and gracious to share that space with all of them. You are fully immersed in 5th grade now and this year seems to be going smoother for you than the last one. You are no longer the “new kid” and you have found your circle of close friends. Unfortunately, you are more interested in your friends than your school work and that is reflected in the work you bring home. You are a super smart kiddo. Your teachers and your parents know this. We wish you did. You are playing soccer but it isn’t really your thing. You are participating because we made you. Right now, sports just aren’t what interest you. We keep encouraging a variety of activities in hopes of lighting a fire under your butt and getting you excited about something but you just haven’t found your passion. In time, that will come. Okay, so you found one passion this year, girls. You are becoming quite interested in them and have your eye on one or two. Unfortunately, you don’t believe me that regular showering will help in wooing the girls so we discuss your hygiene almost daily Maybe I should be thankful that you don’t love to shower. You are a sweet and handsome boy. The girls will find you soon enough! Will, you are a really great kid. Your heart is tender. Your spirit is good. You are extremely empathetic and very loyal. I love you and want everything in the world for you. And you know what, I am quite certain you will probably get that! Happy Birthday Sweet William. You make me proud.

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Happy 8th Birthday Sam!

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Happy 8th Birthday Sam! You are an awesome kid and I am so glad we get to celebrate your big day with you. You are a special guy with a lot of heart. You are tender and thoughtful. You are sweet and loyal. You have one of the best hearts I know. A few months back, you got an invitation to a birthday party. You came in excited to show us. I was sad to have to inform you that we would be out of town on that day so you would not be able to go. Your reply, “Good ‘cause I didn’t want to go if Will and Ike were not invited.” You are just that kid who thinks of others. You are happy with others and sad with them too. This year you finished first grade and moved onto second. You loved your teacher last year. This year, on meet the teacher night, your new teacher, Mrs. Anderson, had a fun size chocolate bar on each of the desks. You turned to me and said, “I am so lucky! I had the best teacher in all of first grade last year. This year I think I have the best teacher in second grade.” You started piano lessons this year. At first you thought it was fun but you are a perfectionist so it quickly became a source of frustration for you. You lasted about 9 months. You tried baseball for the first time last fall. It was a real welcome to Texas. All the kids were quite familiar with the game but it was new to you. You were hard on yourself but had a great coach who encouraged you and really worked to develop your confidence. You did try to run to third after one at bat instead of first but with each game, you got better and we couldn’t have been more proud. After that one season, your team was moving onto a more challenging level so you decided to throw yourself back into soccer. Your team in the spring didn’t quite have it together but now you are on a new team and it seems to be a better fit. Your coaches are very enthusiastic and encouraging and they love your energy during the games. They love your heart. And that is who you are Sam, all heart. When you are sad, it is heart-wrenching. When you are excited, it is awesome. You are still my most ticklish son, and your laugh is contagious! You are an incredible little man, and I am so proud to be your mama. You make me smile with your large vocabulary. You make me laugh with your take on life. There is already so much wisdom in your little body. You take care of your younger brothers and idolize your older one. Thanks for making my job easier. Thanks for making my days brighter. Thanks for making me want to be a better, more empathetic, and loving person. Thanks for being you.

Happy Birthday Macadoodle!

Happy Birthday Macadoodle! I cannot believe it has only been two years since your arrival. It seems like you have been here forever. And boy, life sure must have been slow before you got here 'cause we have been on one crazy train since then. You are an adorable, sweet, smart, ornery, and creative little guy. We can't take our eyes off you for very long because you are always exploring and figuring things out. No lock can hold you in. No door will keep you out. You have been slow to speak but we all know that your wheels are turning. You have figured out how to escape your crib, tear off the child proof knobs on the doors, unlock your bedroom door, and unlatch the gate from the courtyard into the front yard. More than once, our neighbors have returned you to us:) You love books and cars. You LOVE sports of all sorts. But, to participate to your liking, all involved must be wearing a baseball cap. Clothes are optional but hats are not;) You have begun to speak more within the past month or two. Your favorite phrases are "pease" (please), "thank choo" (thank you), "r you?" (where are you), and "wa" (Will). You do not pronounce your "sh" and "u" sounds clearly. They are actually very nasally. Shoes and juice are words only your mama can understand. But, each day you get a little clearer and with three older brothers, what is the rush. They are happy to talk for you:) And those three boys love you. Although they would appreciate you leaving their things alone, they think you are adorable and love to brag to their friends about all the new things you are doing. Will also likes to take charge of you in public. He figured out pretty quickly that cute toddlers attract cute girls! Mac, I had three boys before you arrived but none of them prepared me for you. You are your own individual with your own ideas and determination. You see your big brothers doing things and by golly, you are gonna do them too. You move chairs so that you can reach things. You use drawer knobs as foot holds so that you can scale any counter top. No one is gonna hold you back. The Lord knows that many of us have tried but you are not to be stopped. And although I fear for your safety daily, I know that creativity and determination will serve you well in life. You are gonna do some amazing things in life. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for you. I love you Macadoodle. You have given me quite a few gray hairs this past year but you are too sweet to not be forgiven. Happy 2nd Birthday Big Guy!

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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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