Round Three

Adam is now officially in Kindergarten! Adam is such a joy----he is the child that runs and jumps into your arms when you walk into the door, the one that if you ask him to do something he either says, "ok mommy!" or "mom, i just want to relax", but they are both in such an adorable voice I almost don't care! He's the boy that can make a crying baby start laughing and loves to color, make things (such as the "camping beanbags" he made for everyone in the family that included rocks, grass, etc. in ziploc bags, personalized with different colors of paper inside for each person!). Adam has the best laugh---oh, I just love this 5 year old sooo much!

Round Two

Luke had his first day back at preschool today and did great. He ran right in with a smile ear to ear, jumped around the squares on the floor and then got right to work! It's so fun to see him know just what to do there.

And in other news, this little guy has found his new favorite spot to be, as in: don't put me down!

Round One

I have so much summer to still post---it's on my never ending to do list! Julia and Jack started school today, then next week Luke starts preschool again and Adam in Kindergarten. Wow, that leaves just me and Ezra for a couple of hours everyday---the options seem endless!

Here are the darling and dashing Julia & Jack:



I should mention it's near impossible to get a natural smile out of Jack, he's got an upper lip thing going on. So, then I tell them put your arm around each other and Julia squeals, "Mom, this isn't working out!"


I finally just ask Jack to not smile. Then one last shot & oh yes he brings a ball to school everyday and bounced it the whole walk home! Then he was so done with pictures!



But, that Julia is always up for one more smile!

Adam met with his teacher today for his assessment and I was giving him all this advice, "Use good manners, speak loud and clear enough", etc. and Jack pipes up and says, "And slick your hair". I think Adam has the hair slick down---cute boy!

Ezra

Who knew Macaroni & Chesse could be so fun?!

Mother of the Year

I almost have no words to describe how bad I feel about this!

Tonight I decided it was a good time to cut the boys' hair. Ezra first, he did good, looks a lot more blonde now! Next up, Luke---he didn't totally need a hair cut, but since I was doing the other boys, I thought why not? I had an extra capri sun from some baseball treats, well this is a huge treat for Luke because we just don't give him junk food. So, I thought this is great, he'll drink the capri sun while I cut his hair. I got the bottom half done, number 2, looking good!
Capri sun is starting to get low, he's starting to get squirmy, he takes the straw out and puts it back in to get those last precious sips. Right as he sucessfully gets the straw back in, Ezra is freaking out as Adam is trying to get him out of the bathroom as I'm telling Adam to play with baby Ezra, and Luke is as still as can be, going in for his last bit of drink and I have a fleeting thought, "Here's my chance to get the top while he is so still." One short stroke and GASP! I hold my hand to my mouth in total shock and start to cry----The guard wasn't on!!!! I took off the number 2 to put on the number 4 all at the same time as the screaming Ezra and Adam chaos erupted. But, obviously number 4 wasn't on yet!

I was/am sick about this! My handsome Luke now has a shaved portion of hair/no hair!
I was literally crying and Jack came in and was so cute and calm. He put his hand on my arm and said, "Mom, it's ok, it was just a mistake, everyone will know it was a mistake because no one would do that on purpose!"

I've tried to spike up the rest of his hair and that helped a little. I tried to do some type of comb over, but that only covers up a little. It's just going to be a long few weeks until it grows out! Good thing he is so dang handsome and good thing he enjoyed that capri sun because right after that last sip, he just ran off, happy as can be!

He's watching a movie on the laptop in most of these pictures, that's why he's looking down.
First just focus on that darling face, can't really notice anything from this angle:

Luke thinking up some payback for me for years to come!

The spikes help, a litte:

No, the spikes helped A LOT because the combover action did not work!


I am so sorry Luke, but good thing you are so dang cute, you could rock any hairstyle! And no, I will not be looking into the hairstylist profession!

Double Digit Julia!

Julia had her big birthday---I can't believe we have a ten year old! It was a fun birthday---We went to Lagoon on her birthday. I can't believe she talked me into going on Wicked with her. She kept screaming to me, "MOM, OPEN YOUR EYES!" I really was trying, but the best I could do is a mere squint in one eye! I don't have the roller coaster love I used to have. Ok, I never had it as a child, but then I did for a while, but now I guess having kids has taken it's toll.
Then Julia, Jack & Adam spent the night at Aaron's parents' house--aka, Nana and Baba! This was a fun for them and part of my big surprise---I planned a surprise party for her with her friends & it totally worked! She had no clue and the girls all had a blast.
We had a little family party that night. Grammy and Papa came a couple days later to stretch her birthday into basically a week long celebration!
We love our Julia SO much! She is a the perfect person to have four little brothers---she's loving, patient, wise, funny and a great teacher. I can't count all the times that I see her teaching her brothers things. She knows how to create everything into a fun event and party. We are so thankful for our beautiful Julia!

First Day of Preschool

I know I say it all the time, but I am so proud of Luke. I am very proud of all of my children and I am thankful at how hard they are working to learn and grow and make good choices. But, Luke pulls at my heart strings at a slightly different angle---one that's hard to describe, but to see this little guy work so hard and put some much desire and determination into his life is amazing to me.
Today was his first day of preschool and I am SO happy to report, he did awesome! He sat in the chair for each rotation of 15 minutes, he paid attention, he followed instructions----he did it!
In all the rush to get there on time this morning I didn't get pictures before. So, by the time I got these pictures, he was ready to get out the door!

Fathers & Sons BYU Camp

I forgot to post these great pictures of an awesome weekend Aaron and Jack had. They attended the BYU Father's and Son's Basketball Camp. It was weekend packed with events, games, instruction, food and lots of great memories. Jack was really excited about getting a basketball that he got all the player's signatures on. Also, he was REALLY happy about the surprise guest speaker--Jimmer!





I'm so glad they were able to have this weekend together. These were definately memories that will last forever!

Smirks

There is a reason we call him smirks---because he's smirky, adorable and a bit of a rascal!

I posted a bunch all at once today, don't forget to scroll all the way down to the first post for today to hear one of my all time favorite things that Adam has ever said---he's says a lot of hilarious things, so that's saying a lot!

Rain....

It has been a very rainy spring/summer so far here in Smithfield, so much so that I don't know if Jack & Adam will ever really get a baseball season in!
Jack has had one game at least---It was on a night that Aaron also had a game, so Julia & Adam wanted to go to that. I had this great idea that we could just pull the car up really close and watch the game from the car, two babies strapped into their car seats, I brought toys & snacks for my plan to work----as you can imagine, my plan lasted about 10 minutes! Then it was stroller time to watch Jack's game!

End of School Year

I think the end of the school year is officially now as busy as Christmas time! It was fun, but really busy. Julia was in the fun run at the Sky View track. She also received her Great Utah Award after a lot of hard work throughout the year. Julia and Jack both had a great school year & we are so happy with the school they go to!

Camp Fife

Jack & I survived our first Cub Scouts Day Camp. I should say Jack thrived, I survived! Lots of rain, freezing cold for June, but we got through!

Surprises Everyday--Post Edit!

It's amazing to me that I can still have mom moments that surprise me on a daily basis---Mostly I feel like I've seen & heard it all until things like this happen:

*Today Adam was being a little over the top and I said, "Adam, you need to settle down" & he said, "Sorry Mom, I'm just in a superity, duperity good mood!" What could I do other than laugh?
Then, moments later after finishing his lunch he ran off saying, "Yummy, there's a party in my tummy!"

*Then, I walked into this:(took the picture off---realized I'm a little too desensitized to baby stuff---Baby yucky stuff!
Little one experienced his first shower this morning to be able to clean up this doosey!

Three Cheers

Our Luke is 3! Tonight when I asked the kids what word they thought of when they thought of Luke, everyone blurted out "strong, tough" He's that alright, and adorable!

Here's to the strongest, most handsome, hardest working 3 year old we know!
Love him so very much!

Special Day

Our handsome Jack was baptized today---what a great day! We are so thankful for all the family that came and supported us on this special day. It was so fun to have grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins all around!

New Chapter--YIKES!

I've decided that I need to blog more, not cute, lots of pictures blog, just blog enough to record what's going on because there's a lot going on!

Last night I got a phone call that I don't think I'm ready for, actually one that has felt like a cloud looming over me as the reality of having four boys sinks in.

"Hi, I'm calling to tell you all about the upcoming scout meetings" She went on to talk about shirts, patches, pins, whatever---I was in a daze thinking about how quickly my Jack has come to this point in his life!
After that I heard a whole slew of words that frankly scared me, "packs, dens, cubs, bears, wolves"---why do all the names sound like they are about to attack me?!

Then the topper, "There is a Scout Day Camp that Jack is invited to in the month of June." "Day Camp?" I ask---where? "At a scout site around Tremonton."

At this point in mind I'm thinking, "you are not driving my barely eight year old to Tremonton with who knows what supervision!" But wait, it gets better, she rattled off the agenda filled with BB guns, zip lines and the list goes on! Now I'm really having to take deep breaths.

So, I did I'm sure I will be kicking myself for in June. I graciously said, "I do have some concerns with transportation for that distance, so I will take Jack and go to the day camp."

Of course she was thrilled with the added help, but she will quickly realize that I am NOT an asset at a scouting event, I am a liability, a safety patrol liability!

Absolutes

This post has been a long time coming and I'm really just writing it for myself more than anyone else.

Today I was sitting in the hallway at a building at Utah State University where Luke receives a lot of his therapy. This was a first---me sitting in the hallway waiting, while he was in the room just with the therapist. Talk about major cutting of the apron strings!

I was sitting there in a total daze staring at the carpet with thoughts of "how did we get here?", "are the appointments ever going to end?", "how can we better support Luke's needs?", "what will things be like in 2-3 years, 5 years, 20 years?" Questions, Questions, Questions! When out of no where a lady walked up and said, "Are you here for the interview?" Without even thinking, I laughed and said, "No, I already got the job, I'm the mom!"

At first I just laughed about it, but then with more time to think, the depth of that statement sunk in. Sometimes the most obvious of things are the most poignant if the timing is just right. I AM THE MOM! Luke is my child, Luke is amazing, strong, beautiful, precious, smart, a boy with a will of iron and the endurance of a champion & I got the job to be his mom. WOW!

In the last several months I have cried enough to fill buckets. I have cried and cried as the reality of the scope of Luke's challenges have unfolded. Why have I cried? Let me explain....

I have cried not because I am stressed over all the million appointments, calls to insurance companies, dr. offices, internet research on every ingredient, vitamin, mineral known to mankind (slight exaggeration, but only slight!). I have cried not because this whole situation has changed our family, each one of us, no because there have been so many blessings in that. I have come to realize all the amazing ways that our hearts have opened and lessons that we have learned that could never have come through any other way.

The reason I have cried is because while I understand and accept all that I need to learn from this and am totally willing to carry on, I have really struggled to understand and accept why Luke has to endure this. I don't want his life to be harder than it has to be.

So, I have cried to release all the sadness that life is hard, sometimes harder than we expected it to be, sometimes a lot harder than we expected it to be. At several points along the way I have had amazing moments of reassurances of Luke's strengths, the Lord's awareness and the ultimate power of the Atonement.

So, I don't have all the answers to the questions that were running through my head today (everyday!), I don't even have very many answers at all. When you have this many uncertainties, you are forced to look at the absolutes.

The absolutes are that:
1. Luke is making progress, albeit slow, he is making some progress in the areas of awareness, behavior and communicative intent.
2. He is meant to go through this for a purpose (that statement is extremely painful still for me to admit, although I know it's true.) I may never fully understand all the purposes of it in this lifetime.
3. Aaron and I love him so incredibly much that we will not leave any rock unturned to try to help him meet his potential in this life. We feel this way about each of our children.
4. I am here for Luke, through everything---EVERYTHING! I got the job, I'm his mom and I get it---I get him!
5. Our loving Heavenly Father is completely aware of Luke's struggles. He is guiding all of our efforts in Luke's behalf.

I would love to look back on this post and think, "that was hard, but everything turned out great!" I have a tremendous amount of hope for Luke's future, but the other absolute is that no matter how things turn out, words could not even scratch the surface to describe how much I will always, absolutely love that child.

Adam's Birthday

Adam is five! He was so excited that his birthday this year fell on easter egg hunt day (the day before easter sunday). He was singing all day, "Today is my birthday, I'm five years old--Adam is five!"
Adam is a spirited child that loves to have fun, talk and learn. He loves to play with others---always wanting Julia and Jack to play with him. He comes up with the funniest things. Before he goes to bed, he always says, "But, I need to watch my midnight movie". I have no idea where he got that one! Adam loves to have your undivided attention and loves to love! He finds joy in so many things. We love our Adam!