There is a chance...a pretty good chance that I have lost nearly all of my pictures. Somewhere north of 40,000 between smart phones and my "real" camera. The series of events aren't worth recapping. But as I prayed for peace over this heartbreaking loss last night, I was reminded of this blog.
So today I finally logged back on and was thrilled to discover that many of my very favorite pictures, ones I was devastated to lose, are here! I am so grateful to past me for putting in the time to record these precious moments in our family's journey. And it is the reminder that present me needed to try again. Life moves so quickly and it is important that I pause every once in a while so I can process, record, and reflect.
Here we are at the end of April in 2024. Our family has grown by 2. I never imagined being the mother to 6, but I am immensely grateful for each of them! Days go by in a blur of school work, meals and dishes and the weeks fly by with practices, games, and social events (mostly Scarlett's). Today Jake is eye to eye with Arthur and James passed me up on his 13th birthday just like Jacob did. Both boys are in entering their last week of their respective challenge years, and summer break is almost here!
I have goals to make some fun memories this summer. My hope is that this blog will be full of fun pictures of trips to waterfalls and lakes. The kids are counting down until the neighborhood pool opens next month. And while I am also looking forward to this summer, I am in disbelief that it is already here.
Jake is 16 and on the final stretch of his time as one of the kids. I feel the transition as he shifts into a young man. And while it is exciting and wonderful, it is just as terrifying and gut wrenching. And as we come to the end of his Sophomore year, i am grieving. It feels weird to grieve someone when they are standing in front of you...but motherhood is to live in a space where you feel every emotion in the same moment. When he was just a couple of days old, I remember holding him in my arms and sobbing. I knew then how quickly it would all go and how he wasn't really mine...he was always on loan. They all are.
James is right behind Jake. My Sweet Baby James is now a handsome teenager. He is still the kindest person I know, and I often feel like we don't deserve him. However, there is a little bit of an edge to him now. Having Jake for a brother has probably toughened him up, but in a good way. James and Jake are still the very best of friends and I think they would both choose hanging out together over anyone else in the world. James has really risen to the "challenge" of his first year of Challenge. I knew the workload was going to feel overwhelming at first because 7th grade is a big transition year in CC. And I worried he might shut down. But he absolutely did the opposite. His drive, discipline, and confidence have all increased this year and I see it in all aspects of his life soccer, school, socially...he is coming into his own and it is a joy to watch.
Scarlett is probably the most creative person I have ever met. The ideas she comes up with and the things she creates blow me away. Skylar loves to play with her because she creates the most amazing imaginary worlds for them to visit. But Skylar is left devastated when Scarlett is ready to do something else even if they have played for hours. Friend time fills Scarlett's bucket and she has developed some very long lasting friendships over the years. Given all our moves and how young she was when she met some of these girls, it is a testament to how special she is that these relationships have endured. Amelia and Ellsa specifically have both been in her world for over half her life! Since moving to Murfreesboro she has developed friendships through church and in the neighborhood. But don't get on her bad side cause that fire and attitude is still in full effect. And while I don't enjoy being on the receiving end and being called things like "grumpy mom 2.0", I secretly admire it!
Jonah is a big boy now. He is tall, thin, and athletic as ever! Arthur has spent the last two years as his club soccer coach and it has been a special experience for them both. Being the third son, I think it was nice for him to have something unique with his dad. He is a work horse and has incredible drive and discipline for someone so young. That combined with nature talent, they sky is the limit for him. He is also that way with is school work too. He is bright and learns quickly. Like James, Math seems to come easily for him and he has really enjoyed taking piano lessons this year. He makes friends easily and is happiest outside going from one sport/game to the next with the neighborhood boys. He can hardly wait to the pool to open and for summer break to be here so his friends won't be in school all day.
Skylar is our sensitive girl. And very often her big feeling overwhelm her and she needs mom's snuggles and assurance to help her feel calm and safe again. I am grateful she came after I had some motherhood under my belt because I now have the patience and experience to let ride her wave of emotions without getting swept away with them too. As a baby we used to call her the "Soul Starer" because she would just look deeply into people's eyes like she was looking right into the depths of their souls. That natural intuition and ability to read people has remained her super power and we really try to respect her read on people and situations. Maybe it is her native ancestry. She is our Baby Bean, so that would make sense.
Jaren is our cutest guy. He is nineteen months and he is feeling more toddler than baby these days. His vocabulary is exploding and he is now starting to add verbs and speak in phrases. Like his older brothers, he is already obsessed with soccer. He dribbles, passes, and shoots the ball better than most kids several years older, and like Jonah at that age, he seems to already have some understanding of the game. there is no shortage of attention for him at home. Someone is always willing to play pass, jump on the "tampeen", take him outside, or build him a marble track. He adores his daddy and listens for his truck so he can run and give Arthur big hugs when he gets home from work. It melts Arthur's heart every time. But he has that affect on all of us! He is just the perfect amount of goofy and sweet and he is all boy!
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