Kohen...and how he has changed my life!

Today I was e-mailing my brother in law who is over seas fighting for our freedom. (LOVE that even though we are at war I can still hear from him regularly, modern technology is amazing!) Danny recently became an Uncle. A 'real' Uncle this time. He's Uncle Danny to our three kiddos, and Uncle Danny to his brothers step daughter, but his brother recently had a baby - Cayden was born in January. (Congrats to all!) I was telling Danny how amazing it is to have kids. It made me think of my little Kohen. My 3 year old fire ball, full of attitude and snuggles. He's been the best sleeper of our 3 littles, and I think he has the biggest case of 'Terrible 3's' I've ever seen! When I met Matt Kersi had just turned 1, she was amazing with her springy blond curls. I LOVED playing dress up with her and putting her hair in a million different smiles. I loved her instantly! Matt and I got pregnant about a month after we were married and had lost our baby at 12 weeks. I know in my heart he was a boy, and he is watching over us from Heaven. When we found out we were pregnant again I was scared, but SOOO excited! I knew Kadyn was going to be a boy, my intuition KNEW he was. I loved him from the moment that second line showed up on that white stick. I felt like I had 'extra' love built up that I wasn't able to share with our first baby. Kadyn had SUCH a personality the entire pregnancy, I really felt like I KNEW my baby boy, long before he entered this world. Our family dynamic was changing, and it was amazing. Kersi went from our little 'toddler' to this mini-person, almost over night! She loved her brother SO much, and he was HER's. She got the nickname 'lil mama' when I was pregnant, always wrapping her babies up, and carrying them everywhere. My favorite was after Kadyn was born and I was nursing him inside Starbucks, and I look over and Kersi has a blanket over her shoulder nursing her baby as well! Time just kept moving along. Kersi turned 6, Kadyn turned 1 and I cried. My little baby was getting so big! The day after we had Kadyn's 1st birthday party we saw that second line on the white stick again and I was SO nervous. How in the WORLD could I manage to love ANOTHER little person?? Am I capable of that much love? Do I have it in me? Where will it come from? During my pregnancy with Kohen I almost felt like I was neglecting him at times, I didn't talk to him as much as I did Kadyn and I was finding being pregnant again seemed more 'normal.' The scary things I had with Kadyn were okay this time around, I knew what to expect for the most part. When Kohen was born, the second I saw his little face I felt how much I was in love with that little boy. He was tiny and precious, and the most handsome skinny little baby I'd ever laid eyes on! He was the best sleeper, the cutest little thing who soon needed his 12 hours. I was a lucky mommy! When his little personality kicked in, oh man! He was all of a sudden a chunky, rolly little guy who was smiling all the time. He has the BIGGEST personality of any little I've ever met. He completely has changed the dynamic of our entire family. He's so smart, it amazes me! He wants to go to school SO bad. He tells me he didn't get to go to school today, in a tone like he's punishing me for not taking him! He is such an amazing little love, who now calls us 'Mom & Dad.' That breaks my heart! Thanks to my little Toey Man, I have NO worries about how I will love Gracie. There is more than enough room in my heart to love her to pieces, and I know she's got three siblings who love her just as much as Matt & I do. Kohen talks to her daily. I think Gracie will recognize his voice before she does anyone else. I know Gracie will again change our dynamic and our little world, and I know it will be for the better, and I truly feel I have Kohen to thank for that. He has taught me so much, I don't think he will ever know how he changed me as a mommy. Mom loves you Kohen Kim.

My favorite 'Kohen Quote' recently;
(He is saying prayer at dinner)
'Thank you for my food and my fam-a-lee. And thank you for my names Kohen.'

Birthdays & Birthdays, Oh My!!

Well - where to begin! We now have a 10 year old and a 5 year old! Kohen still likes to pretend he is 2, even though he is 3 1/2!
We tried some new ideas for the kids birthday cakes this year, thanks to Pinterest! Above is Kersi's tie-dye cake! Turned out pretty fun!

This was our first attempt at a Zebra Cake for Kersi's FIRST EVER sleep over birthday party! (What a tiring night with the girls!!!) So worth it though!!

This is the begining ofKadyn's Dino Cake! It turned out pretty cute when it was done!

And here is a picture of the cupcakes Kadyn brought to his FIRST birthday party at school! I can't believe my little man is FIVE and taking cupcakes to SCHOOL!!!!


Can't believe how much our family is changing, and will continue to change once we welcome Gracie into this world! So excited to see what our future holds!


Ephesians 2:8-10
For by the grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Love - The Fitzpatricks

Trick-or-Treat

Kohen was Bumblebee - and expected to be delivered to each home to do his trick-or-treating!

Kersi was a cute/scary witch! She was more into getting candy then taking pictures for me!

Kadyn is my little poser! Optimums Prime is real!

He LOVED his costume!

All three kids did so well! It was so weird to think that next year we'll be adding another trick-or-treater into the mix! Hopefully baby will be ok with whatever silly outfit I dress them up in!!

We hope you all had a fantastic holiday with minimal cavities!

The Fitzpatricks

Luke 18:27 - He replied, "What is impossible for people is possible with God."

Pumpkin Carving!

We carved pumpkins over the weekend, and decorated the others! Last Spring my dad planted a few pumpkin seeds in the back yard, and we almost have an entire patch now! A few seeds go a LONG way!!! We have an abundance of pumpkins this year, and they all look awesome!! We were cutting, gutting & carving pumpkins yesterday. Matt, the kids & I, and my parents. My mom & dad do so much for us and with us and Matt and I are so blessed to have such involved, patient & loving parents! It is so awesome to me to know that every year my children get to enjoy doing all of the things I did as a kid, and will have some similar memories that I have growing up. Having involved parents is amazing, and such a good example. Matt & I are so thankful, and our children are SO lucky!!


Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. - Philemon 1:3

Blessings

The Fitzpatricks, est. 2005. Matt & I got married on a Sunday, took our honeymoon close to 4 weeks later I believe. Spent an amazing week in Hawaii, shortly after our return we found out we were pregnant! Matt had to work in California for a while that year, and just after Thanksgiving when he returned to California I found out that we had lost the baby. It was a true testament to our marriage. Newlyweds, living apart & losing a baby. However, we made it through! Our first year of marriage was amazingly hard, between working out of town, the baby, losing an amazing friend WAY too young, just a lot to take in during that first year of the 'honey moon' phase! What also came in that first year was another pregnancy, an amazingly EASY one! We got to tell our 4 year old daughter she was going to be a big sister, and this time the baby was here to stay! Kadyn was born exactly 2 weeks before Kersi's birthday. In fact, we planned Kersi's birthday early that year, just to be safe that Kadyn wouldn't come during her party, and that is in fact what happened! The day after Kadyn's 1st birthday we learned we were pregnant again, Kohen was due in September. The years are flying by. 2 babies under the age of 2?! Where has the time gone & what were we thinking?! When I was pregnant with Kohen I knew I wasn't done having kids...Matt needed a little more convincing! During our 5th year of marriage we had more trials & tribulations than I could have foreseen. Our faith in each other, our children, and God truly pulled us through. During year 5 Matt had warmed up to the idea of having another baby, I said if we aren't pregnant before Kohen turns 3 we are done. Heck, we got pregnant fairly quickly with both the boys, so that would be easy - right? Wrong! It was less than 2 weeks before Kohen's birthday. Matt & I had noticed some changes, I was feeling a lot of different things in my body, and as a Mom, sometimes you just know. However, I didn't want to get my hopes up or anyone's for that matter! I laughed at how quickly the 2 pink lines showed up, on Kadyn's first day of pre school. I dropped him off at school and cried because he is growing up so fast, and rejoiced knowing I had another little person growing inside of me! Today I had another doctors appointment, right over 12 weeks. Nervous, knowing that when we lost our first baby was right over the 12 week mark. My doctor comes in and pulls out the little hand held machine to hear the babies heart beat...he can't find it. I'm shaking, my mind is racing. He says baby must be hiding, no big deal! (Yeah, not to you!) I sat in the room, waiting for the ultrasound machine to be free, pleading, shaking, crying, wondering! Be positive - very hard at that moment! When the doctor first set up the machine and I could see the baby there was no movement, it seemed like an eternity. Then there it was, heart beat, legs & arms moving all over. The doctor laughed because every time he would catch the heart beat to get a reading on it, baby would wiggle another way! Baby is growing perfectly and looks awesome! And apparently, baby is stubborn like daddy! I am determined to enjoy every single last second of this pregnancy, the morning sickness, the lack of energy - all of it! It is a miracle to know that I'm growing a baby inside me. It is simply amazing!

- Stacy
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, wity tyem that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. - 2 Timothy 2:22

Fall is HERE!

So far this fall has been very busy! Kohen turned 3, Kadyn started Pre-School & Kersi is in 4th grade & playing soccer & doing GOTR again! All the kiddos are doing awesome & Matt & and I are doing great as well! Matt's working out in Yakima which makes for LONG days for him, but it is nice being up with him and getting him off to work, some of our only alone time comes at 5AM! He is amazing and I can't wait to see what life has in store for us! We are preparing to celebrate our 9th year together! I love him more and more every day, he is my rock!

Ecclesiastes 7:14
Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

Live ALWAYS, Laugh OUTLOUD & Love UNCONDITIONALLY!