The Same Kind of Different

To the untrained eye, three years of sunsets separate these photos and not much else.

To the mother of these 2 boys, it's more like the difference of night and day. Each one important in their own right.

To better explain, the first one is Lincoln. My 2 year old ball of fire. He's a momma's baby from birth. He's loud, proud and independent. He has an opinion and thinks everyone needs to adhere to it. He gets what he wants. Let me say that again, he gets WHAT he wants. He definitely has that second child syndrome. The one where he has to be loud to be heard and he quickly learned to play on the fact that mom and dad are somewhat occupied by another human and works it to his advantage. Don't get me wrong here. He can be sweet. He even has a signature "sweet" look that he can perform on cue but only if he chooses to do so. He can not be coerced into doing anything that isn't his idea in the first place. Hand him a treat and if he can not hold it himself, he'd rather not have it. He's high strung, high maintenance, all eyes on him. Trouble might be his middle name. Some might say, he's a typical 2 year old.

Then there's 2 year old Jackson. He was the most articulate 2 year old I've ever met. I have the home video's to prove it. He is a quick learner with a photographic memory. He's also a charmer. He's always been a pleaser type child. He was easy. I already knew that. He was always SO easy to bargain with. I can still pull off the "if you will do this...then we will do that" and he abides like it's the law. He plays us to his advantage as well but most of it includes some can't resist him games like "I will help you with the dishes if I can have some fruit snacks, mom!" Who's going to say no to that? He is a rule follower, he was born that way. He seeks out what you want to hear and never forgets it. I think that child remembers the day he was born, his memory is so fine tuned.

So sure, they look alike.

Sometimes they look like me and other times they look like Jason but in personality, they are vastly different.

Only God knows what the future holds for these 2 boys he entrusted us to raise. I pray they will go on to do great things using their differences to their own advantage in life but most importantly, I pray that whatever they choose to pursue, it is Him they know first and foremost.