See this couple?
Aren’t they ever so cute?
And isn’t that an especially nice looking fella? I can tell just by looking at him that he had himself a good mama.
And look at that pretty young woman! Big smile, lovely eyes, cute hair, beautiful heart. She had herself a good mama, too.
Guess where this cute (not to mention darling) couple were headed yesterday morning?
To the doctor! For an ultra sound! To find out the gender of the World’s Newest Smith!
And guess what? They found out!
And guess what it is?
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IT’S
A
BABY!!!
Oh wait. You already knew that? How clever of you.
I suppose you’re wanting further information?
Sigh. Okay. I guess I’ll just go ahead and tell you that it . . . is . . . a . . . BOY!
A bouncing, beautiful, baby BOY!
A bouncing, beautiful, baby BOY who will be blessed with two magnificent grandmas. (And two rather fabulous grandpas.)
And guess what else? They already have a name picked out.
Noah Jacksen Smith.
Noah: Peaceful; Long-lived Comforter. Jacksen: God is Gracious.
Isn’t that so cool? I can’t begin to tell you how much more real this whole grandmothering thing is feeling to me now that I know my grandchild is a boy and that his name is Noah. I just feel like telling the whole world about him! (But I’ll refrain from doing that and just tell you, instead.)
When Nathan and Meagan called to tell us the news yesterday, Steve–wanting to be a helpful and assistative sort of grandpa–went ahead and suggested a name that he thought would be a really good option for them.
Herkemer Xavier Smith.
Isn’t that great?
For some sad, strange reason, Nathan and Meagan were not overly enamored with that suggestion. (Kids these days. You can’t tell them anything.)
I guess we’ll just have to get used to calling the little fella Noah instead of Herkemer. (Which shouldn’t be too terribly hard to do.)
So excited. So proud of our son and daughter-in-law. So happy for the joy they will experience as parents.
Noah Jacksen Smith, I love you already.
(As always, you can get the “other grandma’s” version of this story by going to Meagan’s mom’s blog.)
Added Note: I’ve mentioned before that Nathan has been searching for quite a while for a new job. Now that a baby is just four months away from joining his and Meagan’s household, that new job has become all the more important.
He applied with Verizon and got through four interviews with various levels of management. We’ve heard that Verizon is one of the hardest companies to get hired by, but by the end of those interviews, he was offered a job!
During that same time frame, he had also been looking into a job with the state of Florida. He joined a pool of 40 applicants there and after the pool had been winnowed down to smaller and smaller groups, he was finally offered that job, too.
Since a fella can only work one job at a time, he and Meagan prayed and talked long and hard about the decision; they also sought advice and counsel from both of their dads and from some other godly, wise men in their lives.
They finally made the decision for him to take the job with the state of Florida where he will be working in the laboratory of the Dairy Division.
So two pieces of good news today: a new grandson with a new name and a not-so-new son with a new job!I
I’m one happy mama! (And grandma.)
My son, Noah, is the most precious, tender-hearted, faith-centered, loving 15 year old boy I know! His strong, biblical name continues to be a source of pride for me and my husband. I admire new parents that put a lot of thought and prayer into the name they’ll give their child – what an important responsibility! By the way, if any of Noah’s three younger sisters had been a boy, we would have named him Nathan 🙂
Christy,
Well, it’s obvious you and your husband have excellent taste in boy names! 🙂 I especially like Noah because even though it’s easy to spell and pronounce, it’s just unusual enough that it will help a more common last name like “Smith” stand out a little.
And I love reading what you wrote about your Noah–he sounds like a special young man.
I am behind on your blog. My daughter graduated HS yesterday and my life has been rather busy! Glad I am catching up. Such exciting news! A boy! I love the name too. Now he seems more real.
My husband has worked for the State of Florida for almost 14 years (while enjoying being in army reserves all that time too). Welcome to Nathan! When will he start? Is that in the Dept of Agriculture?
Jill,
Congratulations to you and your family on your daughter’s High School graduation. Big, big day!
Nathan will start his job within the next week and yes, he is in the Dept of Agriculture. Will be quite a change of pace for him! 🙂
Amanda,
Jesse is a cool name, too, and one you don’t hear very much. Choosing a baby name is such a (happy) challenge!
Great news! Great name too! Noah was on our short list of names for our son (now 8 months old) before we decided on Jesse.
what happy news… baby-wise and job-wise!!!!!!
I read Sheri’s update, and I loved the meanings of Noah Jacksen’s name as a reflection of his Daddy’s names, too!
Mrs. Pam,
Yes, that really was cool what Sheri wrote about with the name meanings; Noah Jacksen is perfect on many levels!
Congratulations! I love the name Noah, so much so that I named my first son Noah.
Beth,
Well, I guess it could be said that you really and truly DO love that name if you gave it to your child. And I know you especially love the son attached to the name! 🙂
Congratulations to ALL of you but especially to Noah Jacksen Smith for picking one the most amazing families to be born into 🙂 So happy for y’all!
Congratulations to Nathan, too, on the new job!
Suzanne,
What a sweet thing to say; you made me smile.
Ah, Grandma Smith and Noni! Blissful Perfection, isn’t it?! Love you my friend – so glad to be sharing this joy together! 🙂
Sheri,
Good times ahead!
Get ready for the longest four months of your life! I’m waiting for my first niece to be born, something I am insanely excited about since my husband and I cannot have our own children. She’s due June fourth, and the last 8 months have felt like 3 years and the last month has felt like 18 months at least. And yet somehow I have a feeling that the next eighteen years will go by in a flash. Sigh!
Ellen,
I hear ya. The first four months have already been long enough! Can’t wait to get my hands on that baby boy!! And that niece of yours will be here any day–enjoy!
So excited for you all! Having a grandson is the greatest! And congrats to Nate on the job offers and the new job! You all are so blessed.
Gayle in AL
Gayle,
Grandmas of grandsons, unite! 🙂 Thanks for the congrats.
Congratulations to every one of you! I know you cannot wait to hold that special baby in your arms. Don’t have a Noah but my oldest grandson (the youngest one due in 8 weeks!) is named Jacksen so I am extra excited for you…I know just how much love you have waiting to give to him.
Janet,
How cool is that? I had never even seen that spelling before so it’s fun to “meet” someone else who has a Jacksen in their family!
Can’t wait to see Noah in four months! Love the name! Congratulations to Nathan on the new job! 🙂
Kristi,
You will definitely be seeing a lot of Noah on this blog although I will do my best not to overdo it. 🙂
I am so happy for you!! Being a grandma is amazing! I have a 2-year-old granddaughter, and another grandchild coming end of November (scheduled C-section). We are hoping it’s a boy!! We will be finding out what it is in a few weeks……..can’t wait!! Congrats on your little precious bundle. Your son is having a son of his own. And congrats to Nathan on the job! Big year for them.
Kristi,
Glad to hear you’re loving grandmothering.so much; congrats on the second one that’s on the way!
Well if excitement could have jumped out of the page, yours certainly would have. Could almost feel you hugging that baby already. How wonderful!
Sharyn,
Yep, excitement is definitely jumping off the Smithellaneous pages these days! Can’t wait for that first glimpse and that first hug.
Congratulations! I know you’re excited! I also think he made a good decision deciding to work for the state, at least he’s guaranteed retirement and he can change jobs later if he wants and stay in the system as long as it’s another state job. I’m in the FL state retirement system working for the county I live in, and both my parents retired from state of FL jobs. Good luck to him!
Melissa,
Glad to hear that the state of FL has treated you well and that your parents worked for FL such a long time. Nathan is excited about this new opportunity.
absolutely,totally,magnificiantly, wonderful news with respect to your grandson and on Nathan’s new job, God is good 🙂 xoxo
Nancy,
Yes, He is!
Yeah…yeah…yeah…yeah…yeah!!!!! How exciting!!! So thrilled for sweet, precious little Noah, and for you all too!
Ash has an ultra sound on Friday, May 17th to find out the gender……but she’s keeping it a secret and plans to reveal it to us on Father’s Day. Which, will be special!!
When is Noah’s due date? Ash is due October 28th!
Love ya,
Kim~
Kim,
How special to find out the gender on Father’s Day! Meagan is due October 21 so they are basically right on track with each other. Fun!
Congratulations to all. Noah certainly is a blessed baby. And I know you’ll all be blessed by Noah– More than any words can express. Happy for you, Becky.
Kim,
Yes, I am definitely going to be a very big Noah Fan!
I don’t know…Herkermer has a nice ring to it =) Perhaps a cute nickname?
Lord’s Blessing on a new grandson and a new job!! Noah will be one blessed baby with such a great family!!
Krista,
Yes, Noah will always be Herkemer to his Grandpa Smith. 🙂 Thanks for the congrats!
Congratulations on your very very happy news!!!
Jenna,
Thanks. Happy news, indeed!
I’m so glas they went with a “normal” name . . . and a nice one at that!
And mazel tov to Nathan on the new job. He’s not going to get rich working for the State of Florida, but he’ll get a steady paycheck and have an excellent quality of life. A kid like Nathan will likely be able to move on to higher paying (state) jobs with more responsibility rather quickly. That’s how you make more money working for the government, because pay raises within the same job are tiny, if at all.
Leah,
Yes, Noah is a wonderful name. (And Steve was just kidding on the Herkemer thing.) 🙂
Nathan’s so excited about the opportunities in front of him at his job; he especially likes the fact that it offers such steady hours and no weekends; since he and Meagan are so heavily involved in church on Sundays, it’ll be great having weekends off.
I have three wondeerful grandsons.. and two wonderful granddaughters. I know there will never be a child more loved that Nate and Megans baby.
also I think a job with the state is probably the best choice, you never know with companies like Verizon how long it will all last, my son worked for another major company like that and got out just in time before the layoffs started. not that my advice was needed in your case or his.
My thinking, exactly, Sharon – corporate world can be pretty cut throat and working for the State seems much more rewarding and stable – not that my advice was needed either, but I just couldn’t help myself!
Mary,
I love hearing you and Sharon’s voices (and opinions) piping up around here; you’re part of the family!
Sharon,
I know you enjoy your five grand kids so much–never a dull moment!
Thanks for being happy with us and for us.
I love the name Noah. Congratulations, so wonderful!
Lesley,
I love it too–and especially I love the little boy it’s attached to. 🙂
Oh, grandsons are great!!! We have two and love them both. So excited for all of you and now we can talk about Noah. So thankful Nate got a new job and know he will go far with it. God bless!!!!
Ann,
Yes, you are an experienced grandma to grandsons, aren’t you? 🙂
I am just saying a GRANDSON IS THE BEST! From experience, of course.
I can see a nickname of Herkemer in this boy’s future.
Perfect choice of a new job. Congratulations on being offered TWO jobs.
Just smiling for all of you!
Mary,
Nice to hear from the wonderful voice of experience about the joy of grandsons!
And yes, I was very proud of Nathan for being offered two jobs–he is a pretty fine young man, if I do say so myself.
I love the baby’s name! Congrats to Nathan, what wonderful timing to a fantastic new job! Can’t wait to see a new baby bump picture.
Cindy,
Baby bump picture coming soon! 🙂
Oh Becky, a grandson….how exciting!!! I know how you feel!! And congrats to Nathan too on the new job! Way to go!! 🙂
LeeAnne,
Yes, I am so excited and can’t wait to meet the world’s newest Smith. I’m glad to hear you enjoy your grandmothering so much.