Another Blessing

Normally it would take me a while to start telling family and friends

that we were expecting again. With the first, second, even our third child it was so exciting to tell everyone. Starting with our fourth, people's reactions weren't always what I was hoping.

But this time I had to tell my family right away. My parents were packing up to come help me with our children during and after my surgery.

Now I wasn't having surgery.

I called my mom. Before I could even get it out, I just started to cry.

I think she was fearing that there was something wrong. Once I got the words out that I was pregnant, my mother was very supportive over the phone.

I needed that. My father called me back later that day to congratulate us on another blessing.

Yes. Money is an issue. We try hard to just keep up with our bills.

Our children can't have everything they want. Tom and I can't get everything we want. We only go on one vacation a year - Wisconsin with my parents and family. And it is the best vacation. Our children look forward to it every year. I am glad we have taught our children how important family is, and that "things" are just "things." God has provided so much for us. Maybe we don't get everything we want, but we have everything we need.

Sometimes I wish we had more room - meaning a bigger house, a finished basement - but in the end, I love our home. Our home is filled with much love and care and noise.

I have a sign in our family room that says

"Our home is just a little house, but God knows where we live."
Tom and I decided to tell our other children on Christmas.
We have a "pickle" gift each year. You hide the pickle ornament on the Christmas tree and whoever finds it gets to open the pickle gift - for us, that is a gift for the whole family.
This year we had three. One pickle gift for our girls and one for our boys and one for everyone.
The one for everyone was Tom and I telling them about our baby.
Our children were all shocked when we told them. It took a little while for it to sink in and for them to be happy.
(But to this day, our girls still talk about the best pickle gift ever!)