Baby Number Two...Bring It On!

This little $.99 pregnancy test (from Sandra's base grocery store...thank you Sandra!) brought me so much joy!!! Matt and I had been trying since August to get pregnant again, and being the impatient person I am, I was starting to be pretty bummed about it taking so long. (I even feel bad saying "so long" when I have friends that took years to get pregnant.) I took this test on Monday morning, Decemeber 20th, but I had a huge hunch the day before that I was preggers because I woke up, was three days late, and felt oddly awful. I knew it had to be! I was sure enough to want to tell Matt's family (that we were staying with that weekend to celebrate Christmas...blog to come), but Matt insisted we wait until we were sure. I was sad to not get to tell them in person, but understood. It would have been really crappy to get them all excited, and then have to say, "whoops, sorry, I was mistaken." I could hardly wait until Monday morning to take the test, but I did! I left it on Matt's sink for him to check it out. The line seemed faint to me, but he agreed that it was positive. 

OH JOY!!! I'm so thankful for this baby coming! I had such a wonderful time (minus the aches and normal pregnancy junk) being pregnant with Noah, and I have just been really excited about going through it again.

However, (there has to be a but), this time around is not proving quite as smooth-sailing as the last. I've had morning sickness on and off since that Sunday I thought I was pregnant. Sometimes, it's paralyzing, but most of the time, it's just enough to make me feel like not doing anything. And the exhaustion has been a little disturbing as well. I was definitely really tired with Noah, but this little one is literally sucking the life out of me. Sometimes I have to lie down after putting on makeup or taking a shower. Like I just ran a marathon or something. It's kind of ridiculous. I'd love to have a girl, and it's hard not to think, "well this pregnancy is so different, it must be a girl!" But I really don't want to let my mind go there. I pray every night that the Lord would make me genuinely content and even happy if it's another boy. And I think I will be, but it doesn't mask the fact that I'd still love to have a girl. We'll find out April 6th. Seems so far away!

We were able to wait a few days to tell my parents in person over Christmas. Here's how we did it:

I actually bought this shirt when I was with Debbie and Janet at the outlet mall in Branson the weekend before. I had to be really sneaky to do it without them seeing. I wanted so badly for Noah to wear it upstairs that Sunday morning at the Starks, but alas, I was vetoed! He did get to wear it for my fam though. It took them a few seconds to catch on, but they did, and of course everyone is so happy for us!

Thank you God for this second miracle and for blessing our family with another child. We pray constantly for your guidance and direction in our lives and for the salvation of our children. Give us wisdom and faith in your plan for our lives. Thank you for this baby. Protect him/her as he/she grows.