Hope, Party of 5

Matt and I always knew we'd like to have 3 or 4 children.  And adoption is something we've always considered.  Around February or March, we began to talk and pray about whether to have more biological children or adopt.  I was thinking summer or fall would be a good time to "try" for another if we felt God leading us to have more of our own, and with summer just around the corner we began to seek His face in the planning of our family.  God answered our prayers pretty quickly and clearly when we found out I was pregnant with baby number 3 in early April.  I took a pregnancy test Friday, April 5 while Matt was at work.  I hadn't had any pregnancy symptoms but I was late so while I was at the dollar store with the girls that day I saw a test and thought it wouldn't hurt to take it.  I honestly expected it to be negative, but it immediately gave me a + sign.  I just stood there staring at it in shock for a few minutes.  Then, as I was flooded with emotions at the reality of having another baby I hit my knees and thanked God for this unexpected gift. It wasn't necessarily the timing I had planned in my mind.  It was His timing and it was better.  His timing is always perfect.


I put Ivey Kate in the Big Sister shirt that Mattilee wore when Matt came home (April 8, almost exactly two years ago) and waited anxiously for Matt to arrive home.  Ivey Kate needed a nap so as I rocked her I told her she was going to be a big sister and we prayed for new baby and our family.  I didn't tell Mattilee because 1. I knew she would blurt it out before Matt saw the shirt and 2. I thought that might be something Matt and I should do together.  Ivey Kate, 15 months at the time, had no clue what I was saying but it felt good to share it with her anyway.

When Matt got home from work I was cooking dinner and I asked him to go get Ivey Kate up from her nap.  I followed him in her room with the video camera with butterflies in my stomach. He picked her up as usual and was loving on her and talking to her, not even noticing the shirt.  When he turned around to walk out of the room, he saw me with the camera and stopped.  He looked down at her shirt and said "Are you serious?" The next words out of his mouth were "Thank you, Lord!"  That statement was a huge relief to me.  He was so thankful and excited about this precious little one coming a little sooner than expected and that was such a relief to me and made me feel even more excited and blessed that I get to share this little miracle with such an amazing man.

Our first ultrasound at 8 weeks.