Whoa Baby

Yesterday our 4-year-old prayed that God would bring her a baby. It seems she's grown tired of her younger brother, and I suppose I understand. Being that they're 20 months apart, Katie doesn't remember a time without him around and she ready to play mommy.

Little does our eldest know, God has already granted her request. In another eight months or so, Aaron and I expect to bring home a third child.

Baby Johnson #3 is our surprise pregnancy, although I don't know how shocked we should be. Aaron and I have a rather sensitive combo of aggressive sperm and weak-willed eggs. With Katie, we were pregnant by the second month of trying; with Adam, one. This one kinda snuck up on us, but we know already that he or she is from the Lord, and here's why:

For the last year or so, Aaron and I had been going round and round about whether to have another baby. Aaron had always wanted just two, and when Adam came he'd gotten one of each, which in Aaron's mind meant we were done. For me, the magic number was three. But ever since Adam was old enough to walk and we had two toddlers on our hands, we discovered how challenging parenthood could be. It's been difficult dealing with the constant disobedience, potty-training, sibling spats, long hours and little time for one another. Now that Katie is officially out of diapers and the two of them in preschool this coming fall, Aaron and I were seeing a little more freedom in our days, enjoying a little more time for ourselves and even getting to vacation alone once a year.

Still, there was something in me that wanted number three. I'll be 35 next month (So, yes, I'll have the added indignity of having "Advanced Maternal Age" stamped on my chart.), and I'm definitely sensing my child-bearing years coming to an end. And the thought of Adam being me last just broke my heart. I tearfully told Aaron several weeks ago that I couldn't explain my intense longing for another baby even though it meant more stress, but I couldn't deny it was there. Reiterating that he just didn't think we could handle another, Aaron did something that illustrates the reason I love him most - he took my hand and prayed for God's will for our family.

Two weeks later, I was pregnant. The moral of the story, of course, is that if you ask God for something you know He'll agree with, it's as good as done.

I was a little apprehensive about informing my husband we were having another baby, but God gave him the grace to tell me that God's will is good enough for him. So I'm glad to say we're both looking forward to his or her arrival in the fall.

It's early, so I'm uncertain of my due date, although it should be in late October. I'm sick. I'm overwhelmingly fatigued. But I'm happy to tell you once again that God is good all the time.