One Year Ago Today...

Exactly one year ago today, these two people had a baby...



That's not the controversy though...or the scandal...

See, the thing is they were already adding to these guys...



Yep, that's 5 there...But, wait...look below...there's 1 more!

Ahhh!!! 6?!



Are you kidding me?! Seriously?! They are having another one?! What are they thinking?! What are they going to do with another one?! Why on earth are they having another one?! What normal people would do this kind of thing?! And, on purpose?!

See, it's people like that...

People like what? People that have more than 1 or 2 children? People that view children as a gift that God has so graciously blessed them with? You mean, people like that?

You know, long before I was even married and before I had children...I used to tell my daddy that, "I want to have like 10 kids!" Hahaha...He'd laugh and say, "Maybe a little bit less...What about like 5?" I answered him very seriously, "Ummm...I don't like un-even numbers, so how about 6 or 8?" He just laughed again and say, "Well, if you still want that many after having 1 baby, then you go ahead!" I had absolutely no idea just what he meant by that. But, after my first...I was done! WOW!!! Talk about pain! I finally knew what he meant...Although technically when you think about it, he didn't really even know what he meant...He only "knew" from being an innocent bystander, I guess...Haha!

But, I did have more...See, God had this really great idea of allowing women to "forget" the pain of childbirth and even some of the yuckiness of pregnancy...

A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ~John 16:21

I greatly praise Him and thank Him for this. Can you imagine how many women would never ever brave the event of childbirth again without His gift of forgetfulness?!

But, after the birth of our 5th baby we pretty much figured we were done. Well technically speaking, everyone who had an opinion let us know that we were indeed done. You can imagine the surprise when I actually wasn't! I mean we already had 5 children! Who did we think we were getting pregnant with a 6th? Weren't we done?!

"I thought one of you were getting fixed?!"
Wow, I heard that one much more than, "Congratulations!"

After our 6th was born I was determined to be "done"...and I was also equally as determined that my hubster was getting "fixed"! I just couldn't handle the thought of ever having to explain ever ever ever again on why we were expecting...again!

My womb was in the "hands" of others...Others who really had no business being a part of my uterus or the activities that went on with it! They really had no right to any decisions based on my fertility or if I was "done"! I guess it's alright for them to have opinions, but maybe they should have even kept those to themselves as well. I mean really...How is my husband and I having another baby, or 2, or 6 going to hurt them? Were they helping out? Was this really going to affect them personally? Were they offering to babysit? Because if they were...Ok...Ummm...Well in all honesty, we may have totally taken the babysitting offers so that we could go out for a date or something...But, the point is...WE are the parents...We get to decide what we want to do or not do with our own bodies...

I prayed and prayed about this...I was sad, I was stressed, I was confused! Then one night I got up and knelt beside the bed. I knew in my heart that I was wrong...I was wrong to try and force my husband to get "fixed"...I was wrong in not trusting God. I cried and prayed and cried and prayed...and then cried and prayed some more...I repented and then joyfully surrendered everything to Him! I gave Him all of me...Yep, even my womb. I fully surrendered to God and placed ALL of who I am in His hands. I know, I know...sounds crazy, scary, crazy...Oh wait, I already said crazy! Anyway, I knew that I just wasn't truly trusting Him...fully. I knew that I needed to. So, I went "over-the-top" and jumped in!

I never felt so at peace before...I talked to my husband about it and we had a new view of fertility...Let's just enjoy what God has given us and whatever else He chooses. WOW!!! What a concept! My womb was now in the hands of God...Right where it should be. Exactly 2 months later I was pregnant with our 7th...and joyfully happy...not fearfully apologetic.



9 months later (and 3 days early) She arrived!

#7 Our Beautiful Little Bryanna...My almost missed blessing!




Does this mean that there will be more in our future? We don't know...

But, I do know that I will enjoy being a wife to my husband without any reserve or fear. I will enjoy my children...I will enjoy the gifts my Lord blesses me with!

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man (I'd also like to add...and woman) who has his (and her) quiver full of them...
~Psalm 127:3-5





For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
~Psalm 139:13-14

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine. In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.
~Psalm 128:1-4

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply...
~Genesis 1:28

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...
~James 1:17





Now, does this mean we look down upon those whom choose "enough is enough"?
No, and this is exactly my point...Who are we to tell anyone else what's right or wrong for their own bodies? We have no right forcing our views of fertility on another couple. That is between them and God...This was our own personal conviction. We know that the Lord placed this conviction on our hearts for a reason...We are trusting in Him and His will for our family. Does this make us "Super-Christians" or "Mega-Holy"? Haha...Ya right, No way! Again, this is just our own personal conviction...And, just because YOU are convicted of "something", doesn't automatically make that "something" a sin or wrong for someone else.

Besides...We're kinda crazy...Not everyone is!

Happy 1st Birthday Little Princess...That year went by ridiculously fast!



(Little Bryanna's first week home...Awwwwe...How peaceful she looks)



(She LOVED this bouncer!)



(My Rock & Roll Princess!)



(Camping at Lake Huron)



(Some-BUNNY is adorable...Hehehe...Get it? Some-"BUNNY"...kinda like somebody...but, I said Bunny 'cause she's all dressed up like a cute little pink bunny?)



(Playing in the leaves...Daddy took this shot & even edited it and everything...Ya, he's pretty stinkin' amazing!)



(Being adorable...again...She's always doing that! Poor baby though...If you look closely at her forehead, she's got a boo-boo...She's a total princess for sure, but she ain't no prissy princess...She's a rough-and-tumble kind of princess!)

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY BRYANNA!!!
Praising God for blessing us with His gift of YOU...Praying for many more wonderful years to come!!!