Ok, I maybe just a tiny bit bias here, but my
husband and I have 2 of the most amazing daughters ever! They are beautiful,
smart, hilarious, exhausting, and energetic and they are teaching me every
single day what true love looks like. They stretch me every day, sometimes
every hour, they show me my faults and are helping teach me how to be a better
person. A better wife, mother, and woman.
Though I always love my children and am constantly amazed by them, there are
many days I feel over whelmed. The constant mess in the house, the never ending
diaper changes, the screaming, the unending questions, being a human jungle gym
and snot rag... and they want to eat... every...single...day... more than once
a day! Which I don't understand, because most of the food I give them ends up
on the floor anyway.
In the midst of stress, chaos, and messiness, why in the world would we want
another one? Why would we even consider the idea of adding to our family so
soon?
Most people, ok no, every single person we have told, see our two girls, see
the chaos and the mess (or at least hear about it on Facebook) and go "oh
you must really want your boy!" "Oh trying for your boy eh?!"
"Maybe this time it will be a boy!"
I know some amazing boys/men in the world. My husband, my father, my brother.
The sons of my friends. The involved dads I see at church. Boys/men are great.
With 4 out of the 6 in our family being female (this is including the dogs),
having another boy around would help even things out a little.
But what is it with people assuming the only reason we want a 3rd child is
because we must have our boy? (And I know for those families that have just
boys, it goes the other way too). Our girls are amazing. I always wanted a boy
first and I thought for sure our first would be a boy. Surprise, surprise, our
beautiful baby was a girl! And, of course, I couldn't imagine my life without
her. She has been my little mini me and my husbands little Princess Hulk since
the moment she entered this world.
With our second, I had a strong suspicion it would be another girl. Most people
I know have 2 of one gender and the 3rd is the opposite. So I figured, whatever
we had first, the next would be the same gender. And I was right.
When my husband and I decided to try for a 3rd, it was because we wanted a
baby. Babies are precious. Babies are a gift from God. We love our girls, but
our family just didn't feel complete yet. I didn't feel like we were done. And
for months now, we have been praying that however God wants to add to our
family, He will. That could mean adoption, or another biological baby. It
wasn't about boy or girl, but about adding another precious person to our
family.
I have to admit, I am nervous about the idea of possibly having a boy. I know that,
when baby is born, it won't matter, and like every baby, we'll figure it out as
we go. But I have girls, I know girls, I am a girl. Just the other day I heard
a story of a boy peeing up his shirt.... ummm... girls don't do that!! Ha-ha. I
hear about boys always having their hands down their diapers/pants and
feeling/playing with themselves. I know this is perfectly normal, but I am just
in girl mode right now (not to say our girls never put their hands down their
diapers!). I don't even know how I would handle all the things that come with
having a boy, verses a girl. But I fully trust that God will expand our family
as He sees fit and if that means we are to welcome a precious baby boy into our
arms, then we gladly will.
And, as with our last two pregnancies, we will not find out the gender until
the baby is born. Because, it doesn't matter. We were trying for a baby and as
long as the ultrasound shows a human baby, we are thrilled. (If it doesn't look
like a "human" baby, I will be scared...)
Girls are amazing, precious, and wonderful gifts. Boys are amazing, precious
and wonderful gifts. Every baby is a gift. I would love the chance to raise
children of both genders, but ultimately I am happy with whatever we have. And
I am unwilling to put my hope in any gender. If I sat here hoping for a boy,
but it was another girl, how would that shape my feelings towards that precious
little girl? Or if I hoped for a girl, how would my feelings change if it was a
boy? My girls are precious and this baby, whatever the gender, is precious, and
that is all that matters.
Psalm 127:3-5The Message (MSG)
3-5 Don’t
you see that children are God’s best gift?
the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows
are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents,
with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you;
you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.
the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows
are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents,
with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you;
you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.
