WOW…what does that say? Giggles….holy cow! Really?? Snort…giggle…well, alright…ready or not here comes number 9. That was my reaction to taking the home pregnancy test on Sunday February 9th 2014 and discovering that we would be having another child. My next thought coming out of the bathroom was of what my husband was that of my husband’s reaction. I decided to leave the test right there for him to read. About an hour later I hear a scream, a whoop—YES--and a little dancing jig coming from that corner of the house. Just kidding, it was about 2 hours later that he discovered it, and he asked me if what he thinks in coming in about 9 months is coming. I just gave him my smile…he smiled back…and hugged me and said that he was surprised, but happy. Now that is real, and that is who we are, just real everyday American’s trying to support our already large family and making it stretch for one more.
In my family, next comes the barrage of questions: why didn’t you…how are you going to…what are you going to….? And on and on they go. It’s been nearly the same responses during my announcements of nearly each of my 9 pregnancies. To give credit, my parent’s questioning is just their way to figure out how we are going to make it and how we are going to be ok—to show us that they care.
Well, now that we are all done questioning (wink, smile), on to finding answers………yep, this is a process to go through with Faith just like all the other aspects of my life. I live in tandem with my Faith to help me tether my fears. Do I know the answers to all the financial questions? No. Do I know that answers to the baby care arrangements? Not yet, not at this time…but I am working through faith and prayers to find those answers. Do I even know the answers to if we are going to make it back from a trip to the grocery store without being smashed in a car crash? Nope, I don’t, but I live my life with faith that I hope to come back from the store. I hope to find the answers to the finances, and I hope to find the right child care. I hope to know more than I currently know. That is how my faith with listening to answers from prayers and hard work combine to allow this family to stand as the miracle it is today.
Number nine, just try it out…I mean saying it as an announcement: “My husband and I will be having our ninth baby”. Responses: “your…I sorry, did you say, ninth?” “Yes, ninth.” When I announced my “seventh” many strangers would say, “oh, your second.” To which I was quick to respond, “my seventh”. Then it is the wide eye and head cock. It’s fabulous. When there isn’t much to rhyme with “ninth” so many strangers, just go right to the gawk. And then two things always happen: they look at my tummy/hips area then back to my face, and back to the tummy/hips area. The ultrasound doctor said it best when I was having during my 8th pregnancy with April Rose. He asked how many children with was going to be, to which I responded, my 8th to which is open mouth gawked and then immediately said, “ but your body doesn’t look like you’ve had 8. I mean those women are big, but you look Good.” Really?? Did that just come out of your mouth Mr. Professional?? As soon as he said it he just kept on talking and getting deeper and deeper into the poop he was already in. Scott had to interrupt him because he was just in so much trouble.
Well, when I went to see my regular OB on Thursday, my doctor just smiled, and said, that he thought April was going to be my last…he just smiled and shook my hand and looked me straight in the eye, and said,” I am privileged to help you again”. Now, that was the right thing to say.
Number nine has surprised us all, but regardless, he/she has a plan for our family because my Heavenly Father has a bigger plan for us. I am honored to be blessed with a large posterity—it runs in the family: both my grandmothers came from eight siblings, and my great grandma had nine, and my great, great, grandma had 11. I just so happen to be blessed to do this. My body was built for it—that is something I am truly blessed and honored with.
I hope with faith to teach my children what is right, how to make great choices, and how to feel peace and love from the Savior. That is my biggest calling in all of this. Whether I was going to be blessed with no children of my own and be a teacher, or with 1000 of my own, I can do my best to allow the children I am privileged to live with, interact with at school, or come across in everyday settings a piece of love and of happiness—trust. It’s not a number, it is blessing.