Our reaction

Yes, we opened the card in front of all our family. It was the first present opened by an adult.

I have been pondering for 3 days how much to say about my reaction, but I know you are all wondering and some of you possibly avoiding me for this very reason :)

I'd love to say it was one of super excitement. As much as we assumed the baby was a boy, evidently a big part of us (EJ and me) was still holding out for a girl.

It's not that we are sad for another boy, I actually haven't begun to process what that will be like! Boys are so fun and I am happy to have another one for lots of reasons. I pray they will be the best of friends! It's actually just sadness that we won't have a daughter. (Yes, folks this is it. My body is done. Don't ask me how women have 12+ children, or 4 for that matter, but my body can not.)

Anyway, in my disappointment I have come to some great realizations and have learned a lot about myself. The experiences a mother assumes she will have with a daughter (tea parties, prom dress shopping, wedding, 1st baby, weekly phone calls, late night chats etc.) are not promised to us just because we have a girl. A daughter might not choose to do any of those things, or may choose not to involve her mother anyway. There is also no guarantee for that perfect mother and daughter relationship (which doesn't exist anyway). It's easy to glamorize what we don't have! And from what I've heard the hair curling, tights and bows and extra tears aren't so fun ;)

And so in our disappointment, which EJ and I have dealt very little with together (God is gracious), we consider ourselves blessed to be having another child. There are so many people longing for children of their own, how can we be disappointed!

We look forward to meeting this little guy and can't wait to see what he looks like and what his personality will be like.

You can bet, I will be praying for awesome nieces, daughter -in laws and granddaughters and for grown sons who call home and visit a lot!

And on a lighter note the difference between EJ and I...
he is excited he won't have to make preparations (nusery, etc) and I am sad:) No planning? What will we do while we wait? (the master bath, which he suggested, is definitely out of the question!)