A blessing

I just read the most wonderfully encouraging article: The Tunnel of Parenthood.

From the time Ryan and I got engaged, my desire was to be a mother of many children.  I remember telling people that when I was pregnant with Gabe.  I often heard, "Wait until you have one first!"  I replied, "No, I'm sure I want many."  I don't know what made me choose that, when I was 21 years old and finishing up an engineering degree.  A passionate student of Natural Family Planning, I was able to get pregnant 8 months before graduation, which was 9 months after we got married.  Waiting those 9 months was hard, but I knew that I should graduate before giving birth.

I remember my mom saying, "What if you have a premature baby?!"  I just trusted that I wouldn't, or that it would all work out if I did.  As soon as I felt like Gabe was old enough to handle a decreased milk supply, I got pregnant with Susanna.  When I was getting stitches after giving birth to Susanna, I remember saying that I think perhaps a 3 year spacing would be good for next time.  We are right about where I want to be to get pregnant again, but alas, I must wait until Ryan returns next month.  Waiting is so hard!

The upside is that I just finished getting my wisdom teeth out, so I hope to not be dealing with dental problems when (IF!  I don't take fertility for granted) I do get pregnant again.  

My children expect that they will have many siblings.  They talk about it.  Like, "Mommy, we can put this high chair away now and save it for the next baby.  All our babies can use it."

I think children are a blessing and a wonderful gift, and through them and with them, I am the person I want to be.