Count the pumpkins...

Count the pumpkins, big and small....

The Francl family is excited to say,

Another little pumpkin is on the way!

I'm not sure if you can tell or not by the picture below, but Spencer is pretty pumped that he's not going to be the baby anymore!  Also, he clearly cannot wait to hold the new little one.  :)

I can't really express to you how much life has changed in the last 12 weeks or so.  This summer, we felt settled, relaxed, calm.

Funny how those times don't last very long!

The latest addition to Team Francl is due May 10, 2017.  Here are some things you may be wondering...

Wow.  That's a lot of kids in not very long.  How old are the others?  Lily just turned 5, Connor is 2 1/2 and Spencer will turn 1 on Monday.  That means that by the time baby comes, Lily will be 5, Connor 3, and Spencer 18 months.

How far along are you?  11 weeks.  Another week or two and I shouldn't feel so exhausted all the time!

So... Was this "planned?"  Ha!  No.  Surprise!!!  But not being planned does NOT mean not wanted.  This babe is loved, anticipated, desired, and we are SO excited!  I'd be lying if I said it didn't take me a few weeks to get there, but new life is ALWAYS something to rejoice over and celebrate.

How did you find out?  Home pregnancy test on a whim.  I'd had heartburn one day, which was very unusual for me, and I'd had some strange stomach pains that usually I only have AFTER I have a baby.  So the next morning I took a test and got 2 pink lines!  I was shocked, to say the least (which probably seems ridiculous considering I made the decision to take a pregnancy test.  But I take lots of them - a few bucks is never worth the wondering when you can just know.)  I took the positive test to the bedroom and woke Chase up (it was early in the morning) and said, "Chase!  Look."  And he said, "One line means not pregnant, right?"  And I said, "Yes.  But there are two lines."  And turned on another lamp.  In our shocked state, Chase was much better at being excited, but like I said, I got there eventually!

Boy or girl?  We'll find out around Christmas, but I think it's a boy.  That would give me 3 boys in about 3 years.  Can you even imagine how much fun they will have?  (Or how much rough housing there will be...  Lord help me!)  If it's a girl, then that's marvelous too!  I'll have a chance to get out all of the adorable little girl things I haven't seen since Lily outgrew them.  Lily is hoping for a girl, and the rest of us don't care.  It really doesn't matter - if I know my family, this babe will be smothered with more love than any child could possibly absorb as soon as we all meet!

What did the kids say when you told them?  Lily was thrilled, and if she's thrilled, then Connor is too.  When she got up in the morning, Lily kept asking (especially those first few weeks) if my tummy was big, and she'd check to see the progress.  She was sorely disappointed and just sure I should have a basketball size belly at 6 weeks.  Pretty much everyone I know of birthing age is either pregnant or nursing right now.  So my kids are familiar with the growing tummies of other mommies and the new blessings that eventually result.

Don't you live in a 2-bedroom house?  Where are you going to put this one?  In the bathroom.  We're having it remodeled.  KIDDING!!!!  Remember how I mentioned that life has been crazy?  First I found out I was pregnant, which naturally meant I was instantly SUPER tired.  Then I had the busiest weeks of my work year, then I slept for a week to recover, then Monday of last week Chase drove by a "for rent" sign in town.  Tuesday morning he called and we walked through the house.  By 1pm, we'd handed over a deposit check and we have a move-in date of Nov 5!

It's a 4-bedroom, huge, 2-story house, and the way the Lord provided it is nothing short of a miracle.  We've said all along this journey as our family has filled (to overflowing) our cozy little 2-bedroom, that when it was time to move, we'd be unified and know it was the right house.  We're unified.  We know.  It all happened in less than 24 hours.  And it's perfect for us.  I know some of you don't believe in such things, but I'm telling you, we are walking in miracles, and it is SO fun to see the Lord's hand so clearly guide our situation!

As I think about the coming weeks, months, and years, I am overwhelmed and grateful.  We don't have a lot of things that I used to dream of - fancy cars, a nice new house, dream vacations (or vacations at all?) or a million other things that used to feel important in life.  But we have so very much - 3 beautiful children safely born and growing.  One (obviously also beautiful) child we'll welcome when he/she is born; we are healthy; we have a roof over our heads (soon to be a bigger roof!); we have heat and air conditioning; and we live in a time where modern conveniences make life comparably SO easy.

But most of all, we have the best family and friends who step in and support us in ways we didn't even know we needed, and a relationship with a Lord who guides each step we take.

And I get to do life with my very best friend and easily my better half.  Is there anything more I could possibly want?

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city the guards stand watch in vain.

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—

    for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.