Happy New Year!

Long time no post, I know.  Things have been crazy hectic.  I enjoy reading all the blogs I follow, but just finding the time/energy to actually write something on my own has been on the bottom of the to do list.

2011 was filled with many shocks/surprises both good and bad.  Just after the kids started back to school, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I have not written about it up until now as it has been a very difficult thing to accept.  The Lord has answered many prayers on her behalf and although she is enduring a very trying treatment schedule, her prognosis is the best we could have hoped for.  Please continue to keep her and my dad in your prayers.

In October, we also received some very shocking news (for those who have not heard yet).  We are expecting our fourth child.  After the initial shock wore off, we were overwhelmed with excitement at the blessing we have been given.  So much of our married life had been spent trying to conceive and dealing with losses.  And now to have the Lord give us another child is...well...overwhelming to say the least.  For the first time in my life I can say, without hesitation our family is complete (come mid-June).  I look back and recall many days/nights I questioned why I had such a burden for children if it was not the Lord's desire for us to have any(more).  I prayed he would remove that burden from my heart and give me peace.  When we finally had Kinley, people would often ask if she was the last one.  My answer was usually "I'm not sure, I guess we'll just see if the Lord sends us anymore."  Even though deep down I felt like with all we went through to have her, more than likely no more children were in our future.  I didn't have that same aching and yearning for more children after Kinley was born, but I was never able to say with certainty that our family was complete.  But the Lord not only gave us this special surprise baby but he also gave me that peace that I had been seeking and praying for.  The Lord always answers prayers.  Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it's no and sometimes it is not yet.

As we start this new year, we have much to be thankful for and much to look forward to.  My mom's chemo treatments should end sometime in mid April.  After that she will begin radiation treatments.  And right around the time she finishes her final radiation treatment her seventh grandchild will be born.  I am confident the Lord will continue to provide us all that we need in 2012.  My prayer for you all is that the Lord is ever present in your lives as well.