Antsy.

I am extremely antsy this afternoon.  I have a new nephew that is in the process of making his arrival into our big, grand world today.  This time is very different for me since I get to be the one to wait and hug and squeeze the sweet little man and am NOT the one having the baby.  It feels good, this being on the other side.  For reasons I cannot explain this little guy's arrival is especially exciting and a bit emotional.  We're just so, so excited to meet him.  And so, if you're the praying kind please lift everyone up in prayers, that sweet baby boy can arrive quickly and safely.  

There's nothing like the arrival of a new baby.  Nothing on the planet I can think of that even comes close....there's just something about a baby that gets to me.  I haven't necessarily had the easiest of times with the arrivals of either of my babies.  A bit of a difficult delivery both times and the "baby blues" following after.  Tears upon tears from both me and the babies!

Yet here I am, still standing and still convinced at how special a baby's delivery is.  

They're so fresh from God, these babies and toddlers.  They're unique and fiercely confident.  They haven't figured out the "rules" that society seems to place around teenagers and adults, that this is better than that or these thoughts trump those.  And thank goodness for it.  

I watched Anna Ruth break it down in a dance at a birthday party last weekend even though not a single other person was dancing and she was so totally unaware that she was the only one getting her groove on.  I wanted to stomp my feet and clap and cheer as if she'd just won the Olympic gold medal. My girls are growing up to become confident of themselves.  If they do that, my heart will burst with pride.

And if somewhere along the way they lose this freshness from God and their confidence waivers I'll still stamp my feet and clap my hands and cheer loud enough to drown out the discouraging voices they may listen to.  I will always, always be my kiddos biggest fans.  My girls are neither one laid back or easy-going.  They know what they want and when they want it.  They're smart and playful and thinkers.  

They like to look fancy but know how to get messy (well, at least Betsy does!) too.  

They're farm girls AND possibly city gals some day. 

They're challenging, lovable, a bundle of surprise, exhausting, enjoyable, 

the biggest heap of blessing and joy and hard work that ever landed in my lap.

I've heard people say before it's wrong or bad to say your children are "hard work".  But isn't loving someone 24 hours a day a bit of work sometimes?  Brett would agree that it is, and me too.   :)  

It's hard learning how to put someone else's needs above yours every second of every day.  It's hard disciplining over and over when you'd rather give them a cookie and Curious George.

But then you hear words from Anna Ruth like "When I grow up I'm going to be a mama"

and you want to run a million more miles for your girls,

give a bajillion more hugs,

make two million more pb and j's. 

So this having kids business,

isn't for the faint of heart. 

Whether you're a mama at heart, a mama to littles or bigs, a foster mom, an adoptive mom, a birth mom, a mom to be, a mom that wants to be...........thank-you. 

I'm so glad there are so many mamas in so many capacities that give these fresh bundles a chance.  

Our world is about to be rocked a bit with a new BOY cousin that my girls will grow up around and become best friends with.  He might not know what to think at first, with my whirlwind girls swirling and twirling around.  He's a Torbett though, and my guess is he'll only fuel the fire. 

Baby T, we can't wait to meet you. You have made me reflect on the sweetness of the arrival of a new bundle.  Thank-you sweet boy! (and come already so I can hold you! )