Is it fun???

The doctor confirmed my suspicions.

I was going to have a baby.

"Is it fun?", I asked.

As I remember that day, I can only think - "you are strange, Paula -- strange".

The doctor's response has stayed with me all these years - "it's exciting".

That experience was 53 years ago today.  (I know - strange that I can remember the date). And there were three more times when I heard "you are going to have a baby". Sometimes I heard those words with great joy - that was when Renee would be born. The other times I heard them with less enthusiasm...however.

If you know me - you may be wondering - four times. Yep, the second time resulted in a miscarriage - a sad experience, but one that taught me how to minister to others when that happened.

In late 1976 the doctor once more confirmed my suspicions = yep Beca and Renee were going to have a sibling. This time the baby was a boy. 

And we were a family of five...until the summer of 1982 when we became a family of four. Forty-two years later we are a family of 14. And I can answer my question - "Is it fun?"

Most of the time.

Would I do it again?

Absolutely.

I don't know that I intentionally wanted to be a "fun" mother.  I do know I loved helping them learn and watching them grow. I loved the sports and musical experiences I got to attend. I loved seeing them make their grandparents smile.

And now that they are grown, I love sharing time with them - and listening to them - and watching them parent.

Which brings me back to fun...It is so much fun to be a grandmother!

"Children are a gift from the Lord" Psalm 127:3 a

May you have enough sunshine in your life,

 to make you appreciate the shadows