Wednesday, October 13, 2010

another letter...

Well. The time has finally come. Little Keiffer #2 is officially on it's way!! We are beyond thrilled!!! We found out so early that at first, I was afraid it wasn't real. Then the morning sickness hit.

It was real. Too real sometimes.

Now we are knee deep in take-out, fatigue, and frequent bathroom breaks. But we are also loving all the preparations and conversations about the next little piece to the Keiffer puzzle. I can't wait to be a family of four. Why not take this chaos to a new level? As long as I've got my best friend by my side...it's all good, right? :)

Please remind me I said this about 2 weeks into that family of four business.

As good and somewhat easy as Austin has been, this next one is bound to be the child that constantly forces us out of our comfort zones and challenges us in ways we never knew possible. But we're ready. Mostly because we have siblings that did the same to our parents and are proof that the wailing and gnashing of teeth is worth it in the end.

There are alot of unknowns right now, but of one thing I am absolutely certain. This baby is already a blessing! This summer has been difficult and full of the unexpected. There were times that we told God we knew He was in control but we sure didn't know exactly what He was doing. Still, He has been faithful and so patient with us. I knew as soon as I saw "Pregnant" instead of "Not Pregnant" that this baby was the "joy that comes in the morning." For as long as I live, I will remember this as the summer God required much of us but in the end gave us much more than we deserved!

And on that note, I'd like to end this post with a letter to our next reward. We can't wait to meet you, sweet baby!

To our next Little One:

You are already in my heart, and when I pray for your brother, I pray for you too. Even now, you are so precious to us. Your Daddy and I talk about the next piece to the puzzle that is our family often. We wonder what you will look like, what your personality will be, and of course, whether you will be a little brother or a little sister for Austin.

Speaking of your big brother, I cannot wait for you to meet him. I have no doubt that he will be the best big brother anyone has ever had. We call him "The Only" right now because he's living the life of an only child. And loving every minute I might add. However, I'm convinced that he doesn't know what he's missing and won't want to go back once he does. I don't know if the two of you will play trucks together or if you'll make him sit and have tea parties with you. But this I do know, he will love you with his whole heart because that is what he does when it comes to family. He loves deeply and without reservation. Something tells me that you may even get an extra dose of this love in the form of protectiveness. When it comes to your relationship with him, I pray that the two of you will form a bond that cannot be broken. I pray for loyalty and a spirit of unity so that long after your Daddy and I are in Heaven, you will still love one another as deeply as we love both of you.

It seems like I think about you more and more these days. Mostly, it's in the quiet of Austin's room as I rock him to sleep. I think about what it will be like to have two little people in our house. I wonder how our lives will change, and what things will stay the same. I tell God alot of things in those moments. I ask Him for a healthy baby and His protection over your life. I tell Him that I would love for you to enjoy just being close to us. In other words, I need a little one that likes to snuggle a little more. Your brother has places to go and things to discover. I love that about him, but it will be nice to have a child that loves to just sit and be with me. But above all, I pray that you will come to love the Lord with all of your heart! Even now, He is forming and creating every little thing about you. He will always know you better and love you more than anyone in this world.

There are so many things we don't know about you quite yet. So many things that require me to walk in faith and trust that God has already recorded every detail of your life long before you even came to be. However, this we DO know: you are our joy that comes in the morning. God has given us you and we are honored to be called your mommy and daddy! We are anxiously awaiting your arrival and cannot WAIT to welcome you into our family!

I love you:
Mommy