It's Official

First I thought I had mono. Then maybe the flu. Then perhaps a chronic stomach virus.
However, it turns out I have none of those things. I have felt like I was dying for the past two months thanks to a millimeter-sized organism that has been growing inside me at an amazing rate.
I am 12 weeks pregnant.
And now that I have made it through the worst of it and I can cross the stomach virus symptoms off the list, we are all pretty excited about it. Lovingly nicknamed "Little Peanut" by its future older siblings, #4 should be arriving about the first of February.
We have been trying for nearly a year with no success. Apparently, the secret to getting pregnant has nothing to do with cycles and timing. It's all about getting prepared.
First, I set a goal to lose those last 20 pounds.
Then, I gave away several boxes of baby clothes and gear to a friend who was starting from scratch.
Then I lent my bassinet to a friend who managed to take it with her when she moved across the country.
Then I bought new running shoes and a jogging stroller and set a goal to run a 5K by the end of the summer.
I booked trips to two different amusement parks with the intent of riding every roller coaster I could this summer.
Finally, my baby turned into a crazy temper tantrum-throwing toddler who convinced me that I should never have more children. That seemed to do the trick. Hopefully my fiery little red head will make it through without driving us all over the edge. I think we all have suffered hearing loss to a degree thanks to the ear-piercing screams she lets out when I mention naps or bed time or tell her no.
However, after all that I am so happy and grateful for this blessing. I will trust that Heavenly Father knows best when it comes to timing and that He will help me to get through the hard parts.
And my running shoes still work great for chasing down runaway kids in Walmart and the library.