Baby Stautz #2

When we finally decided we were ready to have a baby nobody was more surprised than I! But finding out we are having a SECOND so soon? Well, that was a total shock. I think Bob Ross expresses it best...

Arthur and I knew we wanted more kids...for sure! I mean, Xander is pretty much the most amazing thing to happen to either of us. And hes just so damn cool! But I was still very much recovering from his pregnancy. My back pain had finally reached a level that I could function without it being a constant distraction and I was looking forward to easing into a more active lifestyle this fall. But the pregnancy and the recovery afterwards was such a terribly traumatic experience for us both that we were seriously looking into and praying about other ways of having another child...either surrogacy or adoption. But my heart wasn't in either.

So while I was back in Texas I did what every expat does...I LOADED up on cheap stuff. Stuff I didn't really even need but that I might have a use for down the road. For some reason, in the middle of all the junk food and clothes and medicine I also bought a few pregnancy tests. Just because they're so expensive here in Norway. And a few days after returning from Texas I had a funny feeling...so on a whim, I took one.

Now picture this...I've literally got Xander balanced on my hip, we've just moved into a new house (...more on that later) so we're all living out of suitcases, Xander and I are both jet-lagged to the max...and the test comes back positive. Um...? Huh? I take another one. Positive. At that point I'm shaking, I text Arthur a picture and tell him he needs to come home NOW! Poor guy!

It took us a good 48 hours, a lot "oh my gosh"s, some tears, and prayers to process the new road we were now on. But we both immediately knew that this child was a result of God's plan because it certainly hadn't been ours. And all we had to do was look at Xander and we both KNEW that this was right for us.

I am now well into my second trimester I still can't believe that there is a perfect little life growing inside me. Especially when I thought I would probably never experience it ever again. Now, there are certainly days that I don't want to be pregnant, that I'm terrified what having two children under two will look like. We are both scared about what this means for my recovery...so far I am doing OK. But I'm so incredibly thankful that God is the writer of our life story. I have so much faith that this new road we're on is a million times better than what we had planned for ourselves...no matter what happens to my back. We will have our babies. Our family will be complete.

So we are so excited to announce that we will be bringing a baby BOY into our family next March! We ask that you continue to pray for my health and the health of this little boy.

Welcome Baby Stautz #2!