Love

Terry has joined the Tech team at church so last week he worked the first service and then joined us in the congregation for the second. When I was flipping through the notes on the service and I pointed to the name "Elijah" and wrote beside it, "son #3" Terry looked at me in shock and said, " I thought the same thing in the first service!"

What's not shocking is our similar taste in baby names. What is shocking is that both of us are apparantly pondering a possible THIRD son! Eeek!

I told someone last week that if our next baby was a girl then we'd have to try for a number four. She said, "And what if that baby is a boy? Will you give it back?" But my desires for a girl don't stem from any bad feelings towards boys. I love my boys, wanted my boys, and will cherish any other boys God sends our way. I don't want a girl INSTEAD of a boy. I just want plain ol' want a girl.

I see Terry teach Micah about things like mowing/watering the yard, shaving his face, even working out (see the push ups and sit ups below) and it makes me think about teaching a little girl about make up, purses, and other girly things.
It might surprise some of you that we're thinking of having more children at all. I know we look pretty atypical to most of society right now. We're growing our family on one income which means we can't afford things others might consider necessary. But we're okay with that. We never hoped to be wealthy or anywhere close to it. What we did dream about in college was our future children.

I've said it before, but I'm crazy in love with both my boys. Sometimes Terry and I argue over who gets to check on Micah one last time before we fall asleep. When we don't do it together, inevitably the person left behind will ask, "What was he doing?" when the other comes back from tucking Micah in. It sounds silly because, of course, the answer to that question is always that he's sleeping, but we usually come up with some details to share. Maybe his arm was tucked under him, maybe his leg hung off the bed. Maybe he fell asleep with a book on his chest.

We love those details. I can't stand to miss a moment with Micah or Caleb. Babyhood and childhood seem so fleeting to me. I only get one chance to experience life with my children as children. There are only a few years where I get to love and hug on them before they're too cool for me! So when I miss out on anything, it's actually painful! And now with the way Micah is talking, every second with him leaves you doubling over with laughter. For example:

Upon hugging me first thing in the morning, he checked out my bedhead and said, "Haircut!"

He told Terry after spending the whole day at Aunt Kelly's, "Miss Mama. Miss Caleb."

He told me a story today, " 'Pon a time... There was a boy named Micah Domino. He had books. He said, "books." The end."

He said his oatmeal didn't taste good this morning. I suggested we put some raisins in it. We've never added raisins to oatmeal before so he thought I was telling a joke. He bent over and put his hands on his knees while he did this mocking laughter kind of thing. He said, "No raisins in oatmeal! Mama bein' funny!"

I was reading the Bible at the table while he ate breakfast. He asked if we could play and I told him I needed to finish reading about God. "Remember," I said, "God lives in Heaven. He made us and we love him so much. We can pray to him when we're scared or sick and he'll help, right?"

He said, "No heaven. God lives in heart."

Yes there will be more children so we can have more moments like this. I don't think I'll ever be 80 years old sitting on my rocker wishing we'd had more money or had bought more things. I know I'll be sitting there thinking of my wonderful children and the love and blessings they gave me. So maybe Elijah Domino will be next. Or maybe next will be a little Domino-ette. I've actually started praying for God to help me see an end to our family tree. Right now I can't imagine ever feeling like our family is complete. Only God knows what this family will eventually look like. I'll just sit back and enjoy the anticipation. And in the mean time, I've got enough love from Caleb and Micah to fill a hundred lifetimes.