One Week! One Week!

7 days from today, J. will arrive.

7 days from today, our lives will forever change. I've heard more than once (actually more than 100 times) in the past month that "I have no idea how much my life is going to change with two children."

I can only imagine.

I'm sure there will be jealousy, attempts to get attention by the oldest, unexplainable crying by the youngest and moments of panic and exhaustion on our parts. I know there will probably come a time when a lack of sleep will cause me to feel both physically and emotionally drained and I'll think back on these last seven days and wonder why I was so anxious to get to the sleepness nights that accompany a newborn. I'm pretty sure there will be times when D. needs something and I'm in the middle of changing a diaper or getting J. to sleep and I'll feel torn while trying to meet the needs of two children.

These things I know.

I also know that, arriving in seven days, is a little pair of chubby knees that will grow up and get boo-boos that need to be kissed. I know that there is an older brother who will finally have a sibling...providing him with the coveted "Big Brother" title he's wanted for so long. There will be four people in our car instead of an empty seat next to D. in the back. There will be twice the giggles, twice the bedtime prayers and twice the "I love you, Mommy's." And, with two comes the security of knowing that Daniel will have a sibling with which he can share life. Yes, there will be a five-year age difference...but that gap will most likely seem smaller and smaller as the years go by.

Having two children will be a challenge and, believe me, is not something we've gone into lightly. We have waited and we have prayed and, in seven short days, our family will welcome our newest member.

I couldn't be more excited.