Gold Nuggets

After a busy summer, including house building, moving in to that house, continuing working on it, getting pregnant, having a bunch of visitors...  I feel like I finally have time to catch my breath.  Lately the Dr. appointments have been back to back, and there are many more to attend in the next month.  Several kids need checkups, 6 kids need to see dentist (for regular checkups and for more advanced stuff).  I'm looking forward to having one of my wisedom teeth pulled in the next few weeks.  Not.  But it needs to get done.  I need to have them all pulled, but they'll start with one for now.  Then I have to go to my checkups... well, you get the picture.

Besides all those "not so fun" appointments, life is good.
And I know we could be going to the Dr's for far worse reasons, so I'm thankful that we are only doing the regular "are we doing OK" stuff.
Soon (maybe today!) I need to pull out our boxes with hats and mitts.  Crazy.  Didn't we just put those away??  This morning it was only 5 degrees C (about 40F), but the sky is clear and the sun is shining, so it should warm up fairly fast.  The trees are changing outfits, and for each passing day, their gowns are getting more and more elaborate.  Fall is so pretty!

What else?  I just realized again how much I'm thankful and happy for. 
I dreamed that we had another boy, and he looked just like our 1st one!  It makes me want a "little brother" for the kids even more...  I'm getting more and more excited about the new baby coming, and soon I'll start going through all the old baby clothes, girls and boys, and then I'll really get in the "new baby mood"!
A little girl would be fun too, but for our only son I wish for a boy.  Don't you think he "needs" a brother?

I've been very thankful (again!) for my wonderful Hubby.  He really truly is an amazing man.  Sometimes the kids wish he wasn't so "dadish", but in a household full of women, I'm thankful that he's a "real guy".  Blunt and clueless at times, but also willing to go back and give hugs and say sorry when need be.  (I need to say sorry a lot more than him...)  He's not one to bicker or fight, and every day he's my friend in everything.  There are so many "little" things he does, for me and for many others, that add up, and I don't think he realizes it.  He doesn't complain, ever!!, and that to me is very manly!  Whiny guys is like nails on a chalkboard.  Not that you can't say "Wow, today was rough!".  But guys that whine, and try to sound like "See what I have to deal with?, but of course I can handle everything, I just have to suffer through this", makes me shiver, in a bad way.
So yeah.
Thank you again for being who you are, I couldn't imagine my life without you.

Pretty fall trees.  A new baby coming.  A new house to make our home.  A wonderful Hubby.  Lots of kids to love and laugh and learn with.  Those are all gold nuggets in my life.

Announcing the latest family news!!

So folks, we have an announcement to make.  I had planned to wait maybe a few more weeks, but we told the kids yesterday (I haven't seen them that excited for a while!!), so we might as well make it public.
If all goes well we are looking forward to Welcome a new family member around March 20th!
Meaning I'm about 10 weeks pregnant.

This also means that Big Guy and I will be parents of 8 children!!  Wow.  I've gotten used to 7, but 8 sounds like a lot of kids!!  I guess 7 isn't far behind (duh!!), but when you hear the new number of kids, I guess you kind of realize that "Wow, we have a big gang going on here!"

The kids are so, so happy and excited.  Our two oldest have been literally nagging for another baby lately, and it's been hard to keep quiet...  I found out (the 7th test finally dclared it, blue line of white background, what I had suspected for a week or so back at the end of July)  the morning after moving in to our house.  Of course Hubby is over the moon, he gets all proud when I'm pregnant.  "I did it again!!"  I wasn't as excited to be honest...  This last year has been so busy, with so many changes, and after JUST moving in to our house, I really felt that some "down time" was a good idea.  But not.  I guess I'm tougher than I give myself credid for??
I am excited now thou, and despite being tired, I feel really good, gaining weight at a fast pace.  Yohoo!! 

I guess we are all crossing our fingers for a little brother for our only boy, but whoever is inside there will be very very welcome in to this big loud bunch!  A new connection to our new country.  I'm a bit nervous about upcoming check-ups etc, realizing that my Finn is still very limited in many situations...  I always had such great care back in Canada, and with our 3 youngest I had the privilage to have them at the brand new, beautiful maternity floor at the local hospital.  So far I've been happy with the health care here too, but I was a veteran in Canada, having 7 babies there, so well, I guess I'll just wait and see!!  Anyway... I guess this will give me new blog material this fall and winter!!  I'll keep you posted!