Happy 7th Birthday Joel!

Today my "baby" turns 7! Where does the time go? This week I have been remembering when I found out I was pregnant with Joel. Most of you know that Joel was a "surprise" (a BIG surprise) to us. We weren't planning on having any more children and definitely not at that time.

Caleb was 14 months old when I found out I was pregnant with Joel. Craig & I had just come through the hardest year of our life financially. Due to the struggles Craig had just decided that he would go back to school to get his Bachelor's degree. We had a dishwasher leak in our house and an inspector came in and said we had black mold - he had ripped up all of the carpet in our living and dining rooms and the hallway. (We didn't have black mold and ended up getting new carpet, new kitchen countertops and cabinets!). So my house was in total disarray, our finances were not good, I had a young toddler, my husband fixing to go back to school and how do we make all of that work and find a job that will work around his schedule, and now guess what your PREGNANT. Needless to say I did not handle the news very well. As the months passed and things settled down we of course got excited and I of course was hoping for a girl!! Although, I wasn't real surprised when for the third time the sonogram lady typed b-o-y!

We embarked on the difficult journey of thinking of a name. I refused to have another "c" name. I just was too hard with Craig, Christian & Caleb to add another one! I don't really remember how we agreed on Joel. I know Craig really liked it. So the waiting began. It was a pretty uneventful pregnancy. In the early stages I was so nauseated and because I had Caleb to take care of I couldn't take phenegran (it totally knocks me out)! So I took a drug that they give chemo patients during the day and then took phenegran at night. It was very busy time with Craig starting school, a new job and all of us adjusting to that schedule.

I was early with both Christian & Caleb so I naturally assumed this would be the case - WRONG. I actually had him on my due date. My mom and dad where in town that day (something I had prayed for since they had moved to Houston by then). I remember calling my mom at 7:30 that morning saying I am having contractions. I was determined to not go to the hospital too early and be told to go home and come back later (as I had done with the first two) and so by about 12:30 pm I was really hurting. We called Craig at work and then dropped off Caleb at the babysitters and arranged for a friend of mine to get Christian from school. We got to the hospital around 1:20 and I had him at 6:32 pm (which for me is very fast!!). He was such a great baby. He slept through the night at 3 days old!!

He has continued to be such a blessing to us. He is such a combination of Christian & Caleb's personalities. He is very analytical in his thinking (like Christian) but very sensitive especially to me (like Caleb). He truly is a momma's boy which I LOVE!! God knew exactly what he was doing. I do remember a time when I had all three in the car and both Caleb & Joel were crying. From the backseat Christian hollered, "Mom what were ya'll thinking having another baby!" I said Christian take it up with God! Ha.ha.

Joel loves school, loves baseball and LOVES his video games. A lot of nights he will sit on the couch with me and root for the Astros! He is the only one of my children who will order a salad (and LOVE it) and is not really into chocolate. However, he is known as the donut expert in our family. That boy loves him some donuts! (This is a picture from Friday - he wanted me to take donuts to school for his birthday rather than cupcakes).

So Happy Birthday to my youngest. I can't wait to see you grow more and more and develop a deeper and deeper relationship with Jesus. Leaning on him and his guidance and direction for your life. I love you Joel! (Picture-after Tina took our family pics in Florida, Joel wanted one of just me and him - did I mention he is a momma's boy!)