Soaking It In

A friend was just blogging the other day about her recent family vacation, the last as a family of three before they welcome another little monkey man into their bunch and it got me even more excited about our own upcoming family trip to the shores of Bethany Beach.

I can't wait to spend time with some family friends, a childhood buddy of Mr. 1st Lt's and his wife and two children.

I can't wait to have a husband and papa home for hours and hours, instead of out by 5:30 and not home until 7pm.

But Tam's article reminded me of what else I can plan to enjoy - our last big family outing as a wee little foursome.

A relaxed and sandy chance for two brothers to grow in friendship, screams of "mine" and sleeping like piled up puppies.

A chance for one-on-one time with our sons, where both parents get an opportunity to love on each kid individually.

A few days to soak up the baby's last moments as the baby - watch him eat sand, chase the waves and follow his brother on every adventure.

I am so very excited that our brood is growing by another chick - another brother to rough and tumble with or a very new and different little sister to torture and keep safe from the big world.  It will be wonderful, thrilling, terrifying and fantastic, all at the same time.

But pregnancy is forty weeks for many, many good reasons - God in His wisdom does not drop off babies on a moment's notice.  So I'm planning to use the time remaining to enjoy the children already here - to soak up their little moments and  growing personalities and to anticipate the joy of the one is who to come.