Sunday, November 26th was a typical day. We usually go to church but I just felt like I needed a rest day.

So we stayed home from church.

We stayed home from our churches monthly neighborhood meal.

Steve stayed home from a men’s lunch meeting.

3:45pm-Courtneys water broke. It was baby time.

The last few weeks have been a blur. We were preparing for baby 4, Mom had her 88th birthday, thanksgiving came and went. We are building a room onto our home, we’ve been working on our new land/property, and so on and so on.

It seems like when it gets to 5 grandkids the newness wears off.

Jack is 6

Luke is 4

Patrick is 2

Abby is 4 months

Benjamin is brand new

But it doesn’t

We prepared for the birth in a pool again. Steve set it up downstairs as soon as labor began.

I listen for the sounds of labor as I sit on the stairs. My usual perch.

Past labors, her water has never broke early. It’s always been during or at the end so this was already different. 3:45pm and labor pains were 13-15 minutes apart. Courtney was hungry and Justin made her spicy Thai curry. She has always asked for spicy foods during labor.

7:30pm and we are trying decide where the big boys will sleep and if we need to start caffeinating for a long night. I went ahead and had a cup of coffee.

Moments later Justin returns from upstairs and Courtney requested for the tub to be filled up. Contractions have gone down to 3 minute apart and labor pains are intense.

The midwives have just arrived and within minutes, I hear moans of labor.

My Momma heart hurts when her child is in pain. Even pains of labor . What a miracle a woman’s body is.

Pushing has begun and she never made it downstairs to the pool. Instead baby boy was born on the sectional couch in the big boys playroom.

Benjamin Aaron Roger Wissinger (4) entered the world at 8:12PM weighing 8 pounds and 8 ounces and 21” long He looks exactly like his big brother Luke.

This old house holds so many big events but childbirth has got to be the best.

Thank you midwives for caring for our girl and our newest grand boy. Your patience and care are appreciated and I could never express my gratitude in word or deed. Your job is so much more than a job. You bring life into the world and I’m always in awe of you.

So today, a few days later and people have had to go to work to tie up loose ends, little men still need to be fed 3 meals, 18 snacks and dessert with every meal including bribery treats to leave Mommy alone and we are all on limited hours of sleep. New Mommy’s needs are also in the mix. While this is a full time job and there is absolutely no pay involved, I’m grateful to not have to punch a time clock for someone else and I can tend to the needs of the people that live at 704.

We are super low key this week and most of us, not mentioning names, might still be in their pjs.

Thank you for your prayers and love notes for me and the family.

While the house is full and life is abundant, we praise the maker of heaven and earth and are eternally grateful for His gifts of life to us.