Before we got married, my sister, seven years younger than myself, had a baby (out of wedlock).  My dh and I knew we were going to get married, but hadn't set a date yet (we didn't want to have a traditional wedding inviting folks, etc. -- different story for another time) so we didn't have a date in mind. When my sister was about to have her baby, in less-than-ideal circumstances, I BEGGED him (for a wee minute) to just get married and take her baby.  We were both committed Christians and I knew we could be good parents.  I felt a huge duty. Well, not only did my dh say no, but my sister was determined to prove everyone wrong and keep her baby. 

For the next six months, I just *wanted* a baby so badly.  I loved my nephew and just couldn't wait to have my own baby. 

We got married and then got pregnant on our wedding night.  We were both thrilled.  When we first met, our "plan" was to not have children for three years and I was going to get my nursing degree, so this was a big change in our original "plans."  Our plan did change by the time we got married, though.  We *wanted* to have a baby as soon as the Lord blessed my womb. 

I had a horrible birth experience with the first baby and *dreaded* anything pertaining to birth again and wanted to wait at least year before getting pregnant again.  I sincerely wanted to nurse my baby for a year, also.  (I didn't know it was possible to nurse and be pregnant at the same time.) 

When my cycles returned, my dh gave me permission to use "The Sponge" as birth control.  I figured it was the least invasive and non-permanent (I would never use the pill or IUD) and least expensive method... LOL.  Well, I went to the grocery store and (I love telling this story!) put the pink box on the conveyor belt, along with the rest of my groceries and then when I got home, I couldn't find it.  It wasn't in the car under the seats, nowhere in the house, it just wasn't there.  I thought it must have been left in the shopping cart.  But, guess what?  It wasn't listed on my receipt.  I *knew* I had put it on the conveyor belt with all my other groceries so -- what happened to it?  Well, my dh and I came to the conclusion that the Lord must have removed my box of "The Sponge" from my shopping order!

While we were looking and looking for it, my dh turned to me and said, "Well, I guess the Lord wants you to trust Him!"  I hated to admit it but that was the only explanation! ;)

I became pregnant with my second child when my first one was 13 months old, so I did get to nurse for a year, just as I had asked the Lord!

We so enjoyed being parents, and we saw God's provision so clearly that we never feared for the future as far as finances went.  We were never rich, or even ever beyond just having our bills paid.  It has never been our goal to have a certain "whatever" before having another child.  My husband agonizes over money all the time; don't get me wrong!  It's his job to do that and he knows it!  It's just that we have never thought it was *our* job to provide for more children aside from the grace of God and knowing His promise to provide.  We knew it was God's job to provide for His own, and He has! 

We like to tell people that as we have had more children, we have had more money, but we had the children FIRST!!  Never before!