We are having another baby. My husband and I hugged tightly and danced around the bathroom when two pink stripes surfaced on the pregnancy test. Although it’s baby number six, it still feels more exciting than if we had won the lottery. Having seen our other newborns grow into interesting, beautiful people that we are honored to care for, we are confident that this alien-shaped fetus in my belly will one day become just as lively and part of our family’s story. However, the celebration was immediately dampened by a stomach bug for the ages. In symphonic harmony, we all turned green at the same time. Our living room transformed…

*This post is different than most of the others. I wrote it while Micah was in school a few years back. Yes, I was that pregnant lady eating a corn dog with her kids down the aisles of the grocery store with a wallet full of coupons.* A pony-tailed girl with a half-eaten corn dog pulled the cart parallel to the cashier.  “You must be mama’s big helper,” the cashier cooed as she took in the cartload of two toddlers and an infant car seat besides. “I just love babies. I wouldn’t have time for any myself, working and all, but I do admire you!” she winked at the mother,…