a joyful announcement

Here's the announcement Ryn has put on our front walk, sharing our exciting news with everyone who has time to decipher the message :)

The reactions to the news that little Linkous #5 is on the way have been varied, but mostly happy. Summed up by an interaction with our French friend, Sebastien:
Seb: Felicitations! (eyebrows raised)
Kit: Merci! C'est un vrai miracle. (big smile)
Seb: Un miracle? (how could 5 kids in 6 years be considered a miracle by any stretch of the rational mind?)
Kit: (I'll share my response here in English) Yes. When every doctor you saw for 8 years told you that you'd never be able to have children without medical help and then you have 4 in a row proving them wrong, it can only be called a miracle.

Sometimes I wonder why I need to explain my happiness at this news. But it's OK. It just gives me another chance to testify of God's wondrous power and mercy and love. I will never be able to thank Him enough for trusting us with each one of these miracles, but I will spend my life teaching them to love Him, follow Him and trust Him.

When I was pregnant with Ryn, I cried tears of gratitude almost every day. I prayed to know how I could teach her everything she would need to know. One of the answers I got was that I needed to sing the hymns and primary songs to her--that the doctrine, taught so clearly through those wonderful songs, would be written in her heart as I sang. And so, every night since her birth, I sing to her and to all of our miracles. One of my very favorites is "Praise to the Lord" because it is one that expresses how I feel so perfectly.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him for he is thy health and salvation!
Join the great throng, Psaltery, organ and song,
Sounding in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord! Over all things he gloriously reigneth.
Borne as on eagle wings, safely his Saints he sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen How all thou needest hath been
Granted in what he ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy way and defend thee.
Surely his goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
Who with his love doth befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath breath, join with Abraham's seed to adore him!
Let the "amen" Sum all our praises again,
Now as we worship before him.

Here come those tears of gratitude again :).....