End of an Era...

About a year ago, I went to a "paint-your-own" pottery shop here in Abilene and painted my first-ever ceramic platter.  For those of you who have been to my house since then, you might have seen it up on my fireplace mantle.  It has "The Ellerbrook Family" written in the middle of the platter...with each of our names written around the edge.  And, if I do say so myself, it looks pretty darn good for my first time. 

But, ever since I made that platter, I've always had this "secret" fear that I might accidentally get pregnant, again, even though we hadn't planned on having more kids...which, if you know our history, you know that's not an unreasonable fear (do I need to remind anyone that both 3 & 4 were not planned surprise blessings from God?).  Then, if I did get pregnant, I would have to paint a new platter (the first one took me over 15 hours and going to the pottery place 4 times to finish...which is not an easy feat with small children at home). 

Well, it's the end of an era for us Ellerbrooks.  As of this past Thursday, our family has been firmly established as a family of 6.  This "baby-factory" is closed, assuming the procedure Lou had done is effective at preventing what it's suppose to prevent (more Ellerbrook children).  While Lou is recovering from this, apparently, very traumatic procedure (probably wouldn't be quite so traumatic if a stomach bug that has been passed around in our family hadn't been so lovingly shared with Daddy), I have been having mixed emotions about the whole ordeal.  Do I really want more kids?  No, but then again, maybe...sometimes.  Does Lou want more kids?  Heck, no.  So there you have it, folks. 

I get to enjoy my platter just the way it is...with 6 names.  I finally get to shop for coordinating Christmas stockings without the worry of trying to find one or two more (or however many subsequent children we had) two or three years down the road.  I can start sorting through baby and kid's clothes and giving them away/selling them after Noah outgrows the boys' clothes and Madilyn outgrows the girl's clothes (my garage and storage shed are going to thank me!!).  I get to throw away all my yucky, extremely-worn maternity clothes (seriously, if I had to look at those for one more pregnancy, I really think I was going to scream).  And, most importantly, I can enjoy all of these milestones that my four kids are reaching, able to fully appreciate them because I know that they pass by way too quickly and they will not be babies for long.

It may be the end of one era for us....but the beginning of an exciting, new one.  One that we will get to journey on together...just the six of us.