WELCOME TO TEN

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 302

I got’s a question for ya. Let’s see if you can math the answer and figure out my newest riddle. I promised ya this was coming. Well, here it is!

If 1 + 1 = 5, and 5 + 1 (more) = 8... how does 8 + 1 (more) suddenly equal 10? Explain the math.

I’ll just sit right here awaiting your real-time replies as I sing the Jeopardy! theme song. Where’s Alex Trebek when we need him?

Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo.

Doo doo doo doo, doo... doo-doo-doo-doo!

Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo.

Doo... doo-doo-doo-doo, doo, doo, doo... (buh-bom!)

Figured it out yet?? Goodness, I wish this were interactive, like a live video or something, so I could get your live feedback. I suppose I should just give you the answer, huh?

Here is the breakdown:

1 + 1 = 5 (Danielle + Me = the BonnBunch 5, with Hallie, Emma, and Grace).

Adding one more (our SIL Miles) makes 6, and from their union came Bishop (who’s in his terrible twos, BTW), and Nolan, who’ll soon make his debut on or around Christmas Eve. The boys adding to the Bunch makes 8.

Last summer, Gracie’s husband, Duc, officially joined the clan, bringing us to 9.

But the riddle was: How does adding one more equal 10?

Okay, I get it. You’re tired of my riddles and games and just want me to get on with it and spill the beans. Quit with the silly antics, right? Here it is!

Saturday morning, we awoke to the news that Gracie and Duc are expecting! Apparently, our baby girl is almost 16 weeks along. They just chose to hold off for a bit to share the news. Looking back to some of our recent conversations, though, I guess I can connect the dots and think to myself, Ah, yeah, there it is… the news was hidden right there in their future-planning (like talking about a house and perhaps a different car, etc.).

Anyway, Gracie and Duc are expecting a little girl sometime around Easter. So, Grampa will now have a granddaughter to spoil! We’re going from just Mr. Man Bishop stealing the show, to now Bishop + Nolan + Baby-girl Nguyen. Wow! God is so, so good, and well, this fat friar is just bouncing with joy, ya know?

Looks like there’s gonna be a roundtrip vacation next summer to Cincinnati and the Tidewater Area to spoil three little kiddos, and perhaps their parents, too.

Honestly, had I had my way, I’d have spilled the beans on Saturday. But I couldn’t. I needed permission first. With Duc’s parents in the same time zone as Emma (halfway across the world), and neither of them having heard the news when we did, we had to hold off posting anything to Facebook. We would have hated for them to find out from one of our posts rather than from the future mom and dad themselves.

Anyway, I’m beyond grateful that our family is about to be blessed yet again… and again. Soon Nolan will be here, and then three months later, his little cousin: Baby-girl Nguyen. I can’t wait to see them both and hold them in my arms.

What are you thankful for today? Any surprising news that you, too, are grateful for?