“Children’s children are a crown to the aged” (Prov. 17:6).

Sometimes we have to wait to share amazing family news because it is not ours to share. This was true of engagements and pregnancies of our children. My wife and I were not allowed to announce major life milestones until those who owned the news gave us their blessing to do so.

As a father of three adult children, I wrote several articles on the delicate balance we have to maintain. We need to be interested and involved in our children’s lives and try to avoid the extremes of isolation or interference. My wife and I took the biblical injunction about leaving and cleaving in marriage quite seriously: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24; quoted in Matt. 19:5).

And so, for the past three months, my wife and I have been sitting on some absolutely wonderful news about the expansion of our family. Since the second of two major announcements has now been made on social media, we are free to tell our friends around the world that our two sons and their wives are both expecting in April of next year. For us, they will be grandchild #6 and #7.

It is not my place to share personal details of these two families who are expecting. They own their stories, and they will tell them. All I can do is to reflect a bit from my perspective as a father and grandfather about this big news that has been in the forefront of our hearts and minds.

Baby announcements

Before I dive into my reflections on each of these beloved fetuses, let me briefly discuss how good news has been delivered in general, and specifically with these two great expectations.

There are no words that can adequately describe the joy of hearing that your child is expecting their first or additional child. Our three kids have come up with creative ways to make these kinds of announcements. The first one came on a greeting card on my birthday informing me that good fathers sometimes get promoted to grandfathers. Another one was in the little card that came with flowers for Mother’s Day. One time, we cluelessly stumbled to catch on. We did not notice the t-shirt our grandson was wearing, but did notice the two cribs that were set up.

The weekend before my birthday last August, my wife and I were visiting our son and his family. My wife had actually spent a few days up there by herself during the week, as our son and his wife had teacher prep days before school started. I came up on Friday for the weekend. On Saturday, they presented to me a giant cookie made (presumably) to celebrate my birthday. When I opened the box, there was a pink and blue frosted cookie that said, “Grandpa again!”

The next weekend, we went to visit our other son. Predictably, I was given a large gift box to open. When I opened it, the first thing my wife and I saw was an ultrasound photo! Happy tears!

Grandchild number six

I will start out by saying that this is a miracle baby.

Our youngest son and his wife had been trying unsuccessfully for over two and a half years to get to this point. They went through countless doctor’s appointments, tests, and procedures in this pursuit. They wanted to be parents so bad. Now that the baby is past the halfway point and everything is looking healthy and on schedule, our son and daughter-in-law can rest for a while.

I don’t think I have prayed more for any of the other grandchildren as I have prayed for this one. I am determined to tell this child from Day One that he or she is a miracle and an answer to many prayers from grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, and others they will never meet.

Grandchild number seven

Despite the closeness of their due dates (they are only six days apart) and the closeness of our sons, there was no direct coordination or pin-point planning between brothers. I have to chalk it up to God’s timing. It has been fun to watch them and their wives go through this together.

We are hoping for another granddaughter, as we only have one. However, we will take whatever God gives them. Our daughter-in-law is an amazing boy mom, so they and we have no concerns.

I am grateful our son and his wife are wanting to take on raising another human being. We had three, our daughter has three, and now they will. It is not about the numbers so much as it is a reflection of the room in their hearts to take in another child to love for 18 years and beyond.

How is this going to change us?

This is somewhat of a do-over for my wife and I. Our youngest grandson (#5) will be five years old next spring. There is a big gap between him and our two newest descendants. It has been a while since we held a baby, changed a diaper, or observed the wonder of new parents in action.

I am going to enjoy doing the same things I learned to do with the first five all over again. I will cry tears of joy when my son introduces me to his son who will share our last name. I will pray for them and sing to them when I get the chance to hold them for the first time. And yes, they will get to kick me on the swing like I did with the others when they are big enough.

For the rest of my life, I will have the privilege and responsibility to be a grandfather to seven. You never know. There may be another one down the road (Lord willing), but these magnificent seven will be more than enough. They are perfect gifts from God above and will bring us joy.

Closing thoughts

I trust these personal reflections will inspire you to deeply love your own as well.

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband, grandfather, blogger, and author of Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession. With degrees in mathematics and biblical studies, his career spans teaching, youth ministry, military service, and civilian work at Fort Leonard Wood. He writes to help others experience God’s presence and integrate faith at work. His articles appear in military journals and faith-based platforms including The Gospel Coalition, Made to Flourish, and the Center for Faith & Work.

Image by ChatGPT

Books by Russell Gehrlein