I always wanted a lot of kids. I am the oldest of 10 kids, and all of my growing up life I thought that I wanted 10 kids as well. All it took was baby #1 to let me know that I probably was not cut out to be the mother of 10, but I still wanted a big family.
Then we found out that baby #1 had cystic fibrosis, and that any other children we had would have a 25% chance of also having cystic fibrosis. We were, of course, devastated.
Faced with that situation, there are many people who would decide not to have any more children. Russ & I wanted a family (which to us meant more than one child) too much for that to be an option. And so we had what we fondly referred to as our russian roulette babies--taking that chance each time that the baby could also have cystic fibrosis. Thankfully neither boy did.
One day when Cindy Lynn and Jason were both young, and before Josh was born, we were eating at a restaurant. Near us was another family. Throughout the meal I watched the children in this other family interact. There were about 5, and there were several that were teens and younger children as well. Before we left the restaurant I told Russ sadly that that was the kind of family I wanted, but knew we would never be able to have. I wanted a family that was big enough that there were big kids and little kids--not a small family of children all close together in age.
Well, you know the rest of our story. I wanted a fourth baby really bad, Russ was supportive of that desire, and the rest is history.
I had forgotten that family long ago in the restaurant, but it came back to me one day this summer while we were traveling and eating at a restaurant. I looked around me, and I though "I'll be darned. I got my dream family!"I am not sure why I have been so richly blessed, but I am certainly grateful.
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Isn't it amazing how life works out? I look at your family and think it is the family I will never have. Lots of kids just doesn't seem in the cards for me. But if I've learned anything about life it is that when we do what we are asked, we get what we need, even if we don't know we need it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I kid you not- YOURS is the family I look at and think- I want a family like that. I only have one brother, and I too always thought that I would have a big family. Just like you, I got a reality check when Eric was born. I wonder if I'm cut out for more than three kids. But it looks so fun!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I don't know why I got this lucky. At the same time I was trying to get pregnant the fourth time there were several other women in the ward who were also dealing with infertility. We decided to go the IVF route and got triplets; they didn't do any fertility treatments and didn't get pregnant. I felt very guilty for a while, like I had "stolen" one of their babies. I finally had to come to terms with the fact that different decisions had different outcomes, and that heavenly father could make all of it ok.
ReplyDeleteKatie, it is an awesome family. Not exactly the way I would recommend getting six kids, though! You're almost at the point where things start getting easier--because Eric will start being able to help out more & more. So it's probably too soon for you to say never!