Ya'll have soft spots in your hearts and hard heads with your opinions! Woo! I gotta say, I love to read your stories! Please continue to tell me about your families! I love hearing about how big, small, far apart, close together, and varied your beautiful families are! I love hearing that you count your miscarriages, stillbirths, or early infant losses when you state your How-Many-Number. I love that you fight to call your stepchildren and adopted children your own! I love that your stories are so unusual. I love hearing I'm not the only one with Irish triplets (that never occurred to me - but Michelle pointed it out). I love hearing that you love your big or small families. And most of all... I love that you love your chaos.
Isn't chaos beautiful?
And aren't people amazing with their commentary? Andrea from Sgt and Mrs Hub put it well - what happens in my bedroom, with my husband, in NONE of your business. Amen! I don't understand why it would be anyone's business what I'm doing behind closed doors!
I had to laugh at the link Liz sent though! This list is hysterical! Have a look yourself. But here's a few favorites.
In response to "Are they all yours?" - "Of course they are...wait...who is that one? He's not ours.....Oh, yeah, #5, I forgot I had him."
In response to "Are you going to have more?" - "Check back in nine months and you'll see for yourself. "
I also like something to the effect of "They're like Lays Potato chips, can't have just one!"
In response to "Don't you know what causes that?" - "Oh yes, we finally figured it out and we now keep the tooth brushes in seperate glasses! "
That one made me laugh.
In response to "Are you planning to have any more?" - "We didn't plan the first six, I don't think we'll plan the next six, either. "
I think that one fits us pretty well. Except for the 6 part. Maybe another 3. Probably not another 9. Watch me eat my words.
In response to "Don't you own a TV!?" - "No, we have much better things to do at night! "
*Snort*
In response to "Do you ever get any time to yourself?" - "Obviously we get a little time to ourselves, or we wouldn't have six kids. "
*Snort*
Anyways, have a look at the list. You may laugh. You may not. I find it hilarious!
And on the subject of big families. I know they're not for everyone. It's a decision that has a lot of decisions wired into it. But I love big families. I was in the fledgling-big-family. I had 3 siblings, for a grand total of 4 children in 6 years. And would you believe that made check out girls gape. 4? Really? Are we that strange? What about the Mennonite family that just walked in the door with 9 - they're a big family. We're just above average!
I love being in a larger family. I love hanging out with my friends from large families! My aunt had 7 - spread over 22 years. And would you believe my great-grandmother was angry with my aunt when she announced the 7th was coming? I love spending time at their house! I have a theory - and it's completely untested and probably more of a joke than anything else. But "Kids come out better in bigger batches!"
I don't know if a large family is for me. But I'm already beyond the 2.2 kids - so I guess I'm already headed "that way".
And you know what? I don't care if I have another 5 kids. Or if I don't. I love children. I love Oceana. I love Joshua. I love Flip Flop. They are wonderful! They are blessings! God gave them to us! He wanted to bless us with absolutely awesome children!
Matt and I had a talk about Oceana last night and about how wonderful she really is! When I said, "She's really not a bad kid" (meaning, she's pretty wonderful) and Matt caught me and said, "No. She's a great kid!" Haha. Well, we both meant the same thing - but she is! She's awesome! So smiley, really well-behaved (in the scheme of 2-year-old-ness), really fun, really exciting to be around.
Like I said last night, "I'd rather have a child with personality who can't sit still, than a kid who can sit still without personality!"
Bring it on! And I know Flip Flop will be different again to Oceana. And I love it. That is going to be so exciting! I can't wait. Okay. I can. I have a lot to get done between now and then. So, please dear Flip Flop, you can come after 37 weeks okay? Full-baked? Good, now that we're on the same page. Obey Momma - that's the first rule in this house!
Someone commented on the size of my tummy the other day. (Well it is the third one...). To which I said, "Well, she's half-baked already!"
Hehe. Half-baked. However, this is not a pazookie scenario, babies are much better full-baked. Less stressful too.
Byebye.
Did I come off as nuts today? Oh good. I'm glad. I like being nuts.
A thing I like to say when people are hapily and/or pleasantly surprised I have "so many" children is "Yeah, our house is a party that never quits!" And it's true!
ReplyDeleteI remember my favourite midwife was a lady who had 11 children! YES! Awesome :) I felt totaly at ease with her, here was a woman with some experience in childbirth and a newborn *grin* She was the only health care proffessional that DIDN'T ask all the invading questions.
I really enjoy your blog, Susie. You are such an incredible, strong person and I really learn a lot from reading about your struggles and triumphs. Keep writing, you are touching and inspiring more lives than you will probably ever know!
ReplyDeleteBest of "luck" with this pregnancy...I will be praying for you!!
My sister is marrying the second of 11 kids, in 23 year. She wants 12 of her own, he wants 2, their goal is 6. I like it, divided down the middle exactly. I always thought I'd want a big family, but considering that I married a guy going into youth ministry and I teach piano to 41 kids, I'm starting to feel like we have a couple dozen kids already, so waiting 3-4 more years and then going for 3-4 kids is the plan now, but you never know. My best friend had a wedding night baby, who's now 10 months, and she just called the other day and said her instincts are telling her she's pregnant again, but the test read negative, but she thinks she is, so she's going to keep taking them. She was afraid to tell anyone because she was afraid of the comments, I think I'm sending her a link to your post.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Susie. I have 4 kids and when I have just the twins with me, I get "Oh wow, you have your hands full" to which I always reply "no, I left the other two with daddy!" It is funny to see the reaction. 4 doesn't seem like it is really that many to me. If I had a bigger house I would get more foster kids, or adopt more. (I can't have more, or I would do that) It may be a little crazy and a lot messy, but it is so much more fun! You go girl, keep making those babies, you make gorgous ones! And if you get tired of that, you have a lot of love that you can share with kids who may not have any.
ReplyDeleteHey Susie!
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a chance to comment last night; I was taking care of my 4 boys (under the age of 6!). And, yes, I love having every one of them and would do it all over again if I was given the chance! As a matter of fact, we just found out this week that we are going to do it again...baby #5 is due in July! :) And we are thrilled, excited and so wonderfully blessed to have the children God has given us. Are we going to have more? ABSOLUTELY - as long as the Lord gives them!! God Bless!
Nancy
I'm kinda partial to the crazy ;)
ReplyDelete-Andrea
Wow, you got a lot of feed back on the last post! I think people have a soft spot for you!! I know I do! I have never met you but I adore reading about you & your family! I think your "fans", (for lack of a better word) want you to know how we feel about you & that you should never, ever feel funny about sharing your story! I think your family's story is a beautiful picture of what God can do if we trust Him! I think you are a testement to God's grace & love. Like I said, I love your stories & I feel like I know you just from reading this blog! Keep it up & I will keep reading!
ReplyDeleteEmily in Mississippi
glad everyone's comments made you feel better.
ReplyDeleteHee hee! I'm glad you enjoyed the link. I get the impression that you & I have the same sense of humor and that you'd enjoy those. :) Love ya girl. And no, you didn't sound nuts to me. You sounded like a mama bear defending her cubs, and rightly so! :)
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I was rofwl @ the list that Liz linked to. Talk about a laugh fest!
ReplyDeleteI can totally agree w/ you about the big family/lots of love chaos thing. I do kinda/sorta wish that a bigger family had been in the works but the Lord knows me oh so well & that's all that counts.
Btw, I too, loved reading everyone's comments. Restored some much needed perspective & faith that well, we're all human. & I Loved your post today. Outstanding!
I was reading your last blog and I was thinking of how funny things are. With this pregnancy, and I dont know why, everyone keeps asking "Was it planned?" or they made some kind of a face when I said I was pregnant. Why? Is it because I got pregnant with Samuel before I was married now any children after are not planned? hmm. I was really upset the first 2 months of this pregnancy because Josh and I were so excited and it seemed that a lot of people around us just were kind of critical. When does that end? When we are thirty and announce that we are having kids? So what. We are young. Samuel and this baby are going to be 3 1/2 years apart. Sounds far enough to me. I don't know. Opinions. Sometimes people should keep them to themselves and just be happy!
ReplyDeleteHi Susie!
ReplyDeleteMy friend has talked about your blog and story for a long time and finally sent a link so I could check it out.
Amazing! You wear your heart on your sleeve so beautifully. I can see God's influence upon your life and family.
This summer, I had my third baby which made for 3 in less than 3 years. You DO get lots of comments, don't you?? Depending on the rudeness level of the person asking, I've sometimes come back with, "Hey, when you've experienced the heartache of infertility [which I had for many years], you'll take each baby as a blessing."
I'm going to add your blog to my favorites -- keep on posting. :)
(Oh, and is there information on your home church? or more on your YWAM stuff? We're very involved in our church and we have close friends who have been building new YWAM buildings in Hawaii...)
well, it took me about 10mins to read this, cuzz everytimei finished a sentence, i had to reread it b/c someone interupted me! AH! haha, ok, well i loved it. got to go MIles is eating soup with his hands.. uggg,
ReplyDeleteOne of our twins died at 16 weeks, and our daughter was born with many birth defects. We had another baby 2 years later.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll always have that soft, soft spot in my heart for the little one I lost. And I will always feel like one is missing. Because he is. :)
I left you a blog award on my blog :) Just a little fyi.
ReplyDeleteI get comments all the time! I have 8 kids ranging in age from 8mths to 18! I love our big family!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing the link- it was hysterical!! I may use some of them next time...
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your blog! I have three kids all within 16 months of each other. Yep, you read it right:-) twin girls and their brother was born 4 days shy of them being 16 months old(the girls are now 3 and the boy is 2). Our home is the party zone and I love it. We get all sorts of stares and comments, but it's all good. I've actually had people look at me and say "I'm sorry" and I reply with a very cheery "For what?, I love my life and my kids" They just don't know what to make of it. You have as many babies as God tells you to have and you don't have to answer to anyone but Him:-) Congrats on your baby girl!
ReplyDeleteCharis in Canada
I have to totally agree with "what my husband and I do behind closed doors, is our business". When we found out we were expecting #3 some friends that Barry does gym with said "so now we know why you've been missing gym!"
ReplyDeleteI guess if we're expecting it’s a no brainer about what we've been doing behind closed doors...I wonder if they are advertising what they're NOT doing behind closed doors with comments like that!!