Large Family Living

It seems that I have 2 groups of friends. One group is the baby makers, the other group is your normal, typical family. I have friends that have up to 17 kids, and then, I have friends that have 1, and that's it. Two far sides of the spectrum. My MIL thinks we are nuts, crazy, and do not need anymore kids. Its amazing when you have more than the standard 2-3 kids, that it seems to be EVERYONE'S business if you are having more, when your having more, if your trying for more, if we know how it happens, if we know what causes that, and is concerned on how many TVs we own. My typical family friends do not understand large family life at all. I get asked the questions that most of my large fam friends get, "how do you do it?", "glad its you and not me", "are you turning amish?"

I just do, me too, and ummmm NO.

Here are a few things that us large families deal with and will understand that most normal families dont and wont:

• The sock bucket or buckets
• Waiting a turn for the bathroom
• Hiding snacks and chocolate
• Enough food on the floor of your vehicle to feed a starving village
• Owning stock in the Rubbermaid company
• Confessions Board
• drooling over 8, 12, or 15 seater
• Sams Club & Costco
• Knowing what dtd, dh, ds, dd, opk, hpt, bfn, bfp, kup all mean

These are just a few that come to mind. You all know what I am talking about :)

Well some of you that is. Its almost like a secret club. You have to have more than X kids to find out the secret lingo us large families know. Its a special bond we have, you can spot a large family across the store, give a nod, see each other bob heads as you count each others herd, and move on with a smile and feel like you've instantly clicked and have known each other forever w/o speaking a word.

Large family life, wouldnt trade it for the world.

Long time no type! Family Updates!

Well if you still check in here, thank you for being such a good friend. We are all doing well, living our fast pace life, and sometimes i wish it wasnt that way, but with kids, and activities, and a family, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Abbie has been busy as usual. She is all signed up and ready to head to FL come June. She will be going on the 8th grade trip to FL and Disneyworld. She will be going w/ her best friends and the 4 of them will be rooming together. God bless those who take the kids on the trip. She will be doing Zoe again this year, and will be doing that right before the FL trip. She will be trying out for cheerleading in March, has been coaching gymnastics on Thursday nights, taking tumble in Omaha on Thursday nights after coaching, and will be attending DRIVERS ED, yes....DRIVERS ED in the summer. LORD. Again, help us.

Molly is now taking dance, so that takes up our Monday evenings. She is taking ballet/tap/jazz and hip hop. She LOVES the classes and told me "its the fun'est thing ever!". She is also trying out golf on Friday's after school and has been told she is a natural lol Doesnt hurt that she's went out w/ daddy a time or two.

Nate has been taking karate on Tuesdays, this is his first session. He seems to like it and I think its a good "sport" for him, something that he is to focus on.

Zach has been growing up so fast. He is working on potty training, and also speaking. I think he has a little lag, probably something to do w/ him being a tad early. All is OK though, and is working on his speech. Today we were watching the baby channel and the sign lady came on, and he signed MILK and said it. He's so stinkin cute. Everyday is something new with him.

Sam, mama's little Samlet. He is my lover. He loves to play, he loves to stand, he loves to talk. He doesnt care to crawl, just would rather hang out. He rolls when he wants to get somewhere. He's currently fighting off his 2nd ear infection and you couldnt tell he is sick at all. He loves to sit on the couch and bounce backwards into the cushions, lol, and for the first time this am, was found on his belly in the crib. He too is growing up way to fast.

As for daddy and I, we are doing well. Daddy has taken a new job in the big city, and has about an hour commute to and from work. He will have to work every 4th saturday, which is alot better than working every Saturday like he has in the past 5 years. We've had our ups and downs starting out 2010, but everything seems to be falling into place now. We believe God has a plan for all of us, everything is happening, or will happen for a reason, and we try to tell ourselves that often.

Another wee-one may appear in the future, but we are uncertain if and when. We, ok I, get asked often, if not on a daily basis when we are having another. I sometimes dont know how to answer that question? I guess when it happens, it happens. If we let it happen, it will happen.

I hear alot of, how do you afford it? Why do you want another? Your nuts/crazy! You know what causes that? Glad its you and not me! Isnt 5 enough? First off, I wonder why these people think its any of their business to tell me how many kids to have, or when to stop. If you want to have X kids, then you have X kids. If I want to have 6 kids, then let me have 6 kids and keep your comments to yourself. I dont go around telling people, you have ____ isnt that enough? Why do you need another ____. Just baffles the mind. Especially when I hear it from others that have had more than the "norm" of kids or came from a family that had more than the norm. You are one of 8, but you are telling me not to have 6? Seriously? We dont live off the state, we pay our taxes, we dont have more kids just so we can qualify for services, we have insurance, we dont ask for handouts, or hand me downs. We take care of our kids, we clothe, feed and love our children. We give them as much as we can, we budget, we take short-cuts, and we live the best life we can with what we have. We dont drive $30,000 vehicles, we dont live in a 7 bedroom mansion. We dont go out every weekend and party til the sunrise. We spend any extra time with our kids, not with friends. We shop at sales, we check the clearance racks. We buy for the next season, and box up outgrown clothes for the next sibling in line. We're thrifty, but, splurge when we want.

We live our life, and no one else can tell us how to do it.