This is the last onesie Bee will probably ever wear... just in time to pull out the stashes of infant ones!
On that subject, just how many kids will the Bee Hive have buzzing around? The answer is unknown, and I suppose only God is the one who knows. What we do know is that we aren't stopping now. And what's kept us going is going to continue to drive us to our own little basketball team.
We were doing our weekly shopping trip this morning when we stopped by the sample section (as normal) to chat a bit with Miss Rosemary. She's such a nice gal and she enjoys the boys every time. She asked if we had plans for any more children to which I gave her the news (the abbreviated news, that is, I'm sure she didn't need details about how at once I was carrying twins!). She was thrilled. I found out today that Miss Rosemary has nine biological children! Nine! What a special woman and what a special conversation happened thereafter.
We discussed large families, the joys, the sacrifices, the relationships, the holidays.
This post is in a sense a bit of a documentation for you, kids, so that when you're frustrated with your order in the assembly line at dinner, or when you're embarrassed to be driving in an Econoline van, when maybe you're grateful that you have more siblings than friends, you will know why your Daddy and I chose to fill our vessel.
Here are the logical reasons, and of course there are spiritual too (which will have to be later):
-We both came from families of 5, and although we enjoyed having two other siblings, we know that life may have been even more "rich" than it already is.
-Holidays are fun and full of life, and as both our siblings and ourselves continue to reproduce, the quality of life is expanding... just imagine it two or three fold!
-We're selfish and aware. We know that we may lose one or many of our children to out of state spouses. The thought of it kills me as a future grandmother! I know one of my brothers is in New York and to not go through life with him and his sweet family is a constant heart-breaker. It honestly feels unnatural. Wrong. But, it's reality, I figure if we can keep a couple, our holidays and special times will still be busy and full of life.
-Siblings learn so much from each other: Sharing, caring, life's lessons. In large families, kids learn to work hard for what they want as they most likely will not have it available or given to them (not to be said that only children or smaller families will not have that).
-We feel called to be a big family--and to that, there's no argument as God knows and he will fill our vessel until he decides to stop it (whether it be through the womb or adoption)!
Out of curiosity, are you from a big family, do you want a big family, will you have a big family? Please share the ups and downs, thoughts, observations... this will be unknown territory for the both of us!