For years and years, I dreamed of having a big family. I still do at times... I always thought Don and I might be one of those families you occasionally see on a show like Dateline or read about in Good Housekeeping that adopted 15 kids... That is back in the day when I thought it would be a breeze to be Super Mom!
Well, everyone knows that Don and I struggle just raising ONE! Granted, Katie has multiple special needs...
Anyway, we are hooked on this show on Discovery Health... Jon & Kate plus 8! We love watching this. We admire this couple so very much (although sometimes I want to reach through the tv and shake Kate - but then I realize I'd be no better - probably worse if I were raising 8 children under the age of 7)!
This seemingly normal couple got married and seemed destined for an average life, then they had twins. Okay, still pretty normal existence now that the twins are weaned and out of diapers.
Then Kate (and Jon will never let her forget it)wants just one more baby – a sibling for their twin girls. Jon thinks, hey two is plenty, let’s just go about our normal life. Kate insists on one more. "I bought one and got five free", she says on the show.
I love this show because it makes me feel so abundantly blessed to not be quite so abundantly blessed. Does that make sense? I mean, thank you God for not blessing me with twins and sextuplets!
It’s a really good show about their day to day existence which is now anything but ordinary. Their grocery bill at Sam's was over $1,000. Think about paying that bill next time your checking out. Could you even cover that and your mortgage? The next time I'm trying to book a babysitter... I will be thankful that I'm just getting a babysitter for one child. If they ever get a babysitter - it's not for dates - it's for normal life stuff... they have to split up the kids. Amazingly - they don't have much outside help - even from family. They are very independent.
I seriously giggle in sympathy every time I see this family. Don and I will pause the show and just look at each other in disbelief!!! Then I quickly want to throw salt over my shoulder and/or knock on some wood to somehow prevent anything similar from ever happening to us. Thank the Lord we choose adoption instead of pursing fertility treatments because I just don't think I/we were cut out for raising multiples.
Although, you always have to fall back on that belief that "God never gives any one person any more than they can handle..."
Watching a special episode last night with Don made me even more thankful. They packed up their commercial sized custom van PLUS a Uhaul trailer and headed to Orlando from their Pennsylvania home. They took SIX three year olds and TWO seven year olds to Disney!
We love, love, love to travel and Katie is such a wonderful traveler! She may have melt downs after a rough day at school but she is an AWESOME traveler. She may not be able to focus at home to have a conversation... but we hit the road and we have the best talks EVER! She may not mind very well if we go to Target to shop - but when we are in a crowded airport - she is right there doing everything she is suppose to - 1st request ALWAYS!
Don and I decided last night that when she travels to new places... she must just get the right amount of stimulation. It keeps her even keeled... tires her just the right amount to where she sleeps at night... she's not in her "normal" environment so she is more aware of listening and following directions... not sure! But very thankful!
Anyway, watching this family's journey to Disney made me realize how much fun we had in May and how much we want to go back. We've decided that for now - it's going to be a birthday tradition for Katie. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Maybe we will have a better experience at Epcot next year as well! It will be hard to top last year's special invitation to meet all the prince's and princesses... but...
atleast we don't have to pack a Uhaul trailer to do it! :)
Blessings to everyone during this holiday season!
LA :)
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