This is probably the question that has plagued mankind since the beginning of time...at least those of mankind that have associated with my husband and I.
The only answer I have, is a quote from what a wise man once said, ”Insanity runs in my family and I used to worry about it a lot, but, now that I’m in it, it’s not too bad!”
It actually began a long time ago. Ever since I can remember I've wanted to be a wife and mother. So when CL and I got married we started our family right away. (I married an awesome man with the same dreams as I.)
After Dot, Rosebud, Lulu, and Beaver were born, I was feeling that our family was just the right size and it might be a good time to quit...SILLY ME!
When Beaver was about 1 year old I began getting the strongest feeling that someone was missing from our family. Several months later I was pregnant with Bogie.
Awhile after his birth, that same strong feeling happened again, someone was missing...and then we got Chip. This happened two more times, bringing Woody and then Nails to our family gathering. This brought our family to a total of eight.
Wow, eight... that's a lot of kids!
When our eighth child, Nails , was just a year old I became very ill. I was ill for several years. I began to think that with me so ill, there was no way I could get pregnant and that I was done bearing children. I had eight children, this was a huge responsibility, but it was doable.
When Nails was three years old, I sold all the baby furniture, got rid of all the baby clothes and got on with the task of family and home.
One beautiful autumn day in 1995, I was on holiday at the Gulf of Mexico walking along the beach barefoot and content. It was a peaceful and delightful day. The kids were faraway with CL, I was here all alone. Then that old feeling came back, someone was missing from our family. Not only that, but this time I knew it was a boy.
Well, I tell you, I'd had it, this was the limit,
I'm not going to do it, no one can make me...
But, low and behold, when I got back home, I was already with child. Okay, change of thought...
I can do this, just dig-in and go for it...
I was so sure this baby WAS GOING TO BE A BOY that I didn't have a ultra sound...when the doctor delivered
Joka and announced it was a girl, I told him it was not a girl, it was a boy and to quit joking around. The doctor looked at me, then the baby, held her up so I could see and said, "This is one thing you can't debate, this is a girl."
Somebody somewhere was not being very nice to me.
Don't get me wrong, My little
Joka was precious to me, as were all my children, each one a new person to get to know and unique!
When
Joka was three months old, that same exact feeling I'd gotten on the beach came back...a son was missing from our family.
You have got to be kidding, this is not funny,
everyone already thinks I'm crazy,
even my parents and husband, and I agreed!
But, low and behold, Tatty was born and she was NOT A BOY. But this time I was prepared, I'd had an ultrasound...no more surprises for me. By now I'm asking myself,
"How high of a stress level I could take? What does all this mean? Where's that boy?"
Time passed... Tatty was 4 months old when, you guessed it, along came that haunting and unwanted feeling that there was a son missing. By this time my attitude was...
WHAT EVER!
This time the ultra sound gave great evidence that,
finally, finally, finally we were going to get our missing son!
YAHOO!!!
In August, Buster was born.
That was almost 12 years ago. I have spent a lot of time looking at my eleven children; whether their gathered around our enormous dining table, or piled on the sofas watching a movie, or tucked safe in their beds with my little Buster sleeping soundly in his crib. My heart rejoices that I didn't give up and leave him behind. Our home is complete!
It is amazing to me that I have come to know eleven great people on such an intimate basis. None of us are perfect and we go through the same funnies and trials that all families go through, but...
THIS IS AN AMAZING ADVENTURE
AND I'M SO GLAD TO BE ON IT!
