on having more.
I found some pictures last night.
And my breath caught sharply.
Three, little, stair-step girls.
Bright and beautiful.
Happy and free.
[August 2008]
My tears welled up.
What if we had stopped?
We were already above the American
statistical average.
With our three kids.
What if we would have pushed off
our desires?
our calling?
our love?
What if we had said no...
so those three could have
more?
We didn't.
And they do have more.
More
patience.
love.
fun.
compassion.
joy.
beauty.
hope.
faith.
perseverance.
trust.
They do have more.
[December 2009]
they have more and are all the more blessed because of it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for helping me see my extra blessings as just that-- blessings. I tend to look at the work more than the results.
ReplyDeleteAnd so do you. And I'm sure that love is the type of stuff that keeps multiplying. :)
ReplyDeletesteph
thank you
ReplyDeleteyou make me cry, love. i JUST had a rather unsettling conversation with someone i am eternally connected with on this very topic. i told her excitedly of plans for another child (we have 2, currently), and was met with negativity. the list of why "two is enough" was so long. my heart was broken. is support and excitement too much to ask? this was just the post i needed. and the reminder to keep our adoptions plans and plans to have FIVE to myself. :) thank you for obeying God with your family AND your blogging. you're blessing more than you even know.
ReplyDeleteYes, Yes, my heart says your story is a glimpse at my future. We will have more... more LOVE, it just multiplies!! I LOVE YOUR BLog, you've got a gift girl, and a BEAUTIFUL family.
ReplyDeletei am so glad that you did not stop at three...just like me : )
ReplyDeletepeople always told me i had enough with three, then i had my twins. i think big families are wonderful! you have such a beautiful family.
beeeeautiful family. i <3 your kids! i want so bad to give my baby siblings. so much better than any material "moreness" they could have!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteAs usual a great post that captures the truth. As a mom to many I can always use these kinds of reminders of our blessings.
ReplyDeleteIt make me happy to know that there are families like yours with uber amounts of love to give to such lucky babies...never stop wanting more, because with more the love continues to grow!
ReplyDeleteYour girls are beautiful! And Clay is such a handsome little guy...he fits right in!
and I recently found your blog and I love it, your family is Awesome and you are inspiring.
ReplyDeletemy husband and I were having a similar conversation on our way to work this morning... all the "what ifs" and the how selfish society is, and to an extent us as well. We are a blended family, he has 3 I have 2 and together we have 1 (I was 41 when I had our "together" child. I would love to adopt (I myself am adopted) my husband thinks we're too old - me 44 he 49.
we do the best we can and attempt to live each day on God's terms.
Moved to tears...
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel that way... like, maybe we should just stop at two because most people have two and we have to send them to daycare, so is it really fair to keep having more kids and then have someone else raise them? Although in my heart of hearts I know that their sitter is most certainly NOT raising them, I still feel like people will think that. But thank you for reminding me to trust in something greater than us and our fears.
ReplyDeletethe more the merrier!
ReplyDeleteI love this post. I have the same thoughts every time I look at old pictures of my kiddos. What if we had given in to convenience? To pressure from family and friends and life? What if we hadn't followed our hearts? I can't imagine life with fewer than we have now, even though I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would have not only a "bigger" family, but a BIG family! (#8 is on the way)
ReplyDeleteI find that with each additional child, the perspective on life and appreciation for each of these blessings is so much greater!
It makes me sad that one day I'll eventually have to stop..... ;)
Oh, friend. You make me want more. Not quite yet, but soon.
ReplyDeleteYou think I can make it to 10?
I want a house full! Our adoptions take so long, it is hard to imagine a few more....The Joy of the Lord is my strength. Again, love the pics.
ReplyDeleteoh, that speaks right to my heart...so perfect...looks like my fam :) love it, kristi
ReplyDeleteI am one of 4, and while some would comment to my parents that we would have had so much more (financially) had they stopped at 2 or 3, their response was always, "Which one would you have had us give up?" Each of us children is different and made life as full as it was growing up. The third child is graduating high school with plans to go into teaching or nursing (he's got a huge heart), and the youngest is into robotics and will probably change the world some day.
ReplyDeleteYour children do have so much more, and so do you! You are truly blessed!
Not sure if I have ever commented. I was moved to do so today. My husband and I had the same conversation last night before bed. He is the one with excuses and it breaks my heart. I want him to see the "more".....
ReplyDeleteSo so much more!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this one today. It was JUST what I needed to hear!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had more!! You can't put a limit on LOVE! :)
ReplyDeleteI love this post. It is so true.
ReplyDeleteoh, you make me want more babies! And I just love the sentiment. I couldn't agree with you more.
ReplyDelete(First time here, although I see you all over the internet. Nice to meet you...) ;)
elizabeth
and by 'meet you' I mean finally browse your blog and get a peak at your sweet family and your sweet heart. meaning, *your* heart. not your 'sweetheart'. :) heh.
ReplyDeleteAmen sister :) Amen :)
ReplyDeleteJenn
Oh what a gift... We have three and want more. Feel this calling. After lossing a baby last March it has taken some time to feel and know that Gods is asking us to add more to our family. Thank you for posting.
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible. Coming from a girl with five brothers and sisters, I can tell you this with certainty: THERE IS NO GREATER GIFT.
ReplyDeletestranger here. thanks for this post. i've been following you for a few weeks and am overwhelmed with your honest and with your love for your family. and in a world where we get friction for considering more children than the two we have...it's nice to know it can be done and done well.
ReplyDeleteps: we're starting the adoption process this summer and have so many questions and would love to email you at some point, if that is okay?
This post really hit home for me. This is my first visit to your blog and I'd like to think it's for a reason. Thank you for writing it.
ReplyDeleteThis post really hit home for me. This is my first visit to your blog and I'd like to think it's for a reason. Thank you for writing it.
ReplyDeletesuch a beautiful family, and a touching post.
ReplyDelete