On Christmas Eve our church was filled to capacity. We managed to arrive early enough to find a pew that was empty and pile in our six children along with their coats, angel wings, and a stuffed lamb for the shepherd, but it seemed like we got the last seats, because everyone who walked in after us had to stand...
I felt awkward, sitting when others didn’t have a place, so when a nice looking man approached our pew I pulled the children closer to me and invited him to sit down. Certainly, on Christmas, there was room for one more, I thought...
Read the rest here.
15 comments:
Mary Alice - This is a beautiful story; thank you so much for sharing it. It is great to see it on Faith & Family!
~Christina (frequent follower and cousin to Mr. Incredible)
MA, I couldn't get the link to work!! Help!
I couldn't get the link to work either.
I eventually got it to work--MA, I'm going to tinker with the link in your post if that's okay!! Should take care of it.
Opps B-Mama, I just tinkered with it too! It's working now.
Great article ;-)
It reminds me of the book, the mitten...except at the end of that book, the mitten pops because it is too crowded. Unfortunately, I feel as if our mitten is about to pop. I think this is one of those things that gets complicated when making the decision to have just one more, at what point would one more mean just squeezing a little tighter, and at what point does one more make the mitten pop.
Oh, Mary Alice, back to the post, this is just a beautiful read. I love reading these sentiments as we brace for adding #4 to a family with four under 5. At times it is an overwhelming thought, but then I see past the first year or two to the years down the road and all the blessings that will come forth from our decision to be open to one more. I know and pray it will be blessed. He makes all things Good for those who love Him.
I have been especially moved lately by the thought of adoption and how many children there are in the world in need of love, hope, and Christ. It is a small stirring, but one I will not ignore.
Before then, we have to survive the transition to 4, which Red references above. I take a lot of grace from the thought that we just need to make it through the first year. Red, you are in the thick of it, for sure! I know by the time June rolls around and I'm pulling out my hair, you'll be there for me, cajoling and encouraging me through the hard times. You will be through the worst of it and will offer promise and hope, I just know it!!
It will be so good in the end.
The link didn't work for me. Just went to the F&F main page . . .
B-Mama,
You are so positive and I love it! You are right in that I think I currently find myself just where MaryAlice was when she had her 4th and needed that "break." While I do not have twins, I do have a 3 month old baby and a special needs toddler (a very big baby!)...so life is pretty crazy! Crazy in a good way, of course. Love is limitless, and so ultimately I know there will be room for at least one more ;-) And I do hope, my friend, that I will be speaking your words of wisdom back to you this summer. I really hope that at that point four will feel like the new normal.
The link is working now. It will take you to the faith and family homepage, and MaryAlice's piece is featured on the front!
http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/features/just_one_more/
This is the link that works, B-Mama!
Mary Alice, I loved reading your post and it was great to see you over at Faith and Family - congrats :) You're a true inspiration and your words are great encouragement!
Are you related to Rebecca Teti at Faith & Family? I've been a regular poster to that site and previously Danielle Bean's for a few years now. Wow. Loved your piece, especially the final paragraph.
Congrats Alice, so proud of you to have your writing in more then one blog (always proud of the work you ladies do here, so impressive to find the the time to write).
I always tell people when they ask me how many kids you are going to have (and I get this question a surprising amount)...if you had kids as smart and adorable as her kids would you ever stop!
I'm so glad you found room for more because life without your babies 5 and 6 would certainly be less enjoyable for me...give them all a squeeze from us.
That was a beautiful piece. As catholics our default position is to be generous with God and your personal story reflects that so well! As an aside, a great way to answer the question of "How many?" is to answer, "as many as God gives us!" Doesn't matter if you're a 'radical providentialst' an 'ecological breastfeeder' or a strict NFP charter...it is the easiest answer!
Absolutely lovely. As a mom of 6, I have heard that "can't you make room?" question many times. I'm glad we always said yes. Knowing what we do now, which one would we willingly live without?
Awesome...thank you for sharing.
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