I didn’t intend to have kids in my 20s. Kinda expected to have this career of my dreams and eventually settle down with my already husband in my 30s... but I realized climbing the corporate ladder with cut throat killer types that I was working with wasn’t for me. Didn’t have the stomach for it. After quitting my “dream job” it was a what now moment. I tried a few things, but settled on what if we had a baby. We had the house and dog so only made sense, right? Best laid plans and by the grace of God, we had a baby girl. She was feisty and independent and didn’t need me from the start with her gorgeous red hair! Then Russ started traveling. Soph came two years later and I was all about pink! My little girly girl with her tutu skirts and perpetual headbands. Sing at the top her lungs and dance and we were quite the performers. We outgrew our home and moved. Shortly after Easy E made his grand appearance and rounded out our family as the boy of the bunch. I was smitten. Something about having a “Momma’s boy” that changed my life. Russ was gone a lot. And it wore on him. And left me exhausted. So 3 was our number. We moved again (twice in one year as we decided to build). Time was moving fast and seeing our kids growing up so much left a longing to slow down and do it all over again. We were never done. Always said we wanted four. I had someone once say they knew they were done and they said you just know. You just know.
I talk. A lot. And not shy to share but deeply protective of my family and our story. I’m one to learn from others and usually take something from every conversation that I have and lock it in the memory bank for later. I learn from it. I’m inspired from it. Sometimes challenged by it. If we listen. I mean really really listen. Stop talking and listen. Slow it all down. And what I heard is there was a desire for more kids, but always reasons that kept them from having more. Spouse opinions, job opportunities, housing size, social expectations, miscarriages? Whatever it was, the family size usually ended at three or less. Heck, we went to buy a new car and get away from our suburban life and our dealer friend laughed for ten minutes before saying- you are at the smallest vehicle you can fit! Sulking we went home with our new burb.
Not everyone wants more. I get it. This is just my story. Not for all...
And so, baby four makes six. Outnumbered. And out voiced in our already loud household. But don’t scream or I will lay down the House law.
I talk. A lot. And not shy to share but deeply protective of my family and our story. I’m one to learn from others and usually take something from every conversation that I have and lock it in the memory bank for later. I learn from it. I’m inspired from it. Sometimes challenged by it. If we listen. I mean really really listen. Stop talking and listen. Slow it all down. And what I heard is there was a desire for more kids, but always reasons that kept them from having more. Spouse opinions, job opportunities, housing size, social expectations, miscarriages? Whatever it was, the family size usually ended at three or less. Heck, we went to buy a new car and get away from our suburban life and our dealer friend laughed for ten minutes before saying- you are at the smallest vehicle you can fit! Sulking we went home with our new burb.
Not everyone wants more. I get it. This is just my story. Not for all...
And so, baby four makes six. Outnumbered. And out voiced in our already loud household. But don’t scream or I will lay down the House law.
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