It seems that an increasing number of people believe that large families are, well...just weird. And to that I say...
Maybe.
The top picture is me, my husband, and my seven siblings. Below is us with seven of his eight siblings (one is currently serving a mission in Mexico). This is not including our (total) seven brothers/sisters-in-law, parents, and nieces and nephews (24 in all). You might say that we come from big families. And can I just say...we love it. We both adore every single one of our siblings--they are our best friends in the world, and so much fun to hang out with. Growing up with seven people who understood me, and my parents, and the gospel so much better than I did at times made all the difference in the world to me. I have loved always having someone--or two or three someones--to turn to, knowing they will respond with love and kindness. I wish that I could better describe the beautiful reality of growing up in such a big family. But I do know a few distinct things I would like to say:
1.) Having a lot of children...is the exact opposite of selfishness. Ehrilch's example of robbing a bank is so skewed I might have thrown up in my mouth a little bit--or at least scoffed so emphatically that I choked. My mother was in school when she became pregnant with her first child, my oldest sister Kari (the blonde behind me and slightly to the left in the picture). She (my mom) was a communications major at BYU, and a brilliant writer at that. My parents were dirt poor when they had their first child...and their second...and their third, fourth, fifth...etcetera. Did they make sacrifices? You bet. Was it hard for them? Naturally. Is being a mom easy? Heck. No. But they did it--over and over again, they chose the hard thing. The hard, yet beautifully rewarding thing of having another child. And what kind of children did they produce? Hard-working, loving, faithful people who love the gospel and the Savior with all their hearts--people who have gone on to have an amazing sphere of influence in their wards and communities. I look up to my 5 older siblings--and my 2 younger brothers as well--in so many ways, and I know without a doubt that they are major contributors not just to my world--but to THE world.
2.) I'm not saying it was always peachy. My husband felt, as I did sometimes, that you can get a little lost in a big family. But I might add that it's never for long--and never as much as you think it is. We were both blessed with parents who were so very aware of us, so caring and loving that they did things we didn't know we needed ALL THE TIME. The benefits of a large family far outweigh the few minor trials. And hey. Trials make us stronger :)
3.) The Lord commanded us to multiply and replenish the earth. This commandment can be fulfilled in soooo many different ways--and far be it from me to say that anyone with less than five kids just isn't living up to the standard! Who knows--maybe I'll only be blessed with two children. I think that would be hard for me since I'd love a big family, but I would get over that because what it all comes down to is the Lord's will. Personal revelation is really the only way to go, so the only thing I can say is this:
Don't allow yourself to be swayed by what the world tells you is appropriate. For "they shall call good evil, and evil good..." The only thing we can rely on is that God has a plan, and He will make it known to the individual.
Have faith. Have HAPPINESS. Have excitement for the beautiful reality that you can have children of your own, to love and nurture and raise in righteousness. Because seriously...THAT is what it is ALL about.
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