Crazy

When people find out that we have adopted four kids in three years, their first comment is, "Are you crazy?

Then they hear we have two 3 year olds and two 2 year olds and they know we are.

Maybe we're a little crazy. 

But the truth is, I wouldn't have it any other way.

When we got married, we intended to have many kids close in age.  We wanted a big family and we wanted it quickly.  When that didn't happen, we were devastated.  I was upset that my hope and dreams for a big family with kids close in age were dashed.  I grew up with three sisters and we were all close in age.  Jeremy's family was similar.  We loved it growing up and wanted that for our family.

I couldn't be happier now with four kids with 21 months.

Are we crazy?

Yes.

But...

The kids always have a playmate.  Who is interested in the same things as them.  It's like having two sets of twins.  They're all best friends.  When one is gone, they don't know how to act. 

They share clothes, shoes, toys, blankets, dress-up outfits and basically everything.

They play great together.  Sure, they fight like all siblings do.  But mostly, they are just happy to play together.

They'll grow up in the same class, always having each other's backs.  Always going through challenging moments together.  Always having a sister or brother to lean on.

The list could go on.  


We often get asked, "why did you decide to adopt so soon after Anna (or Anthony)?"  Let me tell you, three years of childlessness, when that's all you desire in the whole world, feels like an eternity.  Adoption waits are often long and are always hard.  We knew after Anna that we wanted to get going as quickly as possible in case our wait was long.  God decided it wouldn't be.

After Anthony, we had a very strong desire to help children through foster care.  It just so happened that God's plan was for us to adopt pretty quickly again.  And even then, those 6 months of waiting felt torturous.

When people ask why we did it that way and so quickly and so many, I simply say, "God has blessed us abundantly."

Because really, if there's anything infertility taught me, it's that I'm not in control.  He's got this.  And His plan has proven to be far greater than mine ever was.

So maybe we're not the crazy ones after all...

Maybe we need to remember that children are a precious gift from God and we are so very blessed to have received them so abundantly.