So I get asked ALL the time, "Are these all yours?" as the person asking stares at my kids trailing behind me in the store. "YES they are!" I respond thinking, no I am sure the kids just saw the fruit snacks in my basket and thought, 'Im going home with that woman today, she has treats!'. The next thing out of their mouth is usually "NOOO! YOUR not OLD enough to have (begins counting) one , two, three.............(gasp) EIGHT kids!" Well I know I did start early at 20 years old, but come on- its not like I really look 20 NOW! People often wonder why I had eight kids "what is my point or purpose" in having eight kids. Before Mark and I got married we discussed how many kids we wanted. I wanted 5 ish and Mark wanted 11ish (I think he was trying to scare me and not being serious). However once we started our family there was no looking back. Mark wanted me to get a job when we were first married so we could be a little more financially stable. I didnt want to do that. I wanted to be able to stay home with my baby! He was sensitive to my desire to be a mother and decided it might be for the best. With each baby, we had our feelings that we were not done. When I was pregnant with Gemma I was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer. It was at that time in my life when I was able to see what a miracle it was to become pregnant and become a mother. I had other issues in my pregnancy that the Dr had even questioned if the baby would make it full term. After alot of prayers, and taking it easy, we found out that our little girl would be fine. Gemma ended up being our biggest baby! I had radiation a few moths later and a check up a year later. Things were good and we hoped to have another baby soon. Well we ended up having a miscarriage at 10 weeks along. That was not a good experience, but yet, another reminder how precious life is and how lucky we were to be blessed with 5 beautiful kids. Over one year later we were blessed with little Chubbas (Hunter). But it wasnt all bliss! I developed postpartum anxiety, and I can honestly say that was one of the worst 6 months of my life (ok, maybe there is a toss up there);). That was one of the best six months for Mark and I. Dont get me wrong, he absolutely drove me crazy andI drove him crazy during that time. We fought so much and it was hard to focus on improving our marriage if you know what I mean. But looking back, that was the time I grew the closest to Mark. Even though it was something I was going through, he was patient with me and worked through it with me. I never wanted to get pregnant again. I was scared that if I did I would get anxiety again and it wasnt something I wanted to risk. I wasnt a good mom OR wife when I had anxiety and I knew it. But there we were a year later talking about having one more. We really felt that there was another little person that was supposed to join our family. Of course we fought that feeling for 3 months. Its probably NOT the best thing to not listen when the spirit is talking to you! So we finally listened. 9 weeks later, I started bleeding and called the Dr. I went in for an ultrasound KNOWING that they would tell me I was miscarrying. But that wasnt the case, instead we were having twins!!! No Mark wasnt with me, I was by myself and had to go back into the Dr office to talk with him. So for the next two hours I got to sit there and think. First of all, I am not a patient person and thought for sure the Lord made a mistake in send TWO babies to me. I thought for sure he made a mistake because I wasnt the best mom and didnt really know how to be a good mom. But as I continued to ponder these things, I got my answer. I wasnt blessed with 6 children and two on the way because I WAS patient and a good mom, It was because I need to learn to be patient, and learn how to be a good mom. The Lord has his way of giving us things when
he thinks we need them- not when
we think we need them. I am so grateful for the experiences in my life that has made me the person who I am. I am greateful for the people in my life who were such great examples for me to follow and pattern my life after. I have been blessed with so much in my life and I would be so ungrateful if I didnt recognize the Lords hand in it all. I hope I stay close enough to his spirit that I can continue to be guided in the things that I should do that will help me to become the person the HE wants me to be, a wonderful wife to my husband and a wonderful mother to my children. I love my kids, each one of them is so different and so amazing. I am truely blessed!
Being raised on a farm, Mark LOVES working on it still. Yes even while he goes to school he still loves to go over and milk or feed the cows, dig, plant, or harvest the fields. I have learned that you absolutely cannot take the farmin out of the man! Of course I am a little tiny bit attached to my man and so I do go with him wherever I can. So we went to feed with him. It was actually routine before he started school. He would milk, and I would go over and feed with the kids. I have to admit I hate the smell, BUT I love how much the kids enjoy being over there. They don't always help out, but they are always having fun and finding things to get into.
This pic is of Caden trying to bottle feed a new calf (the one on the left). In order to teach a new calf to drink, you need to put your finger into the calf's mouth at the same time as the nipple. As you can see the calf on the right is trying to suck on the bottle while the one on the left has Cadens fingers. LOL. He is doing such a great job learning about farming and from his Dad and Uncle Brad.
Hunter learning to feed the calves.
The biggest tire obstacle course you have ever seen! Not really, this is not for fun- this is how they store the feed for the cows once the harvesters are full. The tires are to make sure no oxygen gets to it
I honestly can say that I cant imagine living in a city. I would be absolutely lost! I have gotten too used to being out in the middle of fields that I think neighbors would just be.....well, not fun! ;)
