Question 1: Are they all yours?

Whenever I go out of those with all twelve of my kids, I get asked this question. “Are they all yours?” Sometimes it is asked in a different way, like “Did you bring the whole neighborhood today? or “Do you run a daycare?” Sometimes, people say, “His,Yours and ours?” But, no matter how they ask, what they want to know is are they really all yours? Most of the time, this question doesn’t bother me. I love people, to watch people, find people fascinating, and am very curious about people. So, I understand that others are curious too. Once in a while someone will be a little too nosy and/or rude in their curiosity and that is harder to deal with. So, what is my answer to this question. Usually, I just give a yes answer and a smile. This satisfies 85% of those who asks, and they usually say something like God bless you, or what a blessing large families are. But, once in a while people want more and say, so you gave birth to all of them, you must have been pregnant for the last fifteen years, are there any twins, etc. Others are even bolder and want you to clarify if any are adopted, foster, or step children (to me that is a little rude when the children are standing right there). Even though three of my beautiful children are adopted and know it, I don’t think a total stranger needs to make them feel some how separated from the rest of the children. This is especially true when you have foster children. It always bothered me when I was a kid and people would point out that some of my siblings were foster children. Like they and I didn’t already know that. Life is hard enough as a kids in the system why make them feel less like part of the family they are with.
Oops, I side tracked there, lets get back on the right track. So, Are they all mine? To be totally honest, yes and no. You see I believe they belong to God, and that I am just blessed by him to be their mother. So, yes, they are all my children born of my heart, and some born of my womb. Most days I do not even feel worthy of such a high calling as to mother one child, let alone twelve. But, God has blessed me, and I am grateful to enjoy the life I share with these children. They teach me so many things day after day. The next question I often get asked is, “so are you done?” check back in to see what my answer is for this one.

Psalm 127
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to[a] those he loves.
3 Children are a heritage from the LORD,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.

Written by Katie

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