Thursday, March 27, 2014

on growing a family.


the topic of family size is one that seems to come up a lot in conversation among young families these days.

we have been on the receiving end of numerous comments and questions lately with regard to our own family size, so i thought i would very simply address it here...just so i can answer that question and look back on my heart on the topic some day. since we are having a little girl come after three boys, most people automatically assume that we are done having kids now...as if we only kept having more in order to have a girl, and now that we are, why in the world would we want more children.

sometimes answering questions about how many children we will have is difficult for me because i truly do not know the answer. i don't know if four is where God plans to stop growing our family or if His plan is to give us more biologically. i know that He has had adoption on our hearts for years, but i don't yet know how many or even how He will choose to grow our family this way. i simply don't know.

but i do trust Him. i trust Him to guide us and give us direction. i trust His plans for our family, whatever they may be.

i hear a lot of women say that they "know their limits" or that they "can only handle (enter number of choice) kids." and if i'm honest, i know the feeling from which they are speaking out of. being a mother is something that is 100% natural to me, but is also a role that has sanctified me more than any other. it requires complete selflessness and a strength that is not our own to continue walking forward each and every morning. and i felt the same way with one child, as i do now with three, almost four. being a mother is not easy. it is beautiful. it is righteous. it is a holy calling that draws us into a deeper dependence on God.

i get it. trust me. there are days where i feel like four is a good number, so we should stop here. and while that may be what God directs us to do, i also know that it is not up to me to determine what God will ask of me. it is not up to me to determine what is possible and what is impossible. there are no limits with God. no limits on His love. no limits on His strength and grace for my life. nothing is too big or grand of Him to ask of me. i know that He will give us exactly what He has designed for all of eternity.

i won't go into detail about our thoughts and ideas on birth control. the topic of birth control is a controversial one for sure and that is not what i want this post to be. i simply want to share where my heart currently sits.

and i most assuredly know this, i will always have more love in my heart to give and more room in my home for whoever God decides to bring through our door.

"children are a gift from the Lord: the fruit of the womb, a reward. like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. how blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."
psalm. 127:3-4

3 comments:

  1. So, so beautiful Katie! Each one He gives you is just as blessed to have you as a Mom!

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  2. Here from Britt's blog! That Britt ^^^ haha. Loved your reflection! I get asked this question ALL THE TIME with one and frankly, how do you answer? Especially as a couple that deals with fertility issues. Anyway, you summed up a lot of my own thoughts. I enjoyed. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Also here from Britt's blog. Beautiful post!
      Theresa- I also have one and get this - often in the form of "When are you having another, he needs a brother or a sister!" We waited years for our beautiful child, and I celebrate the gift he is, while knowing there is a greater purpose to our lives than our own desires.

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