So I was manning the concessions stand at Rebecca's basketball game this afternoon with another mom. While Becca was playing her basketball game, the boys were either running around the gym, play fighting with sticks outside the school, begging for "just one more" Starburst candy, or running up and down the bleacher steps.... All typical fare for the Clemens boys. Not too shocking for me.
This other mom noticed that I had these active boys and commented on how cute they were and how well I dealt with four kids.
Me: (laughing) Yes, well two of them were, you know, unexpected guests.
Other mom: What? You weren't on birth control?
Me: No, not really. We used NFP and well, I did not really keep up with my charting.
Other mom: (rolling her eyes) Oh my God! Do you use birth control now?
Me: Yes, NFP...but I'm much more careful now. It's alot easier.
Other mom: Don't you know how dangerous that is? Are you CRA-ZY? I mean, my husband works at Duke and deals with women like YOU who come in with all KINDS of problems. You are taking a big risk! BIG.
Me: (shocked at her abruptness) Well, we wouldn't mind another child if that is what happens.
Other mom: Dangerous, dangerous! I'm making my husband get a vasectomy. I do not want to risk having another child. I'm done. I can't do it anymore, plus I'm menopausal and I can't risk it, ya know??
She proceeded to tell me about her sister who had a baby later in life and how hard it is on her and how a friend of hers had her first baby at 44 and how badly she is doing. I just listened and wondered why she was telling me all of this? Why did she NEED to persuade me of the dangers of another baby? Weird.
As mentioned in an earlier post, having children taught me how to trust God and His perfect plan for my life and family. Being the mother of four crying out loud has been the most awesome priviledge imaginable. God and I partnered up to create beauty that cannot be matched or found anywhere else. While days can be long, work unending, and patience scarce I ultimately know that these children were given to me as a GIFT. Life is a gift. Being open to life takes faith. And it's that faith which keeps me going.
An additional thought: If God granted me another child, what ever would I name the blog? Hmmmmm.
2 comments:
My husband Ben told me yesterday that he hopes God blesses us with at least 4 children so he can take them to the grocery store and elicit the inevitable remark, for example: "You figure out how that happens yet?" He says he is going to evangelize that person by promptly punching him in the mouth. I think he may have a point.
I used to get those comments all the time, and it frustrated me to no end. But I've found that in many cases people react like that because they "wish" they had given life another chance and had more children. Tell your husband: No punching!!!:)
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