What Was "It" Like?

If I had a dime for every time I got asked the question, "What was it like?" I'd have enough money to be cruising the deep, blue ocean 6 months out of the year enjoying sunrises and sunsets on tropical islands, being hand-fed shrimp cocktail and lobster, and enjoying my mornings being pampered with facials, manicures, pedicures, and spa treatments!  I'm not exactly sure what "it" means, but I'm assuming "it" means the whole mommy thing of so many kids.  For others it was always intriguing.  For me, "it" was everyday life. 

Let me first begin by saying that there are eleven kids in the crew.....6 boys and 5 girls.  They're all grown up now, and I'm currently gaining a foothold on the landscape of being a granny.  For now, though, we'll just talk about the gang of kids that started this whole crazy granny thing.

One girl, then five boys in a row were born (can you imagine five teenage boys living under one roof, all attending a small country bumpkin school, raising havoc every day of their lives?).  After Michelle and the five boys, two girls came along as a welcome relief from the fist fights, wrestling, planned fights in front of Ida's Country Store every day after school, bike wrecks, and so many stitches I gave up counting.  You get the picture, I'm sure. I never had a brother, so the boy thing was an entirely new concept for me.  WOW!  The enlightening days began almost at birth and I stand amazed at the education my boys gave me.  I have enough knowledge of the male gender to fill volumes of books!   There is most definitely a distinct difference between the male and female brain!  

Back to the birth order.....after the two girls,  one more boy was born (gotta love that Bug!) and then the critter crew ended with two more girls.  Did I mention that girls also fist fight, wrestle, yell, scream, throw things, and get into kicking and hitting battles?  They also can wail louder than a cow in travail when they have a broken heart which just so happens to occur at least every other week during middle school, then tapers off to about once every six weeks in high school.

Life at the church parsonage (see blog #2) and then life on the Ponderosa (we moved to the country when I was pregnant with baby number 7) was anything but dull.

From this point on, I'll be sharing little this and that tidbits of fun stuff and funny stuff that happens when you're a super large family living in tight quarters on a budget meant to feed a family of four. We were not one of the large families that often gets highlighted in magazines.  You know the ones where everybody sits still during meals, has a proper bed time and the kids all pitch in to do their daily chores without ever being reminded twice, while mom and dad peacefully tell bedtime stories to the little ones.  Not hardly!  We were far, far removed from that scene!   

Would I do it all over again?  Hmmm.....stick with me in these blogs and read for yourself.  I'll give you a hint...I think I've got some keepers!!!!

Love,
Crazy Granny