Just Another Day

Isn't it neat how we parents grow as our family grows?  I remember looking at large families before having children of my own and thinking, How on earth do they manage?!  And then when I became a slightly overwhelmed mother of one, I realized what a wonderful thing it was that I didn't have to become a mother of several all at once--I would have a chance to grow along with my family, one baby (or two!) at a time.

I never could have foreseen my husband and myself doing what we did today.  In sub-zero weather, we (along with what must have been the rest of the Des Moines populous :-)) ventured out for our monthly trip to Costco with two toddlers and two infants in tow.  I wonder if it was apparent to our fellow shoppers why we were buying in bulk.... :-)

One of the best things about having four children under four years of age (two of them being infants) is that Travis and I really have to work as a team.  When Abel and Amariah both announced they needed to go to the bathroom about halfway through the trip, all six of us had to make our way to the front of the store.  While Travis manned the cart full of merchandise and the stroller full of babies, I took Abel and Amariah into the extremely busy women's restroom.  Seeing that there was no way three people in winter coats were going to fit in one stall, I sent Abel in one by himself and went into another with Amariah.  Although it was a little nerve racking, Abel was very obedient and stayed put and we made it out okay... minus one of Amariah's barrettes which somehow managed to fall into the toilet as she was peering over it to admire her work. :-)

Another of the best things about having four children under four years of age is that all kinds of people go out of their way to get a peek at our children and to make their comments.  Many people want to tell us about the twins in their own family.  Others want to ask how old they are.  Some want to let us know that we must be crazy to have four young children.  And a few want to share in our joy and acknowledge that we are blessed. My favorite of these encounters today was with an older woman.  Seeing the double stroller, she approached to get a look at the babies and to ask how old they are.  After proceeding to express how glad she was that she isn't me, she realized that there were two more children standing beside the stroller who also belong to me and said as she walked away, "Okay, you do deserve a reward."

Four years ago, I probably would have agreed with her.  But today, this blessed mother of four would say that it's just another day.