I always knew that I wanted a large family. I grew up as an only child of single mom. Life was normal, we had good times and bad times, but I grew up being lonely. I loved being at my friends' homes - all but one had siblings. I loved the noise, the love, the closeness and the list could go on. Yes I had my mother's undivided attention, but I was still lonely. Also when my mother had health issues I discovered another icky part of being an only child...there is NO one else to carry the burden of medical decisions. No one to really talk it thru. I hated that I was the only one that could really make these decisions for my mom, I hate that I had no one to really lean on or talk it thru. 3 years ago this month my father in law had a massive heart attack, that resulted in a quad -heart bypass. Watching how his mom had my husband and his two siblings to lean on was amazing.
Don't get me wrong there are negative sides of having siblings too. I have seen that thru the years how siblings can be vicious, fighting, mean and etc. And at those times I'm so glad I'm an only child not to have to see that.
So I am blessed that God has blessed my 4 children with each other. At times - I have wondered if it was a good thing or not due to the age difference, and various needs of my 4 kids, but then God gives me that special glimpse of the loving bond between then, and then I think "oh yeah, this was the right thing to do."
