I'm just going to go ahead and open with this. Brandon and I want to have a big family. To be specific, we are talking five on the conservative side, but we would like to have seven children. I've been telling people this for years, so most of you probably already know this.
We know it will be expensive and a lot of work. If this is not what God has for us, then so be it, but children are definitely part of our long-term goals. Because we are both still in school and want to work to pay off as much debt as possible, we are being patient. It is definitely a struggle, but I am definitely learning to enjoy where I am now. I'm using this time to focus on fitness and try to hone some of the skills I mentioned on my list (sewing, photography, etc). If I can use these skills in the future to supplement our income, that would be great. One of my goals before I turn 30 though is to begin the journey of motherhood. I want to at least have our first child (hopefully, a boy) by the time I turn 30.
I knew I wanted to be a mother long before I knew what career field interested me. I can thank my own amazing mother for this. I have definitely dropped the ball in appreciating her as much as I should have. My mother is a woman who has always cared. She cared enough about my sisters and I to discipline us but also to encourage us. She cared enough about my father to display loving submission, even when it meant she may have been disappointed at times. She humbly served the Lord for years before she was ever given appreciation or recognition for it in public. She is the kind of woman who, to this day, still rises before the sun to ensure she schedules time to worship the Lord in reading the Word and in prayer. She is strong in her spot, and clings tightly to the faith she holds. She is not perfect, but she seeks to honor God in any way that she can. I would be satisfied if I end up being half of the woman/mother that she was and is today.
My father is and has always been the strong, silent type. I love this about him. He is a rock, and he is unyielding. He has worked hard for years to ensure that my sisters and I had everything that we needed. My father has been a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on. He has managed finances in our home in a way that I hope I can figure out as well. He serves wherever he is needed. He has been a deacon, sound guy, youth leader, etc and is quick to step in if his skill set can be used. He has always emphasized education and pushed us to strive for the best we can. I used to be happy to know that I had a father who stayed, but he is so much more than that. He loves deeply, but reminds us not to be too sensitive to what other say or do. He taught me how to separate the actions from the person and learn to love unconditionally. There is so much of my father that I see in my husband, and this is what makes me so excited that I get to do life with B for the rest of my days.
Well, now I have the urge to call my parents and remind them that their sacrifices didn't go unnoticed. Have you told your parents how much you appreciate them today?
