What We Do Have….

 When we were dating we talked about how many 
kids we would want to have one day.
I told him I wanted a “boatload”.
He said he could see himself with maybe 4 or 5. 
{I smiled and prayed a lot.}
When we were first married we were hanging out at friends.
As the four of us sat around eating pizza,
our friend said, “Hey!  Let’s go around and
tell everybody what we would like to be doing in 20 years.”
I was 24 and Dw was 27.
They got to me and I quietly said, 
“I’d like to be taking care of a boatload of little kids.”
They all laughed.

And I laughingly defended my dream and 
told them that it didn’t matter.
That’s all I wanted to be doing when I was 44.

Wouldn’t they have thought I was out of my tree if we’d have played, 
“What do you want to be doing in 30 years?”
Over the years I continued to pray 
for God to move on my husband’s heart
to long for a big family with me.
{Almost like it was his idea. haha}
And somewhere in there God answered years of prayers
and many times of fasting
and
one by one…
 and even some by two they came….
and now that guy of mine couldn’t imagine life
without our pile of treasures…
We laugh at what we could have had.
And revel in the joy of what we do have.
And the other day that handsome man of mine,
at his sweet age,
 took our four youngest daughters 
to the Father-Daughter Dance…
They got all gussied up for this special daddy-time…

Pretty sure Ruby’s whispering,
“You’re the best daddy ever!  I love being your girl.”
His smile says it all.

He would never change any of it.

Not even for a nanosecond.

Just ask him.

And yes, God does answer prayer.

15 thoughts on “What We Do Have….

  1. Thank you for this! My secret dream is to have a boatload of kids myself. 😉 My husband does not feel the same way. I've often felt like my dream isn't going to happen because of things that he's said and how adamant he is about not having anymore but this has given me hope. I guess this has just given me a new found push to never give up on the dreams that you feel God has given you.
    P.S. – We are in our final stages of adopting a daughter which will be our fourth child and my husband said that he wasn't interested at all in doing adoption at first. Also he said ever since we started dating that he wouldn't have anymore kids after he turned 35. (She's 6 months and he's 39) I giggle as I write this.

    1. God is faithful. We just had our home study updated for 2 more…that doesn't mean it will happy, but we are prepared if it should…and my hubby is turning 59 next month. He would have never dreamed for a second that at 59 he would have a medically fragile 3 year old…but God moves on hearts when they are willing to do *anything*. Prayer and fasting my friend, prayer and fasting. xo

  2. They all look beautiful – even Dad! his beautiful heart shines out.
    Isn't it wonderful when God gives you (and me) a man who listens to God?
    Big hugs,
    Sandy in the UK

    1. His heart does shine through. Tender and kind. But trust me, it has been Almighty God's work in his life…he wasn't 'tender and kind' like he is today….but God works in every, single one of us when we yield to His Holy Spirit…and we slowly become a reflection of Him. Praise His name!

  3. The girls are look so beautiful. What a special time for them with a Daddy who loves them all so much! I love it that E and J like to match. My girlies are growing out of their matching stuff. ):
    Can't believe how grown-up L is getting. My first "baby of the family" is now our 2nd oldest and became a teenager today. How does that happen?!?!?

  4. Yes he does answer prayer!! I prayed for years that God would change my husbands heart on adoption, and then one day… My Studly brought it up ON HIS OWN! God is great… And we can't wait to start our family through adoption in the next few years. 😀

  5. Linny – Kevin and I laugh when we think back to our "younger" days as well and what we thought our life might look like when we reached our 50's!! Never in a million years did we ever think we would have our little ones in our mid-fifties!. God has a sense of humor and gives amazing gifts! Hugs to you all.

Leave a Reply to Mom Of Many Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>