I was thinking about our nest.
I’m just fifty-two years old.
My man is fifty-six years old.
Nesting now together for almost 33 years.
If we had listened to society, 2.2 children per family,
{not really sure what .2 looks like, maybe that’s a kid that you sorta raise
till you can get ’em into a boarding school or something}…
but anyway, if we’d listened we’d have had an empty nest approximately 7 years ago.
Seven years of being empty?
Seriously?
Seven years of just the two of us at the kitchen table,
night after night after night.
{That would totally be my worst nightmare come true!}
Seven years of silence.
The thought gives me the shudders.
{not.even.kidding.}
Seven years of a sparkling clean house?
Even that would be the best way to torment me!
What the heck would we have done these last seven years?
I can’t even begin to imagine!
What the heck would we be doing now?
I’m convinced that I would be the most
bored woman in the universe.
{And please forgive me if you are empty nesting, no judgment on my part – promise!!
I’m just sharing my thoughts about me and me only.}
I remember being a little girl and the teacher would have the class go around the room and each person would tell the rest of the class what they wanted to be when they grew up.
In those days women were just entering the working
world on a new level.
Every girls would say: a teacher, a nurse and every now and then a brave girl would say, “a doctor”….
and the class would say, “ooooooh.”
And then it would be my turn and I would be the only one in the entire classroom who would say it,
“I just want to be a mom.”
Frankly,
NO ONE “ooohhed or aaaahhhhed”.
They didn’t get it.
My love affair with little ones…
and my dreams of a bazillion
from all over the world.
But really, it didn’t matter what anyone thought.
My dreams never wavered.
Not even for a moment.
I never wanted to be anything but.
And here I am living my dream, way past the time
anyone would deem ‘normal’…
and I am loving every single minute of it.
{Even the disciplining, breaking up fights,
and chaotic mess everywhere!}
I am so thankful that His promises are always true:
“He makes the barren woman to be at home,
the joyful mother of children.”
Psalm 113:9
I'm with ya, sweetie. The whole way!
prayers to you for whatever is going on right now.
You definitely are a great mom…fulfilling God's plans for your life! IF we had only had two children and not felt called to adoption we would have an empty nest for 21 yrs now. Gulp! Our house seems awfully quiet now afte having an empty nest for 7 yrs…Thanks for sharing your wonderful children's faces with us. Love their bright and shiny faces!
Wanta adopt me?
miss you.
hugs,
lisa
Thanking The Lord for your dream of being a Mom and for him placing children in your family for such a time as this! Janet
Love this 🙂 x
Amen! An empty nest scares me to death! But for now I wont worry about it – i have 15 years til then (at least at this point – who knows what else God has planned!)
Amen! My parents are y'all's age (a little older, actually), and adopted a 3 and 5 year old last fall. those kids are a JOY to our family!! I hate that society places the limitations on parents ages. The orphan needs a family. PERIOD.
Today, my mom was talking to me about schooling options for next year. (we're having some trouble in the public school and she's considering homeschooling…she homeschooled for 20 years before trying private/public) ANYWAY, she said "I just don't think it will work to get to heaven and tell God 'I just needed a little break'.
Essentially saying if He calls her to homeschool again, no matter how tired she is, she will DO it. I love my momma!!
Anyway, love this post..love your heart…love those pics of your sweet kids!
that is me now..I work in kindergarten as a special needs teacher assistant, but I want more than anything to get married and have kids,be a stay at home mom and be on the school council, and volunteer at my kids schools! Now just to find the husband 🙂
I was also one of those girls who 'just' wanted to be a mom when I grew up. (Somehow I ended up with a career anyhow.) I, too, am of the age where my peers are 'empty-nesting'. I, too, rejoice in the gift of new little ones filling my nest and wearing me out!! Praise God for this opportunity to do it all over again!
oh how sweet it is..my husband and i were just sharing those thoughts last night..we are 43 and have 7 children (s0 far) 25, 20,19,16,11,3,3,and 2 1/2…friends say they would love to adopt but cant sacrific the golden years alone with their spouse…i look forward to sharing all the years God blesses us with together with a full house : ) i too have always wanted to be a mother…became a teacher so i would have the same "hours" as my children but am a stay at home mom by the grace and blessings of God!
Wonderful post. The pictures are beautiful, just like you. Hugs
I have been needing to hear such a post as this. THANK YOU for your thoughts….timely posted for me at least 🙂
Glad to share your heart,
Deanna
joeanddeanna.blogspot.com
Loved that Linny. Isn't it awesome being a Mom? When I was little I used to say the very same thing. And now I am living the dream! God is SO good!
Your kids are all so beautiful!
Oh Dear Linny…Keep livin' the dream! Your dreams enable each one of those precious treasures you have claimed to dream their own dreams and to have the HOPE through God that their dreams will come true. And you know what else? You keep our (those you have born witness to and prayed for, those who lurk that you may never meet)dreams alive, too. May HIS WILL be done!
With Love and Prayers and Hope and JOY,
Amy
Sometimes I regret going to college because I really have always wanted to be a stay at home mom, but I also know that's where God saved me and where I met my husband so I know that He had a purpose for it.
I've always wanted to be mama, since the first time someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Hopefully we'll get our little one home soon enough…but I spend so much time worrying, praying, and preparing for her…I feel like I already am a mama!
Brooke Annessa
http://www.theannessafamily.blogspot.com
your nest is beautiful!
AMEN!! I can NEVER imagine my house without children in it..NEVER!! Although clean and SOMETIMES quiet would be a nice added bonus;)!
That was so sweet. Growing up I knew I was going to be a mom and a wife. That was it. I figured I would work and make money somehow or my husband would but that did not matter. All that mattered to me, even as a young kid, was that I would be a mom snuggling my babies, loving my littles, and loving every minute of it all. Here I am living my dream. A lot of people in my life are a bit baffled by this but I did not care then and still do not. I am glad you are lovin on your babies still and your dreams came true!
You know – I never really "just wanted to be a mom" – I was not inclined that way when I was young. But he gradually put that desire in my heart. In time God called me to adoption (basically I was listening to a Focus on the Family story years ago about the effect the one child policy was having on families and the abandonment that was happening – and there was this 2x 4 up side my head). About 10 long years later God gave my husband the same call. So here we are – I am 56 and he is 60, raising 4 year old and paperchasing one more. We love parenting! We get tired, but I think everyone does.
I think I hear God chuckling.
I just love that you posted that!!! I am sure most of your readers are already somewhat in agreement with you, but this may catch the attention of someone who isn't. I am in the early stages of building our nest…only 4, but if I would have stopped with our 2 bio-kids, we would be "all done" in 6 years. 6 YEARS?!?! Who in the entire world would want that!!! I go crazy when even one is out for the day and I only have 3 in the house! It is beyond me why anyone would want to be "done" at all! I plan to keep adding 'til God shouts STOOOOOOPPP. Until then, we will have a full and beautifully crazy chaotic life. AND I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! Thank you, Linny, for reminding me that I am not alone – you inspire me!! THANK YOU!
Love that post! We are Empty Nest aged too! (and have kids who have flown) We have a 12yo, a 6yo and 17mo twins, so far, still at home. l can't imagine a clean house and only Honey and I in it! Of course I can't even imagine a shower everyday right now! He is so good to me!!
Linny, I've been thinking of your family almost everyday. As I said before we are embarking on another journey. I had a friend ask me if I will be happy or sad if this doesn't work. What?!!! I told her that adoption is our heart. These kids are our mission field. They are our retirement plan! I figure one or two will take us in when we're old! 🙂 And we will continue to adopt.
You are such an inspiration to me! When other's don't "get it". Have you been saddened by other's ignorance, "concern", or flat out rejection of your amazing calling? I'd like to say that I'm beyond what family thinks, but it does hurt at times. Thankfully, I'm too busy here, loving on my kids, to let it get me down!!!
I say you 're-define' the so-called 'normal'!! I love your family. I love your heart. I love your children. I love the diversity. I love that your dreams never wavered.
Why? ~because I believe God placed them there.
You were simply a {willing} vessel that He has worked through…
And CONTINUES to work through!
HE placed those desires in your heart, and I'm so glad He seen fit to see them through to reality and make you the "mama of many" that you are today!!
God bless! <><
~Tanya
Love this post, because i share your thoughts so much!!
Love this post because you, in the troubeled time you and your family endure, are counting your blessings.
Love this post because of the radiant faces of your lovely youngest 5.
Love the fact that the girls are wearing purple, your color for this years mothersday.
Praying for you all,
love Adriana
My husband and I are so moved and inspired by your heart for the orphan! We were directed to your blog post on fasting by a friend who I asked about what it is to fast, and while reading it (and finding it very helpful)and your other posts I felt it was a wonderful answer to prayer to read of someone who is also so faithfully doing what we dream and pray to do, adopt from Uganda (my husband's heart resides in Africa, even though we've never been) Anyway just wanted to say thank you and God Bless!
As one of those "past the normal range of years parents of small children", Kevin and I are right there with you and DW! We shudder to think of our clean, quiet, uncluttered empty nest home that we actually had for about three years. It is good for some, but clearly we did not want it. We well remember that walk one day in Ted's senior year of high school as Kevin and I were looking into the future. We both turned to each other and said, "Ok, now what?"
Well, look at our "Now What" life! What an amazing God we serve. At that time years ago, we.had.no.idea. just how great our God is. We are getting the picture day by day now! Yippee Jesus!
🙂
janet and gang
Ah man…..you understand the looks people give when I say I want as many kids as possible lol. Even the look on my now-boyfriends face; he had originally wanted two kids.I laughed in his face hahaha. I can't imagine not having a loud, crazy home with adventures of come kind or another every day…..
You have been blessed! God is so faithful. Your family is absolutely beautiful. I only ever wanted to be a mom too. I still have a copy of my autobiography from 4th grade and it actually says, "when I grow up I want to be a mom and work part time at McDonalds" The latter grande ambition I further went to explain was just for extra spending money. Kind of glad that part of my dream didn't come true!
By the way, I LOVE how Elijah is looking up at Isaiah in that picture – with such big brother admiration…..priceless!
FAB! I was always seen as academic by everyone – with a big career ahead of me etc etc… and all I could see was me, as a Mum!
Thank you! x x x
speak it!
our guys go to kanakuk every year in the summer and they have a BLAST, but it is some of the hardest weeks of my year!!!! WAY TOO much silence! makes me nervous 🙂
I love it. I so agree. It's al i ever wanted to be. I never dreamed God had no uterus for me and then miracle triplets, but hey. I think if you put your heart and soul into then it's a career of love as opposed to work(as in the work place). Hardest but best and most rewarding job in the world!
Blessings,
Relle
I am so right there with you! Both hubby and I were talking and saying how thankful we are that we have our little treasures- life is so fun, so active and so full filling!
Down on our knees thankful!!
Love the pics of your treasures!!
Linny,
Oh My Word! I to only wanted to be a mom! I was always embarrassed to tell anyone that that was my goal and aspiration in life! Everyone else had such high aspirations and all I wanted to do was be a mommy!! Today as a 48 year old mother to 5 I am PROUD to say that I have have been blessed with 5 kiddos and my aspirations of being just a mom has never changed!! To me it is the BESTEST job in the whole world! MOMS rock!!!!! SO happy to know I was not alone in my dream!!!!
Kim Schrink