Wish I Could Have 19 Kids (not really)

I love the show "19 Kids and Counting." There are many reasons why, actually, including (but not limited to) the fact that I can sit (usually while folding laundry) and watch it with my kids in the room and know that they're not going to be accosted by any of the less-desirable slices of pop culture. I should note that I don't fully agree with some of their (stricter) family rules/standards, but for the most part, they are just a clean, wholesome, godly family.

And the main reason why I love the show is the kids. Whatever Jim Bob and Michelle are doing in raising their kids, they are doing it right. They are all such incredibly honorable human beings -- humble, caring, giving, helpful, modest, diligent, understanding...I could go on and on. Even the little ones. And I watch it so that I can glean as much as possible from what their parents pour into them. And I think the thing that shocks me the most (and probably has had the biggest impact on these special kids) is the fact that their parents *never* yell at them. Ever. At least not on camera. And from what other people on the show say, never off camera either. They have devoted themselves to parenting with complete and utter patience, and I know (from experience) that this can only be a God thing. And I know they would say the same. So I study them. And if I were them, I'd probably have 19 kids myself. :)

On a side note, Abby has been begging me lately to have another baby. At first I thought her daddy was putting her up to it, but he's claiming he hasn't said a thing to her on the subject. So this morning I was fixing her hair, and she started in on it again.

"Don't you want to have another baby boy, Mama?"

"No, Abby. Mama's done having babies."

"Pleeeeeeeeeease!!"

"No. And you realize, don't you, that I wouldn't get to pick whether it's a girl or boy, right?"

"Then how about a baby sister??!!! Don't you want another one, Mama???"

I don't have a clue what's prompted this with her lately. So I found myself fire-hosing her this morning with all of the reasons why I really don't want another baby. "Abby, I've had two c-sections, and if I got pregnant again, I'd have to go in and have another c-section, and I am done being cut open (nice graphic picture, huh?). Do you realize that if I got pregnant again, Mama would have to go into the hospital and that I'd be gone for at least a couple days? Recovering from surgery is not fun. And besides that, I really don't like being pregnant at all. I love the outcome, the baby part of it, but pregnancy is not my thing." It wasn't until this last statement that I realized that I was forgetting my audience. It was like I could hear God in the voice of my five-year-old and was giving Him all of my reasons for not wanting to do it again; I was looking up at Him and echoing her, "Pleeeeeeease!!" but with a resolute shaking of the head, "No."

Yeah, I got a little carried away.

I think kids are a blessing. I really do. I can see that in the Duggar kids. I just know (pray) that 3 is enough of a blessing for our family. :)