Saturday, November 21, 2015

To the person who says "Well, are you going to have any more?!?!"

Yeah, so I have taken a sabbatical from blogging because we have been on another food allergy/tummy issue journey with our youngest. We have been from the pediatrician to the allergist then to the Pediatric GI specialist and back again over the last few months. Scary tests have been run, lots of blood has been taken, poop samples have been given and a firm diagnosis is still unknown. Through all of this, if I have been asked once, I have been asked a hundred times, "well, are you going to have any more after all this?!?!" and I've been told "Surely you are done having children!" This question/statement has not been asked out of genuine concern or even excited anticipation for another life but out of pity and sorrow and with the implication that something is wrong with the two children we do have.

Well, let me take a moment to tell you what is wrong with my children. My 7-year old thinks he is grown and knows everything. He wants to be independent but still needs his mom to tuck him in at night. He is very good at working technology but technology could run his life if I allowed him to be attached to it as often as he wanted, therefore he knows not his own boundaries. He has a head full of hair that gets tangled often. He is left-handed and therefore has to wait on his dad who is left-handed, too, to teach him how to do a few specific things. He is on a reading level above his current grade as well as can do math a year ahead, too. He loves peanut butter and jelly a little too much and so I have to tell him no when he wants his 3rd PB&J for the day. OH - I did forget to mention that he can't have eggs and cow dairy, but that just means he has to have different milk and ice cream and can't eat typical fast food like other kids. *sarcasm implied if you didn't catch that*

My 16-month old is a whole other story. He has many more things 'wrong' with him. He climbs stairs, has fits, hits, throws things when he is mad, cries when he doesn't get what he wants, poops and pees his pants, doesn't always sleep through the night, wants to be fed 4 times a day and goodness gracious, can't do ANYTHING for himself. Aside from that, he does have a soy allergy and some tummy trouble, but that is nothing compared to the other things I listed that are 'wrong' with him. *this was sarcastic, too. I'm just saying in case you missed it.*

Let me share with you, though, what all is right about my children: they laugh, love, give great hugs, kiss me often, tell me "i love you", thank me for helping them, and they can walk and talk. They also have all their senses intact 100%, their organs all function properly, they aren't living off of a machine, they don't have to be hooked up to machines to help their bodies function, they actually HAVE all of their body parts, they are social, they are beautiful, they are children of God on loan to me for a short while. They run, they play, they are mesmerized by the little things in life, they pick me flowers, they build with blocks and legos, they color me pictures, they adore their daddy. They have friends, make friends, talk with adults, they have manners (most of the time), they love going to church, hearing about Jesus, praying for other people, and singing everywhere we go. Oh I could go on and on, but I'm pretty sure you get the point - they are great kids!

So when you ask me if I am going to have any other children, you might catch me on a day where my oldest has back talked me 103 times, the baby has climbed the steps twice, and they both had allergic reactions to something that I gave them from not paying great attention. And I might give you a look with a little 'crazy' in my eyes and say "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!? I'm 0-2!!!" But that doesn't make my children bad or wrong - it makes them typical kids. So when you see me with 'crazy' on my shoulders and tears in my eyes from having a brief mom moment, don't ask me "are you going to have any more!?!?" That question implies that you think your opinion matters to me, my convictions with the Lord are your business, and my family is 'enough' in your opinion. And let me just say.... the only opinion that matters is NOT yours!