04 October 2010

You know you have a big family when...

...you hear the following clip in your head multiple times a day.


All the noise sound bite



* * *

And can I just speak to the other mothers of large families out there for a moment? All I hear is how wonderful big families are, how we are blessed with our many children, how fulfilling it is to raise them and see them grow in love and joy and hope and blah, blah, blah.

I love my kids as much as the next mom, but I'd love a reality check once in awhile. All that happy family stuff makes me feel like the only one out there ready to pull out her hair, rip off her ears, and run for the hills. I love them, but man, there are so many of them, and sometimes it feels like they're all against me.

So if you have a large brood, and you feel -- every now and then -- like trading it all in for a Mini Cooper, a collection of CD's, a GPS navigator and a cooler full of sourdough bread and fresh fruit, let me know I'm not alone.

* * *

Thankfully, today, I get a bit of a reprieve. Today, I heard that Grinchy clip on the way to dropping three of the kiddos off at their Trackers outdoor education class. The youngest is currently terrorizing her fellow preschoolers and hopefully not repeating the word "penis" too many times; it seems to be her new favorite word, which her siblings happily encouraged and gleefully imagined her using at school this week.

I am left with one adorable little 5 year old, who is making a magnet and learning about St. Francis on his Feast Day. We are taking our dog to get blessed at our parish at 1pm.

Large families are, indeed, wonderful. They are wonderful, difficult, inspiring, frustrating, exhausting, exhilarating, humbling, fun, busy, hungry, maddening, joyful, surprising, hilarious, and awesome.

So I guess we're not so different from families of any size. Except for the noise.

* * *

5 comments:

Teacher Mommy said...

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Dear God help me, you are not alone. Not in the least.

Laurel said...

But Monica - how bad to I feel that I feel exactly the same way and I only have two. Sometimes they feel like more. God bless you for all you do with 5.

Kristin said...

Maybe you need to take a Calgon bath--a few times a day (Do you remember that commercial?) You're not alone. I hear your frustration though, and what great audio clip to demonstrate it.

Jennifer said...

You are so very NOT ALONE!!! I love them to bits and pieces but want nothing more than to have them SHUSH and stop arguing for one ever loving minute... uh.. ahem.. sorry. I got carried away.

Suburban Correspondent said...

Time for your husband to take them camping!

I swear, my 8-year-old daughter can say "Mommy" approximately 16,000 times each hour.

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