Over the Christmas holidays I got to spend a week with ALL
three of my sisters and their young families.
And even in the chaos of having nine adults and four children in our
home for over a week, I caught “baby fever.” I feel so blessed that my sisters
have developed into my closest friends over the years. It is so fun doing
“life” together – now that we are adults and starting families of our own.
There is a part of me that wants to re-create this for my own children.
But when asked that simple question – are you done having babies – I often find myself focusing solely on
the logistics of what it would mean for my family to have one more. Being a
full-time working mommy, the time I get to spend with my children is limited
already. Is it really fair to add another one to the mix? And let’s be honest,
when I think of adding another child to our family I can’t help but think of
MONEY and what an extra child would mean to my bank account. Forbes reported that a
child born in 2012 will cost his parents $241,080 in 2012
dollars, on average, over his lifetime.
And when I finally pull myself out of the day-to-day
mechanics of raising children, I can see more of the big picture. Being a
parent is a unique opportunity in life to mold and shape young lives into
something that is bigger and better than ourselves. Your children and family
are part of the legacy that you will leave behind when you are no longer on this
earth. Should I really let money and a comfy savings account weigh so heavily on
my decision to expand my family? Of course, it is wise to be financially responsible
and live within your means – I will be the first to admit that.
Technically I am not the one that controls the number of young lives in my family anyway - these little bundles of joy come from above after all. I just have to trust in His plan, not my own. A wise woman once told me, “Your children are truly your greatest investment in life.” So, while I am still undecided on whether or not to actively try and expand my little family of four that God blessed me with, I will be patient, pray and see where God leads me.
Technically I am not the one that controls the number of young lives in my family anyway - these little bundles of joy come from above after all. I just have to trust in His plan, not my own. A wise woman once told me, “Your children are truly your greatest investment in life.” So, while I am still undecided on whether or not to actively try and expand my little family of four that God blessed me with, I will be patient, pray and see where God leads me.
“Every good and perfect gift comes
from above.” James 1:17