We are "that" family

Blake and I were asked recently about people's reactions to our family... 

" Do you hear a lot of negative comments?" " Are people positive about the size of your family?"

It's funny. With a show like "19 and counting" on television, I find it odd that people pay much notice to us. I mean, we only have 5 kids. Can you believe I just said "only"? I'm sure the adorable twin baby girls help draw attention to our family. :)... But people notice. There is never time that we are out with all 5 children that we aren't gawked at. I'm pretty sure the adorable baby twin girls help to catch people's attention. :) But what holds their attention is the amount of children they begin to count gathered in our little mob as we attempt to work our way down the mall without causing too much of a traffic jam.

"Are they all yours?"

"Do you have 2 sets of twins?"

"My 2 are enough for me." 

"Bless you." (Not in a good way)

"Bless you." (In a good way)

"What a beautiful family."

"I can't imagine."

"Better you then me."

"You almost have a sports team."

"Your hands are full."

These are just a few of the responses that Blake and I have heard over the last 9 months... I never thought that I would be "one of those families." I grew up in a family with 3 kids and always just assumed that would be the magic number for my family. By the time I had 2, I knew 3 was not going to be it. I don't know why. I don't have a conviction that you have to just have children until you don't anymore... In fact, I will not physically be having any more children and that was an easy decision for us. I don't think I love my children more then my friends with 2 children. It's not that our kids were just "that easy". 

It's just that this is what God wanted for our family. He grew our family by not allowing us feel "done" after a long, hard pregnancy with #3. He grew our family by blessing us with twins. He will almost positively grow our family again through adoption in the future... Far future. :) 

We have become "that" family. The one people stare at. The one people whisper about. Blake and I are the parents that people look at with pity. But we dont need it. We don't want it. We'll take your help carrying our trays to our tables(yes it's plural) at Chick Fil A. Pity, though, is unnecessary. We love being "that" family. 

Yes, they are all ours.

Yes, our hands are full.

But, we are falling into the role of "that" family rather nicely. As crazy as the idea seemed a year ago, it's comfortable. It feels right.