Change ... Part 6

We were now adjusting to life with 7 children.  I was fun to watch people's reaction.  Many people asked if we were a daycare center or summer camp.  I learned so much about scheduling... I had to, I was totally overrun with little humans.  We ran and still run our life on a tight schedule, things like meal times and bedtimes were nonnegotiable.  Randy and I were committed to making traditions for our family.  We believe strongly that families bond over traditions.  However having 7 kids meant cheap traditions, so we started a New Years Eve all day game day, we all made Christmas cookies together, we ate dinner as a family together every night.  Randy embraced fatherhood.  He is the fun dad.  He jokes and plays with all the kids.  While our children have their struggles (as we all do), one thing that was built was an intense loyalty to each other.  Some children's personalities mesh better with some then others, but I have no doubt that if anyone of my children needed something they would have the others around them.  As this was all happening my oldest daughter was starting to grow up.  She developed a deep passion for orphaned children.  She and her friends began selling friendship bracelets to raise money for a new orphanage to be built in Liberia.  She had developed Randy's determined spirit.  She knew where her dad had come from and she saw her siblings come home and the emotional and physical struggles they faced and instead of becoming bitter at sharing her parents, she developed the softest spirit.  In fact now as she gets ready to start her senior year of high school her goal is to go to college to become a deaf interpreter and an ABA therapist so that she can adopt some of the neediest special needs orphans from around the world and follow her parents footsteps of a CRAZY life :)  My oldest son has developed the strongest bond with all of his siblings.  He looks out for all of them.  He is about the only one can handle little brothers who want to wrestle constantly, his younger sisters look up to him and he shows them how to be treated by men.  I have no doubt that anyone messes with his little sisters they will face a pretty angry older brother :)  Sometimes people wonder how giving of themselves will affect their family.  From our experience, its not easy on the family some days.  There is always an easier path.  However nothing can replace experience and the more we experience when we give of ourselves strengthens our spirit and teaches our children and strengthens their spirit. I am not sure why we think life should be easy.  Life is never easy, even when we are sitting still.  Our lives are stories ready to be written.