Read this at this site and had to share it since I COMPLETELY agree with everything she said. Aside from the fact that she has 5 kids and we have 4, I could've claimed this genius piece as my own!

With five kids so far, I don't feel like we have a big family.  My mother has four, my mother-in-law has five, and I know a number of people with 8, 9, or 10 kids.  So the fact that we all fit in a standard mini-van convinces me that we are just at the high end of normal. Until, that is, we go out in public.  People's leers and comments quickly remind me that, to some people, we are a travelling circus show of cuteness and snot.

This post is called 12 things mom's of big families may want you to know because they didn't hold some big convention and elect me spokesperson. But from speaking with other mom's of many, there are definitely some points that come up again and again.

1) Please don't ask my kids if we're going to have more. We don't consult them!

2)Yes, we know what causes this.  No, we don't want to hear your thoughts on family planning.

3)Please don't stop me in the grocery store to tell me how busy I am.  I know I'm busy.  You know I'm busy.  So can I please get out of the cereal aisle before my 2 year old spots the fruity-o's?

4)Having a large litter of children doesn't mean I am particularly patient, or organized, or rich.  What I can tell you for sure is that I am far more patient and organized (and slightly less rich) than I was when I started having kids.

5)We don't look down on you for having less kids. You really don't need to preface every comment about how tired/frustrated/stretched to your limit you are with words like "well, I only have 2, but..."   I remember having  2 kids....I was exhausted and it was hard.  No matter how many kids you have, they require everything you know you can give and then some. 

6) Please please PLEASE don't make my children feel like freaks. 

7) Don't compare us to the Duggars.  (Although from what I can tell, it would be a compliment.) Or some crazy hippy family you once knew with eleven kids who liked to dance naked in the woods or some such oddity.  You don't go around comparing families with 2 kids to one another, do you?  Of course you don't!

8) I would like to reiterate: Yes, we know what causes this.  Every time I leave the house I hear this question AT LEAST 3 times. It stopped being funny a long time ago.

9) People like to say "kids are such a blessing" in one breath and "but you're done, right?" in the next.  Don't.

10) Friends: I know you don't have enough chairs to invite us over for dinner.  Invite us anyways.  Please.

11)For goodness sakes, don't pity me.  This is by far the most mind boggling reaction we receive.  I am wandering contentedly through the grocery store with 5 healthy happy kids and people tell me that they feel sorry for me?  From where I stand, we are pretty stinkin' blessed.

12)Oh, and Yes....we know what causes this.  See, it starts to lose it's humour pretty quick, doesn't it?

By Christy Jordan at Southern Plate

I hope you’re having a great summer so far. I’m working more hours than ever but that just means that I am making time with my family and even bigger priority, which kind of evens it out. It’s amazing how little time we spend with those around us, even though we may be in the same house or even the same room. I’ve found that unless I make it a point, spend time with a purpose, I’m not really connecting with the kids.

I was reminded of that this morning when I was trying to take a quick shower and both kids kept coming into the bathroom to talk to me. I got a little frustrated for a moment and thought “Isn’t anything sacred?” and then that voice in my head answered “Yes, every moment of your time with them is sacred, so enjoy it now.”

It hit me in that moment how wonderful my life is that I have these two kids who want to talk to me so much that they can’t seem to go fifteen minutes without telling me about something, showing me something they drew, or giving me a hug. These are sacred moments. We may feel a little stressed  by them from time to time but whenever I do I try to take a moment to step back and imagine how awful it would be were any one of my blessings taken away. That job you complain about- What if you lost it today? Your mother who calls too much – one day you’d give anything to hear her voice one last time so savor it now. The dirty dishes in the kitchen – what if you didn’t have food to feed your family?

It all puts it in perspective. So if you find yourself, in the course of your busy day riddled with interruptions, thinking  “Is nothing sacred?” , just answer yourself right off “Yes, it sure is. So enjoy it.”