Saturday, January 23, 2010

April 17, 1992

"17 years, 9 months, and 6 days" he says with a grin. My sweetie can always tell you how long it has been since our first date. I hear "Happy Anniversary" once a month not once a year. Lucky girl, huh? That date was the beginning of it all. One date, now one family (okay, one HUGE family).
When we went on that date, almost eighteen years ago, we were both single parents with three kids, all under the age of 12! People thought we were crazy and they were right, we were crazy.......about each other. So crazy about each other that we added one more to the mix. Yep...yours, mine, and ours....the Brady Bunch plus one....we've heard them all. And I'll let you in on a little secret, there is a certain feeling of pride when you hear it that I think comes from what you have to go through to blend into such a large family. The youngest LOVES to tell people he is the youngest of seven.
I am posting tonight, technically this morning, because I am busting with gratitude lately. So grateful that we are a family. Each always there for the other, one for all and all for one! There were times I would have said it could never happen, but it did. It was hard work at times for all of us but what we went through together is, I believe, what makes us so close.
Our family of nine has expanded through the years to included 5 spouses, and four (soon to be six) grand babies. They visit each other and the cousins get to play together, too sweet. It tickles me no end when they visit each other. We are a close family.....all of us, and I am grateful for that daily.
It is a wonderful thing to really enjoy spending time with your grown children. Not because they are your children but because you like them. I am proud of each and every one of them. I take great delight in them individually but the crowd of us, all together, is.........glorious chaos! As good as it gets.
I realized as I started this post that I only have one picture of the nine of us. It is 15 years old and not digital so no picture this time but you can be sure, at the next gathering, I will get one of the nine of us and one with all eighteen.

With gratitude for family,
Jody
xox

7 comments:

  1. Awwww...this made me cry! I tell people DAILY about our HUGE and WONDERFUL family. I am so blessed to have so many people to love and who love me back. I get sad when I think that Kyleigh will not have lots of brothers and sisters as playmates and life long friends. But before I get a chance to get sad enough to reconsider having more children (and scaring the crap out of you again!), I realize that my own brothers and sisters and their children will never allow my child to go without a playmate and she is already blessed with so many life long friends...and MORE TO COME!!
    I am grateful for the relationships that we have all maintained into out adult lives and we can only thank our parents who gave us the glue to hold those relationships together! We all love you dearly!
    PS: Shhh....your oldest LOVES to tell people she's the oldest of seven too!!! :)

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  2. OMG Jody! You made me cry! I love this family and from the minute that I set foot in the door to your house at Michael's 50th Birthday party, I knew this was the family that I wanted to be a part of! I remember how ya'll kept asking me if I was scared yet, and I just kept saying no. Glorious chaos is right! LOL! I always tell people that I inherited 6 siblings when I met my husband. I love each and everyone of them and their babies, and their spouses like they were my own. Even though I have no family of my own here, I never feel alone! Thank you for being the awesome woman that you are and opening your arms, heart, and home to all of us!!! I love you Jody!!!

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  3. Thank you baby! I'm so proud to have raised such a loving, caring bunch. You are an awesome example for all of your sibs to follow!
    ps: ...I may mention, from time to time, that we have seven kids (and four grands with two more on the way)... if it fits in the conversation...lol!

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  4. Awwww! Alicia, you were a member of this family from the start. Like a piece we didn't know was missing. You fit in perfectly! So glad we didn't scare you away.
    I love you (and not just because you take such good care of Daniel and Brodie)!
    Can't wait for tomorrow!

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  5. awwww yall are all so frickin sweet!!! LOL Love yal see ya at the party! I am so excited to see all the babies at their first trip to chuck e cheese!!! Its gonna be so much fun!

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  6. Your family really is a true testament to what the word "family" means :) I'm so honored to know you all. And, wow...I've known Kinsley for more than 18 years?!?! wow.

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  7. Hey CeCe, Thanks for your kind words. I think one of the things that makes our family is all of the great friends we have, present company included!

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