Encouragement from Strangers

Here are some of the encouraging words I hear from strangers we pass on a daily basis.

1. "You're not having any more are you!?!"

2. "I want three kids - NOT!!"

3. "Are they all yours?" My friend with 6 kids also gets, "Do they have the same dad?" I'm
serious!!

4. When I'm having an especially difficult day - "It only gets worse!"

5. "Just wait 'til they get to be teenagers."

6. "This is the best time of your life!" (Lord, please tell me that she is wrong!)


7. "Enjoy the love and hugs while they're young because when they're teenagers they'll hate
you!" (Wow, thank you for that spectacular advice!)

8. After discovering I was pregnant with my first son, the cashier at Wal-mart said, "I'm sorry!" She had obviously been burned out by men. I responded by saying, "I'm not! I'm excited to have the opportunity to raise a Christian gentleman."

Some people are kinder. They don't actually say anything to me. They just point and whisper. I actually heard a woman at Steak and Shake last year telling her friend to turn around and look at us. She was telling her that one was standing on the bench (oh my goodness, what a horrible thing) and one was trying to escape. I'm sure the baby was crying. She had a disgusted look on her face as if to say "how could she have so many young children? She can't even keep up with them." The thing is that they were just acting like children. I found myself for the first year of the baby's life feeling so embarrassed to go anywhere with all 3 because I felt like a circus on wheels: two in the double stroller and one in the Baby Bjorn. People pointing mortified me. I don't want people to talk about me.

So, as we were sitting in Steak and Shake, I said, "I am so embarrassed." And our friend with us asked why. At that point I realized that I was complaining about having three kids out in public to a friend who had just adopted one because he couldn't have children. I felt so horrible for complaining about the blessings God has given me.

So, I am no longer embarrassed. Talk about me if you will, but I love all three of my children. When, I 'm not totally at the end of my rope, we have a great time! They hug and kiss me all day long. They tell me I am beautiful and the best mommy in the world. Who cares what anyone else thinks and says. My children matter more! I'll take some good compliments, but I'll just feel sorry for the people who missed out on the JOY of having children and only have negative words to say! I pray for them and then forget their comment!