Family Size

I had a most interesting revelation today as a result of an e-mail exchange.

I was responding to someone who is very special to me.  She is pregnant with her second child, and the news got me to thinking.

After congratulating her (because I truly am happy for her), my honest response was: "You've gotta be nuts having another ankle biter. Don't you ever want to be able to rest peacefully again? AAAARRRRRGH! What were you thinkin' girl?"

But as anyone who knows me is aware, I love babies to pieces, and I love children tremendously. I just can't believe anyone would want to do it a second time!  This in spite of the fact that my pregnancy was actually the healthiest time of my life, and I really didn't have a difficult child to raise.

I know some people suffer terribly through pregnancy and/or experience hellish teenage years with their offspring. But that was not the case for me.

Truth be known, I always wished I had had three daughters-- can you believe it?  Fantasized about that being the "perfect family."  But I wasn't able to maintain subsequent pregnancies because of endometriosis, a condition that eventually led to my having a hysterectomy before my 28th birthday.

Today, I'm glad I didn't have my fantasy family because I don't think I'd have the energy to deal with three.  And I so enjoy the fact that my little chickadee doesn't have to share me with anyone!  

Crazy isn't it?  My mother always said, "The Lord works in mysterious ways."