Because we have a big(ger) family (on one limited income!), there is a lot that we simply cannot do.
For example, most of my friends have Hersheypark season passes. Why not!?! It makes so much sense as there is an amusement park in our backyard! However, the cost (you pay per family member...not just one flat family membership fee) is just not feasible for our family...especially since we have been adding a member every 18 months...HA!
I am not complaining at all. There are countless blessings to having a big family. I was reminded on a picture perfect afternoon this week when my kids all played very nicely together in the backyard for almost two hours...I just sat there and watched...and felt amazed at how many precious, unique, irreplaceable human souls God has created to be in our family!
I have a lot of friends who have chosen to have two children. Please know, I am NOT judging them. God blesses married couples with reason and wisdom to discern their family size...it is absolutely not my place to judge! My responsibility is to get my spouse and my children to heaven (and hopefully get there myself too)...so, I have way more than enough going on to judge myself...ha!!!
That said, one of the main reasons that families stop at two children...and again, this may be the right thing for them...is finances. Lord knows that we're doing a lot of trusting that God will keep providing (in addition to trying to make sound, responsible decisions with our money). But, I did stop and wonder for a second this week if we would have things like Hersheypark season passes if we had less children.
The answer was so simple as I looked at my younger children running around with their siblings. They don't need amusement park passes...they need each other! And, I am eternally grateful to God for the gift of these children who have blessed our family every 18 months or so. Our wallets might be shrinking, but our hearts are bursting :).
And...another benefit...a trip to Hersheypark is a major highlight of our summer (we are usually able to go at least once a year...my husband has been lucky to win a raffle at work for several years now, friends give us comp tickets, etc.).
We went on Monday, and everyone (except Lucy who is not able to enjoy amusement parks yet...too much time in the stroller!) had the time of their young lives! We have a new camera, and I have a bunch of pictures that I want to download right now...but it's not happening (guess I better stop blogging and start reading the manual!).
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