Thumbs Up
Having a larger family tends to be pretty conspicuous. Most everyone notices a woman marching into a store or restaurant with 6 (sometimes 7) children in tow. Occasionally we get rude stares and even ruder comments, but very often we get noticed in more positive ways. The most common question I get is, "Are they all yours?" While I am tempted at times to give a more caustic reply, I always try to smile and answer with a simple affirmative.
This afternoon I marched 7 children into our favorite pizza joint for cheese pizza. The children quickly found two tables and sat down to wait as I ordered their lunch. A lone diner asked the inevitable question, "Are they all yours?" To which I replied with my usual smile, "All but one." Our questioner then gave me the thumbs up sign along with a huge grin. Later he approached our table and volunteered he had 6 children of his own and 7 grandchildren. He then proudly said, "They give you gray hair, but they keep you young." Thumbs up!
*Family Service Project: Today we helped our co-op with collecting and stuffing 55 pairs of thermal socks for homeless men sponsored by a local parish for the Winter Relief program.
Comments
You know I only have three and I have been asked if they are all mine often enough to make me caustic in my response. "Any would be too much in some people's opinion." Uff dah. I love it when folks are positive about it!!