There seems to be so many people wondering about our family....so much so that at least one of our children is grilled at the High School about "Family Facts". While this nearly angers Merrill and I mainly because we feel if you want to know something, then just ask. We also feel that it is best not to get your information from a person that has a hard time expressing himself well and also does not know the facts, so to speak.
Still we also understand that people for the most part are curious. Merrill and I have found ourselves tuned into "19 kids and counting" more than once and we can't hold a candle to what that family seems to pull off.
So, in order to help stop the grilling at school and to also help the ones that are just beyond curious, I will try to list the facts of the family.
Merrill and I have been married 32 years. We do not have any biological children. We chose to not let that stop us and to grow our family through adoption.
At present, we have 19 children, that includes 17 boys and 2 girls. Yes, we find boys to be easier. Our children range in age from our oldest, Michael who is nearly 32 down to our youngest who just turned 7 weeks. The rest of the children fit neatly in between. We have a total of 11 children living at home with one of those being an adult child. Six of our children are adult children living independently and two have passed away, one to cancer and one to his disabilities. Yes, it is a crazy life, but it is our life and we love it.
We do in fact go through nearly 20 gallons of milk nearly every week. We also do an average of 40 loads of laundry a week. We cook meals big enough to feed an army, or so it seems. Never do we eat with only our family at the table as we welcome anyone to join us who is here and someone is always here.
Yes, it is true that our newest member of the family, Montana, does in fact have twin 15 month old siblings, a boy and a girl. We are all working together to get them home with us. It does appear that it will happen but the decision has not been made just yet.
Merrill does work outside of the home, full time with the State of Nevada, Department of Transportation. He has also served 36 years in the Military, through active duty, National Guard and the Army Reserves. He loves that area of his life. Roberta has been a full time mom for so long she is not sure how to work outside the home...:o) An empty nest does not appear to be in our future and we are okay with that. Besides, it would be way too quite in this home that has always been filled with children.
Our children have a very wide range of abilities and disabilities. We have adopted seven children that are total care children, 24/7 care. At this time, four of them are still at home. This is where our family shines the most I think. The rest of the children have learning disabilities that we have learned how to help them with. All in all, they are a very mixed and diverse group of children.
We drive a Dodge Sprinter that holds 15 and also a mini van which Roberta LOVES!!! We live in a 2 story home, we need an elevator and we would give anything for a handicap bathroom, but we managed really well without. The downside is the kids are getting bigger and we are getting older. :o) Seems as if we always are in need of home improvement and that is not where we shine. Still the Lord seems to send people our way that are willing to help us through.
Lastly, we feel very strongly that this is what we were put on earth to do with our lives. We feel that God brought the two of us together to adopt these children and to make them our family. While many people call it a ministry, we really do not see it that way. We just really see our family.
The most challenging issue we face has been and will always be the school. I am not sure that they really have the best interest of the children at heart...but more the bottom line. The talk at school is unreal, never ending and forever ongoing. It seems that the people who need to talk take greater joy in ripping apart rather than lifting up. Personally I wish I had the greater ability to Home School the children, but that may just be the one area we do not have the ability to really do.
For the most part, we have felt love and acceptance for what we have done with our lives. There are always those that are willing to criticize and to put us down, but the reality of that is that there are people willing to do that no matter who you are or what you are doing.
We give God the Glory for this family because without Him we are convinced that this would have never worked. Most days we do not fully understand why it works, but somehow it does. Our children do well despite the odds that are stacked against them. They face a life that is unsure but they forge ahead and go at it the best way they know how. They are all doing things we were told they would never do and again we know that that is because of God.
So I end this post with these words....
"To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Hath Done!!!!"
.
Still we also understand that people for the most part are curious. Merrill and I have found ourselves tuned into "19 kids and counting" more than once and we can't hold a candle to what that family seems to pull off.
So, in order to help stop the grilling at school and to also help the ones that are just beyond curious, I will try to list the facts of the family.
Merrill and I have been married 32 years. We do not have any biological children. We chose to not let that stop us and to grow our family through adoption.
At present, we have 19 children, that includes 17 boys and 2 girls. Yes, we find boys to be easier. Our children range in age from our oldest, Michael who is nearly 32 down to our youngest who just turned 7 weeks. The rest of the children fit neatly in between. We have a total of 11 children living at home with one of those being an adult child. Six of our children are adult children living independently and two have passed away, one to cancer and one to his disabilities. Yes, it is a crazy life, but it is our life and we love it.
We do in fact go through nearly 20 gallons of milk nearly every week. We also do an average of 40 loads of laundry a week. We cook meals big enough to feed an army, or so it seems. Never do we eat with only our family at the table as we welcome anyone to join us who is here and someone is always here.
Yes, it is true that our newest member of the family, Montana, does in fact have twin 15 month old siblings, a boy and a girl. We are all working together to get them home with us. It does appear that it will happen but the decision has not been made just yet.
Merrill does work outside of the home, full time with the State of Nevada, Department of Transportation. He has also served 36 years in the Military, through active duty, National Guard and the Army Reserves. He loves that area of his life. Roberta has been a full time mom for so long she is not sure how to work outside the home...:o) An empty nest does not appear to be in our future and we are okay with that. Besides, it would be way too quite in this home that has always been filled with children.
Our children have a very wide range of abilities and disabilities. We have adopted seven children that are total care children, 24/7 care. At this time, four of them are still at home. This is where our family shines the most I think. The rest of the children have learning disabilities that we have learned how to help them with. All in all, they are a very mixed and diverse group of children.
We drive a Dodge Sprinter that holds 15 and also a mini van which Roberta LOVES!!! We live in a 2 story home, we need an elevator and we would give anything for a handicap bathroom, but we managed really well without. The downside is the kids are getting bigger and we are getting older. :o) Seems as if we always are in need of home improvement and that is not where we shine. Still the Lord seems to send people our way that are willing to help us through.
Lastly, we feel very strongly that this is what we were put on earth to do with our lives. We feel that God brought the two of us together to adopt these children and to make them our family. While many people call it a ministry, we really do not see it that way. We just really see our family.
The most challenging issue we face has been and will always be the school. I am not sure that they really have the best interest of the children at heart...but more the bottom line. The talk at school is unreal, never ending and forever ongoing. It seems that the people who need to talk take greater joy in ripping apart rather than lifting up. Personally I wish I had the greater ability to Home School the children, but that may just be the one area we do not have the ability to really do.
For the most part, we have felt love and acceptance for what we have done with our lives. There are always those that are willing to criticize and to put us down, but the reality of that is that there are people willing to do that no matter who you are or what you are doing.
We give God the Glory for this family because without Him we are convinced that this would have never worked. Most days we do not fully understand why it works, but somehow it does. Our children do well despite the odds that are stacked against them. They face a life that is unsure but they forge ahead and go at it the best way they know how. They are all doing things we were told they would never do and again we know that that is because of God.
So I end this post with these words....
"To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Hath Done!!!!"
.
Comments
Joe
if you've already sent one we'll make another!
I've thought about adopt many Children with extra need when I was young im so greatfully for people like you and Merrill that flow your heart and open your heart to all your kids