For the love of my family

Occasionally people (strangers) will make the inevitable comments about 'having my hands full' or gasp in mock horror when they realise I have four children.

For starters, it doesn't seem that unusual to me as I have a number of friends with four (and even five) children. Sure it is above the national average, but I also know plenty of people with one child or two, so we must be the ones making up the extra .5 or whatever it is these days.

Aside from that, I am the eldest of four children, all girls (well women nowadays).

We are all three years apart, so there are nine years between me and my youngest sister. Growing up we weren't all that close in some ways... age differences matter more when you are a kid. But we got along alright and I don't remember there ever being a time that any of us hated each other or any protracted fights or anything like that.

These days we are spread out all over the place. One is a South Australian, one lives over an hour away near a bay and the other is just as far the other way out in the country.

Being the eldest (and apparently therefore the suckiest lol) I'm the one still in our hometown, around the corner from our parents. In fairness I've lived further away in the past too, and may well again one day. But I would find a lot of things awfully challenging without the endless support of my Mum and Dad and I love that my children have such a close relationship with them... something we missed out on with our own grandparents who lived in another state.

Anyway this weekend the interstate sister is over as we belatedly celebrate a milestone birthday for my Mum. And having us all in one place reminds why I LOVE having a larger family. These days a family get together isn't just the six of us, there are also three husbands and a partner as well as five children. And it is awesome!! I have extremely cool brothers-in-law. All such different personalities and all amazing people. And it makes me look forward to a day in the future when I will sit at my table with my own grown up children and whoever they hold dear to them as well.

They say friends are the family you choose. I am so blessed that my family are who I would choose anyway. My sisters are amazing women and I love them so much.

 

Come and share some gratitude with Maxabella Loves