Did the word “Thrilling” reel you in? Well, I didn't just use it in the headline to catch you. I really mean that my life with 6 kids is thrilling! Thrilling meaning, pulse racing, never knowing what happens next, full of ups and downs and, loop-di-loops, but the best part is that it's enjoyable. It's actually more than enjoyable, it's cup-filling. With every hard moment, comes a moment that makes it all worthwhile. Let's break my life down starting with the biggest wow-factor, 6 kids.
Yes, my hands are full.
Wherever I go, strangers feel the need to tell me something about my life with 6 kids. “Your hands are full,” “You stay busy,” “Bless your heart, you must be tired,” “You must not know how that happens,” or “You must not have TV.” I don't often mind the repetitive commentary because it's often true and singularly laughable. My hands are often full of kids or things that need doing, I do stay busy and, yes, I am tired. Life with 6 kids isn't easy, breezy, or boring.
If you ignore the fact that I have 2 sets of twins including 5 month old babies, having six kids means I have 8 mouths to feed, 24 sets of dishes a day filling the sink, 8 spots in the van filled, 112 outfits a week to wash, 7 schedules to manage, 7 doctor appointments, 7 dental appointments, and so much more.
Most people would rightly reply, “In this economy!?!”
Really, it's wild to imagine. Even wilder to do. I think it's from praying “Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven” too many times.
Want to know how to instill a deep faith in your children? Check out my other article called Faith of Their Own: Raising Kids with a Deep, Personal Faith.
Through the good times…
Want to know my favorite part of the day right now? It's a tie between quiet time in the afternoon, when all the kids are sleeping or playing quietly, and dinner time, when we are all gathered around the dinner table laughing and sharing about our days. They are both opposites in energy, but both so cup-filling.
As a mom of 6, I know that I MUST rest. It isn't optional. It isn't something that gets put at the bottom of priorities. Resting is REQUIRED as a mother and as a person in general. There's a reason God rested on the 7th day, and it wasn't because He was tired. It was to exemplify the importance of rest. So after lunch, I put the babies and toddlers down for a nap. The big kids go to their room and play quietly. Then I have alone time. This is when I can do something I find relaxing, like painting, reading, listening to a book, napping, or spending time outside.
“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11
On the other side of things, each day around the dinner table is unique. One evening we can be calm, cool, and collected, quietly eating our food and then moving on to our next activity. The next evening we can be laughing, sharing jokes, and shooting paper balls at each other from across the table. There are even times when we have serious conversations, and dinner ends in tears, hugs, and kisses. All of us eating at the dinner table is something I hope my kids will look back on fondly.
And the bad.
As anyone can guess, it's not all sunshine and rainbows in our home. This isn't the perfect Instagram aesthetic you might see in your feed. Many of my kids have inherited my neuro-spiciness, and we are still trying to figure out how to best help each other. That might mean that at any point during the day, there are tantrums, screaming, crying, stomping, dropping, and banging. There is never a day when tears aren't shed by someone in the family. I mean, with two-year-old toddlers and 4-month-old babies, it's a given. With so many people in the house, it can be challenging to ensure everyone's needs are met, but they do get met. Maybe not on the desired timeline, but everyone is thought of, spoken with, and issues don't get swept under the rug.
All that to say, nobody is perfect, and sometimes issues and needs have to get pushed down the priority list or sometimes we are not able to meet certain needs in a timely manner or as imagined. There are many times I have had to apologize to my kids for overreacting or being easily irritated. Patience is a virtue that God is REALLY trying to teach us in the Fulk house.
I think it's because I prayed one time, asking God to give me patience. God sure knows how to give us what we pray for.
We are the Incredible Fulks
All of that leads me to say, we are the Incredible Fulks for a reason. Some might call us insane, selfish, or even reckless. I choose to believe we are incredible and blessed by God. Our quiver is full of arrows, and we desire to shine bright in this world. So let the onlookers bend their rubber necks. Let the judges continue to keep us accountable. We will continue to be the Fulk family of 8. Wild, busy, neuro-spicy, and INCREDIBLE.
