Families

My co-worker and I had an interesting conversation about kids today. I was telling her how Caitlin and Nick have mostly decided on a name for their baby: Rachel. Yay! So cute! And I was explaining how the "deal" was that if Nick got to name the baby Rachel (his choice), then Cait would get to name the next girl Emily (her choice). (Not sure where the "deal" is, but okay.) :)

My co-worker asked if Cait was sad about not getting to pick Emily. Off-handedly I told her that it wasn't really a big deal because they'll have more kids so chances are they'll have another girl. She asked how many kids they wanted and I responded, oh, probably 4, maybe 5. My co-worker gasped. "Really? That's so many!" I told her that I didn't think so. There are four kids in my family and growing up I always wished I had more siblings. She looked at me like was crazy.

I told her that I wanted 5-6 kids. She shook her head as if she were washing her hands of me. :) She said that she said maybe she wanted 3 kids, but that was pushing it. :) She grew up as basically an only child, but has two older sisters that have kids her age. One of her nieces is older than her by a couple of years.

I explained that I grew up in a busy house (there were 7 people) and so I was used to that and wanted that for my future family. I have tons of friends who have very large families and they always talk about them with such great love and affection. I'm sure not every large family is like that, but I would hope that mine would be.

I remember when I was a kid I was scared to have to raise a family in this day and age, but now I look forward to it. I want to raise my family in the Gospel. I want my future children to have the joy I get from it. I want them to have the blessings. And I want lots of children to have that opportunity. :) Someday. :)

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Today I am thankful for my family. I love each of them so much and am grateful for the fun and laughter they have provided me over our lives. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to explain our inside jokes (Whenever I pass a trucker on the freeway, I want to roll down my window and yell, "Wanna buy a cookie?" Most of the time I resist the urge. Bwahahaha!) and no one seems to get it outside the four of us. I just don't understand why. :) Memories like the cookie one I'll always cherish. :)