This book is my tribute to my family and to all families. It is a collection of quotes and events I have shared on Facebook based on the lives of my children and things that have happened in our home, while traveling, and even at church. When my wife Mary and I tell people about our eight children and our plans to have more, we are usually met with looks of surprise and confusion. This often leads to a conversation about the enormous costs involved in raising children: the money, the time, and the loss of freedom. From the ...
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This book is my tribute to my family and to all families. It is a collection of quotes and events I have shared on Facebook based on the lives of my children and things that have happened in our home, while traveling, and even at church. When my wife Mary and I tell people about our eight children and our plans to have more, we are usually met with looks of surprise and confusion. This often leads to a conversation about the enormous costs involved in raising children: the money, the time, and the loss of freedom. From the outside it may be hard to see that the cost is well worth the sacrifice. Yet after having children, I believe it is quite true. Any sacrifices made on behalf of our children are paid back hundredfold. Their sweet and funny words can melt away the weight of sacrifice: they are priceless. "Mary was upstairs putting baby Anthony to bed for what seemed like the tenth time (he was teething). He was screaming at the top of his lungs, and Mena was sitting downstairs next to me, listening to all of this go on. She turned to me. "Daddy, baby Anthony is frustrated with his life!"" "For a long time, I have been able to get away with telling my kids essentially the same bedtime story over and over again. Eventually, I was asked for a new one. Mena: Daddy, why do all your stories have monsters? Can you tell us a different story? Me: I can't think of one. Ask me again tomorrow. Mena: It's easy, Daddy. Just think and talk at the same time. Like this: "Once upon a time, there was a unicorn and her friend the pig." See? Like that, Daddy." "Last year we transitioned Mena from homeschool to a public school. In preparation we went to the open house to see the school and meet her teacher. We had to bring all the kids. We were a little nervous about one of them making a fool of us and we resolved to keep a close eye on them. We made our way to her classroom and I quickly realized I had no idea what to do. I know how to handle myself in front of CEOs of large corporations and business owners of multimillion-dollar companies but in an elementary school with no clear task: no idea! After sitting in one of those little chairs and eating a cookie meant for the kids, I started getting "the look" from Mary. I tried to regroup by picking up a fussy Claire. At that time, to calm Claire down I would throw her up in the air and catch her. The sudden exhilaration would snap her out of her mood. I took into account the low ceiling but not the slowly rotating ceiling fan. The fan blade went flying and Claire was crying. All the parents, children, and Mena's future teacher were looking at us in concern. I have a high threshold for embarrassment and this only hit two or three on the embarrassment Richter scale. But two thoughts hit me pretty hard: 1) It must be so embarrassing to be married to me right now, and 2) Mena has to see these people again! Claire was fine and the rest of the evening passed without incident. The only lasting effect was that Mena would remind me that "the fan blade has not been fixed yet" every day until it was finally replaced. The best part was walking out of the school and remembering the conversation about the kids. Mary put words to my thoughts: "You just might be MORE embarrassing than the kids!"
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