joy of nine9

Yes, I was called to have a large family.  We were obedient even though we are considered poor in this society. God has control over our fertility. And so He has showered us, not with material blessings but JOY and a sense of new life.

•  Picture a large, 1886, quaint house with all sorts of quirks. A window became a doorway to a hundred year old addition. It must have been some one with an odd sense of humour who cut a 4 ft 10 inch doorway to the baby room into the low wall with a slanting roof. (In the pitch dark, I banged my forehead against that door frame every night for the first month when I walked into the baby’s room at 2:00 am.) Three sets of steps converge on the upstairs landing.

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  • The decorating theme is early childhood art and it is everywhere. Too many plants add to the sense of colour and an eclectic combination of furniture is very comfortable. Generations of former owner, who were all full-time farmers, believed in 4 inch spikes for building barns as well as hanging pictures.

• Our well dries up, our water pump freezes in the barn, if two appliances are plugged in at the same time, we blow a fuse. Our bathroom tub is 4 ft. long… I could go on and on but for us it is a source of amusement more than anything because the Spirit is so powerful in our house. This is a home where loving kids comes first.

• Into this absurd house, picture 11 people living in 5 bedrooms with bunk beds, 13 dressers and huge trunks because half the bedrooms have old-fashioned hooks on the wall but no closets. I should not have to explain further except to remark that I once lost a grade 1 reading book for 3 months in a trunk with dress-up clothes!! That is all I will say. You can surely picture the chaos as I madly fling socks about in a 3 ft high wicker basket full of unpaired socks, trying to find a pair or two before school.

Our living room was a lived in room with all sorts of activity centres and corners. Prized puzzles  were covered with a tablecloth for meals. After dinner, the older kids and their dad would sip tea or water and talk as they worked on the puzzle.

• This is the background to all sorts of mix-ups, and mayhem. I reacted the only way possible.. I laughed. By laughing, that house became a very, very fine house with two cats in the most comfortable chair, goldfish on the counter and a guinea gig squeaking for food every time the fridge opened.
  

  Welcome. We love kids, animals and plants. We will even love you but watch out, do not trip over the dog and please, edge around that blanket fort. It took an hour to make yesterday!