So, Are You Done? - and other stupid questions...

My friend Dawn is one of the greatest blessings I've gained since Tim and I moved out here to the "boonies". She not only can commiserate with me over a newly cleaned floor covered with muddy footprints, or a pile of laundry so high, that by the time you do it all your kids are wearing different sizes, BUT she also is an official member of the club I belong to. This club is not for the faint of heart. It is easy to join but extremely difficult to get out of. Members pay their dues every day but reap lifelong benefits which are priceless!

This club has seen its membership drop dramatically in the past 20 years. It's to the point where the few members which do exist cling to one another for moral support. The club? - The I.M.T.A. Club - Intentionally more than average. Yes, yes, we actually wanted to have baby 3, baby 4, baby 5, baby.... (don't faint out there - yes it is true. Some women actually do have 6+ children)

Dawn not only possesses a membership to this club of sorts (she's expecting baby #5 in February) but she possesses the one trait I demand of any friend of mine - A great sense of humor! This is quite necessary and highly developed I might add, in those women who have a larger than the national average 2.3 brood. She is a perfect blend of high values and ideals and love of family without pretentiousness or self-congratulation.

She and I have swapped stories of other people's less than enthusiastic responses to our pregnancies #3 and on... I've also spoken to other I.M.T.A. moms who share similar tales of being stopped by starngers at the grocery store and given a lecture on the rising cost of college and the like.

So, here below are some of the things that have either been said to me or to another I.M.T.A. member. Let the pictures at thr right serve as my rebutal!

If it's a boy are you done then?

If it's a girl are you done then?

(as if they're a
coordinating set to collect -
girl as handbag - boy as the shoes to match)

You do know how babies are made right?

So when are you gonna get your tubes tied?

Shouldn't (insert your hubby's name here) get

fixed already?

Girl, get over here. We need to have a little chat about birth control.

Are they all yours?

You don't want any more do you?

If you imply to the above that yes you are open to that then you get...

What? are you crazy?

Don't you know how much college costs?

Don't you want a life?

How many are you gonna have?

My husband has resolved to answer this last one in the future with...

As many as it takes for you to stop asking us that question.

The very common...

Wow! You sure have your hands full.

Which I respond to kindly...

Yep, but that's better than empty right?

My kids are my greatest blessing (outside of my husband of course) They make me a better person. They force me out of any inclination towards self- centeredness or selfishness. Maybe peoples' lack of openess to more children is to a large degree the reason why we have so many self-centered, selfish, ego-driven, parents out there today. I say - Thank God! sex makes babies! It's the icing on the cake!

Here's some of my icing...