The blogger at the Bearing Blog points to a couple of articles about a mother of 22 who recently passed away. I particularly liked this quote from the mom, from another article about her a couple of years ago:

"We didn’t intend to have this many children," Lucille Miller said. "But it’s been wonderful to have them and watch them grow. They’re all individuals."

In this culture of children-as-objects, children-as-extensions-of-me, and children-as-proof-of-my-worth, an excellent reminder of the best reason of all to have children: to co-operate with God in bringing fascinating new people into the world, people who are themselves, are loved by God, and whom we’re privileged to get going and start off on their own unique journeys. You don’t get this so much when they’re five. But when they’re 23…it gets a lot clearer. And if you have 22 of them, it’s a point that’s impossible to miss!

This Irish blogger points us to a poem which he says is a traditional favorite of Irish mothers – reflective of that first day of school for a little one!

And today is my late mother’s birthday – she would be 82 if she were here on earth.