i can't tell you how many times i hear the comment, "boy, you have your hands full!" when i'm at the grocery store, the library, church, or any public place, really. they see me trying to balance three young boys and a grocery cart, or a stroller, or a husband (i'm kidding, babe).

i know what most of them mean when they make this comment. they imagine my days at home...trying to do whatever it is i do (clean, cook, or work an outside job, perhaps) all the while trying to make three boys who are three years of age and younger happy, fed, and sleeping well. yes, that sounds like a huge amount of work. and yes, it is a huge amount of work.

but i don't do this alone. i have a husband who is just as hands-on (if not more) than i am.

i regularly read a few blogs of women who have large families - 5, 6, or 7 kids and even more. one of my favorites of these blog is Owlhaven not only because i envy the blog name...but because Mary's posts on raising a large family are more than inspiring to me. her latest weekly question is this:

"When you think about enlarging your family, what are some of the questions and concerns that come to your mind? Was it or is it a difficult or an easy decision to declare yourself done with having children? If your family is already complete, feel free to share the questions you had as you faced the issue in the past. When you decided, did you decide once and for all, or did you find yourself revisiting the question over and over?"

it's an interesting question to me because it's a discussion that kenny and have a lot. and a question that a lot of people asked us after the birth of our last two boys ("are you done here? or are you having any more?"). and although i want to run and hide at the idea of having another baby any time soon...ultimately, is the decision REALLY, TRULY up to us?

coming into this marriage, we both wanted a large family - i actually told him i wanted 6 boys (we're halfway there!). but right now, the thought of having 3 more kids (let alone boys!) scares me. so although the discussion happens from time to time, right now, all we can do is discuss, and just see what God really wants for our family.

yes, our hands are FULL...our hands are full of blessings.

(ps. i can see my email inbox filling up with friends and family asking me, "are you pregnant?" so i'll quench that fire before it starts: NO!)