"Was she a mistake?"..."What were you thinking?"..."Now you have to start all over again!"
These are just some of the comments I heard on a regular basis after having my fourth child, 10 years after my third. No, she wasn't a mistake (on that note, I don't believe any child is a mistake), she was planned, wanted, and was the best thing to happen to our family, followed by a baby boy two years later!
We had five amazing kids, ages sixteen, fourteen, twelve, two, and newborn and it was the most wonderful season of my life, honestly. I always wanted a large family and my dreams had come true!
Was it hard? Of course it was. It still is and my baby is now seven! Raising a family no matter what size is hard, but it is also the most beautiful, rewarding, fulfilling job ever - and I would not change a single thing. Well, okay, maybe I'd ask for a few less six-year-old meltdowns (haha), but honestly, my family is my life.
One of the most beautiful things about having a large family with a big age gap is watching the relationship develop between the older kids and the babies (we will always call our little two, 'the babies'). It is just amazing! My kids love, adore, and yes, get frustrated with (we're by no means the perfect family) their 'babies.' But they would do anything for them and they are so blessed to have each other.
My husband and I will end up having kids in school for over 30 years straight, and we may look like grandparents rather than parents at the last graduation, but give me my life over, and I would do it all again!