Is the Grass Greener?

Suzanne recently showed the pictures of her beautiful boys in her last two birth announcements. She has five boys. There was a family in our parish growing up that had five boys and another with five girls. I always asked my mother which she thought would be more stressful, a house of only boys or girls.

Mom always answered the same. Boys.

I have three younger brothers.

I'm the only girl.

My husband and I decided immediately that we did not want to know the sex of our baby before she was born. I guess I should mention here that Jeff is one of four boys. No girls. So it was nothing short of miraculous to his family when he called to say he had become the Daddy to a GIRL. His mother told me I broke the mold and my "genes must be stronger."

The reaction from my family was also one of excitement. My youngest brother had demanded constantly that we find out the sex of the baby and went so far as to suggest to my parents that they contact my OB and have her email them the sex so I didn't have to know. My parents knew better than to try something so silly. My father told everyone after I called to say we had a daughter that he thought I had never let myself think I might have a baby girl. Maybe he's right, maybe I did that subconciously. But I honestly had no idea what I was having until I heard my husband yell, "It's a GIRL!" in the OR.

I wonder is the grass always greener? I wonder what it would be like to have a boy or a household of them like Suzanne and Rachel
. Actually I don't have to wonder that hard. I lived it. But I know it must be different to be the mother of so many. That's a lot of football and baseball games and impromptu wrestling matches in the den and forts and swords made out of sticks. And then I think, I only have one daughter, what about the family I knew growing up with five little girls? That's five sets of pigtails, five itchy Easter dresses, five senior proms, FIVE WEDDINGS!

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law have a little boy. When we said we wanted to have another baby in the next two years, they immediately seized on the idea we were "trying for a boy." When we looked at each other, shrugged and said, "not really, we'd be just as happy with another girl," they seemed a little perplexed. I mean, doesn't everyone want one of each? Sure we would like to have one of each at least! But children are gifts from God the Father himself. When we got pregnant with Shelby we wanted a baby. Any baby. We were beyond even asking for healthy. That's why we didn't find out the sex and why we won't find out the sex of any future babies. As badly as I wanted a sister, I thank God for giving me three healthy brothers. And I would love for Shelby to have someone to love the way I love them, brother or sister. No the grass isn't greener,on my side of the fence it's the same sweet Kentucky bluegrass it always was. And believe me, it is for you too.