siblings or stuff? {guest post by Mary}

I come from a large family. Large, as in: I have nine siblings. I love to see peoples reaction and response when I tell them how many siblings I have. Just the other day, my mom, three younger siblings and I went grocery shopping. A young man with sparkly eyes and a really nice personality was bagging our groceries and good naturedly teasing my little siblings as he did so. Somehow my mom and him got into the subject about siblings and he mentioned having brothers. I said rather jokingly "I bet you don't have ten brothers and sisters." His eyes got big and he shook his head "Well, no, actually I just have two brothers." So we told him about our family. Then he turned to me and said, "So how do you like having that many brothers and sisters." I just laughed and said "Depends, their pretty cool most of them time though." But after I left the store, I got to thinking- How do I like having that many siblings? True, sometimes I wish I was the only child at times. Our family always has enough money for all our real needs and a little left over for fun stuff after paycheck time comes around. But I don't always get what I want. There are times I wish I had a fancy, expensive camera or money to blow every week going shopping. But its then I remind myself how lucky and blessed I am. I live in a big, nice, air conditioned house with a keeper at home mom and a hard working dad. I have never gone hungry, and I've always had decent, if not nice clothes. Besides, do earthly possessions really matter? Would I really rather have a big nice camera and spend half of my life in the mall? Or would I rather have my siblings? I imagine life without my siblings, Rach, May-May, Gage, Mex, Spen, Crouton, Flea, Lukey and Tommy. Would I really want to get rid of any of them for a big camera or shopping money? The thought horrifies me and suddenly those things don't seem to matter to me. I really love my siblings. Yes, we have our tiffs and squabbles, but we always end up forgiving each other, and we never fail to have fun with each other. I never realized just how much I loved them until my older siblings began to grow up and move off to start a family of their own or go to college. I suddenly missed them and longed to have them at home again. It made me began to realize just how short life, (and especially childhood) is, and I think it even helped me mature even more. It helps me appreciate my younger siblings more and I never take moments with them for granted. I'm a very blessed girl!

A piece of advice for you with siblings:: Don't take life for granted, love more then hate, have fun more then argue and make the most of your childhood. You only have one chance.