Crossposted from Facebook
I felt bad for the young lady behind me in the grocery store line. My cart was overflowing…and this after I’d unloaded a third of it! “I’ve got a big crew at home,” I said apologetically, and pointing a finger at my bulging abdomen, added, “This is Number 7.”
“Oh, I would love to have what you have!” she exclaimed, and I’m pretty sure that I looked shocked. (Usually, of course, it’s the other way around.) “I just have one,” she told me sadly, “She’s thirteen, and her dad wouldn’t marry me.”
My heart was filled with gratitude for her courage—filled at the same it broke just a bit.
“But you HAD her,” I told her, and she responded, “Well, yeah,” with an emphasis on the “yeah” as if to say, “How obvious!”
“Well, I love you for that,” I said, and I do.
If you could, please say a prayer for her.
Done. (did you cry? silly question) xo
What an unexpected blessing!
I think it is great that you both heard what you both probably NEEDED to hear. May God bless you both. Ann
What a blessing you were for each other! Prayers for her for sure.
I've missed you here Margaret!! This is a touching story, thanks so much for sharing!
What a beautiful story to share! Thank you so much. I find myself apologizing for my family (in church, in the store, at the library, etc…) and you know what? Most of the time the response is more positive and the apology unnecessary.
I'm so glad you posted this.
This touches me personally. I've often seen the apologetic looks amoung my friends with 7+ children. But, I've also seen the yearning/apologetic looks of my friends with fewer children.
I'll be honest I've struggled with the notion that we are not having any more babies. I'd like more, but it hasn't happened. So I've moped and felt "left out" as my friends have more babies.
Then I remember…Hubby and I have 4 awesome kids! So you are so right in telling her, "but you had her!" We have what we've been granted/gifted by God. Whether 10 babies or 1, they are all blessings. In fact, my mother-in-law had also wanted to have a dozen children. She prayed and prayed over it. She ended up adopting her first child after many years, no children were coming. After the adoption she became pregnant with her second child (a miracle really). Then no more children.
Her two children grew up, ended up marrying and having multiple children. Grandma now has 12 grandbabies on earth and 1 in Heaven. She ended up with 12 after all :0)
Sometimes we get lost in the number, I think.Offering a prayer for her, right now!
Thank you, Margaret, for saying what you said to her! – And, thank you for sharing the story here. It is so true that we don't know everyone's story… and it is often not what we would expect.
Beautiful.