I think it’s safe to say I think my about distant-future children probably more than other unwed, 21-year-olds in my place. I’ve always had a heart for children, and I love to imagine what my family of procreation will be like. What will I be like as a wife? As a mother? What will my children look like? Where will we live? The questions are endless.
I have some ideas I’ve been throwing around, but are subject to change according to God’s will, my future husband’s ideas, and my own evolving ideas. How do I know if I am able to carry and give birth to my children? How do I know that Jesus won’t return before then? I understand that life plans are very tentative, especially this aspect. For the time being, it is fun to think about the possibilities! I could write so much more than this, but this is a start.
Someday I want to marry the amazing man that God made for me. Do I know that guy right now? I sure hope so! :) I honestly don’t know if someday means I’ll be 24 or 26 or even 32! But engagement and marriage are other things I picture in my mind and look forward to. Marriage sounds like an exciting life adventure, but only when I am fully ready. If I was ready right now, I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute. When I was younger, I imagined myself being married at this age, or at least engaged. However, I’ve come to realize it’s a little more complex than I thought. It’s so much more than just having someone to cuddle with every night (heaven on Earth). I hope to have some time to be just a married couple without children. How much time? I’m not sure, but enough that it feels right. Hopefully I’ll get married before I’m 32 or that time in between being married and having children will be SHORT. I already know I don’t want to take birth control, so if all goes well, I will have kids only when we are ready. ;-)
I hope I won’t regret saying this… I look forward to pregnancy! I think it is an amazing and beautiful creation of God. It truly intrigues me and it is near the top of my list of things I want to experience in life. Right now I can’t imagine a human being moving and kicking around inside of me! I’m just afraid for some things that go along with it… like blood work, heart burn, throwing up, pain… but nonetheless, it still sounds quite exciting. Must have: maternity pictures.
In my opinion, it would be ideal for each of my kids to have at least one brother and one sister. I only have a brother, and I wish I had a sister to experience that too. So that means 2 boys and 2 girls would be great. Yes that equals 4 kids and yes I know I can’t choose the sexes. Healthy children would be the #1 prayer, but hey I do have a say in the names! Ah,… that will be a fun, but difficult decision. I don’t have many favorites right now, but I tend to like “A” names for some reason. My favorite names have always changed; I haven’t really liked the same name for a long period of time. I love the name Addison, but it’s very popular right now which turns me away.
Anyway, having only one sibling is boring! I would love love a big family. More love, more fun, and more work. I even think further into the future how four children would bring more grandchildren, bigger family gatherings, etc. If I could choose, I’d rather not have twins. By the way, I thought I may have the hyper-ovulation gene but it turns out my mom’s cousins are identical so it’s probably just coincidental that both my Grandma and her sister had a set of twins. My Grandma probably had fraternal twins because of advanced maternal age. Good thing, because I would prefer to experience each baby one at a time because I absolutely adore babies. Also, I think I’m too small to carry two babies.
I would prefer to have my children far enough apart as to not make them grow up any faster than they already do. What I mean is, if you have a 1.5 year old and then have another baby, that 1.5 year old is no longer the baby. Even though they are still young, they are expected to be the big sibling. However, I am not sure there is enough time to get married, wait a few years, and have four children with enough space in between and not be 40 by the time I am finished. Ha, that’s a joke.
I want to document lots of memories with photos and video, and in writings and whatever else. This includes during pregnancy also! But obviously I’ll have to find time to do that and time to actually make the memories. I want them to experience much of what life has to offer: vacations, museums, lessons, parks and zoos, and just life experiences as budget and time allows. They don’t necessarily have to cost money though. It can be just making a point to expose them to a variety of activities, and at the same time provide many opportunities to learn. I love to teach others and what better way to use that skill than to teach my own children- through a variety of ways!
I plan to teach and raise them with a healthy lifestyle, as much as I can anyway. A huge part of that goal means healthy and organic food. Really healthy- not the norm. This will require more research on nutrition, oh and possibly a degree. I’m very interested in it and interested in putting knowledge to good use for myself and future family. This will also require me to change my diet, which won’t be too difficult for me (I think). I will make that transition long before they arrive. Right now it’s difficult since I live at home and don’t buy the groceries. Besides through food, I don’t want to expose them to unnecessary chemicals via other routes. Such as disposable diapers, some household cleaning materials, etc. This may seem extreme, but do you realize what we are exposed to when we don’t have to be? I still don’t know very much, but I know enough to make this decision.
I plan to take time off from my career (whatever that may be) to take care of my young children (up until they’re in kindergarden or so). I will make this work because I’ve felt for a long time that motherhood is one of my passions. Therefore, spending time with them and putting my career on hold is a given. Call me crazy, but I have always looked forward to this stage of my life. It already know will go by all too quickly and so I have one chance to make the most out of it. But at the same time, nurture my marriage and put it before my children.
However, I can’t do any of this without God. It’s of utmost importance for me to raise my children to know our Heavenly Father and to share my faith with them. I want to be a family that glorifies God in everything we do, and give my children the upbringing that will lead them to a personal relationship with God. It’s my responsibility to teach them and lead them in this way, and I will do my very best to fulfill this calling.
I think it will all be equally challenging and rewarding. For now, I’ll try to enjoy this stage in my life and not rush anything because life goes fast enough as it is. It’s fun to consider and imagine now, and later it will be fun to look back and compare. It seems far away from now, yet it’s really not. Sometimes it scares me to think of that, and how quickly life flies by, which is why it’s ever so important not to wish it away. I’m working on that. :)
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