Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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Subject Topic: Here’s a "The More the Merrier Story" Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Alice R
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 7:29am | IP Logged Quote Alice R

I was working yesterday and evaluating a child (I work for Early Intervention) and was chatting with the grandmother, who was only in her 40's. Anyway she told me that she is one of 16 sisters!!!!!!!!!!!!

      16 sisters!

Can you imagine?

Her mom is 89 and has alzheimers. Each sister takes her for one week to care for her and then gives her to the next sister. This was a very "lower economic status" family squashed in tiny apartment in a rough part of NYC. She said all her sisters live walking distance to her. They were nice people. They had one brother but he passed away from menangitis as a toddler.

The woman told me they were Catholics and didn't use any birth control. I said "I sorta figured that out"

Can you imagine 16 girls?

I thought "who can I tell this story to?" I had a feeling someone here would enjoy it.   

Blessings,
Alice



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MaryMary
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 11:00am | IP Logged Quote MaryMary

My husband's mother comes from a family of 19 children. My mother-in-law is the 8th child in the family. I always tell my children that if their Great Grandma (who is, by the way, still alive...a beautiful, inspirational soul) would have said, "O.K. God, I think seven children is enough" then we wouldn't have their beloved Grandma, and then we wouldn't have their DADDY, and that means we wouldn't have THEM! They were very wide eyed at this!

By the way, one of my favorite Great Grandma quotes (when we were discussing how couples nowadays are learning NFP prior to marriage)responded:

"You kids nowadays have so much information that we didn't have at your age. All we had then was a little self-control...and even then, not much of that!"   

Mary

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5athome
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 11:46am | IP Logged Quote 5athome

My mother is the oldest of 9 -- 8 girls and 1 boy. I have always felt much sympathy for my uncle being surrounded by so many females!
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JodieLyn
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 12:07pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

Mary what a wonderful quote from your great-grandma
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Alice R
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 1:36pm | IP Logged Quote Alice R

My grandmother was one of 14 but that was in the 1800's and it was mostly the need for farm hands.   

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amyable
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 2:15pm | IP Logged Quote amyable

Alice R wrote:

Can you imagine 16 girls?

I'm beginning to...

Sometimes my 4 feel like 16.

This is them all talking to me all day long --->

Gotta love 'em!

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Bridget
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 2:28pm | IP Logged Quote Bridget

Imagine paying for all those weddings!

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afranciscan
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 3:09pm | IP Logged Quote afranciscan

Here's a story about a family expecting their 10th child who bought an old school for a home! 35,000 sq feet with gym, LIBRARY, etc.

http://largefamilylogistics.lifewithchrist.org/permalink/263 60

Not Catholic but just to add to the More the Merrier stories.

Jennie Lou
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amyable
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 3:51pm | IP Logged Quote amyable

Bridget wrote:
Imagine paying for all those weddings!


LOL! We've jokingly informed our girls they will all have to get married at the same time.

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teachingmom
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Posted: Sept 07 2006 at 11:08pm | IP Logged Quote teachingmom

Well, I can appreciate the story, Alice, since I might be carrying our 6th girl. And I'd only be less than halfway there, even with another girl! (We shall see . . . )

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MicheleQ
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Posted: Sept 08 2006 at 8:24am | IP Logged Quote MicheleQ

Bridget wrote:
Imagine paying for all those weddings!


Surely some of them became nuns???

afranciscan wrote:
Here's a story about a family expecting their 10th child who bought an old school for a home! 35,000 sq feet with gym, LIBRARY, etc.


Maybe it's just me but this just seems like overkill. Imagine trying to keep track of everyone in such a large space. And a library already filled with books might sound great at first but yikes what a job it would be to weed out all the stuff you didn't want.

I can see the advantage to the space - who doesn't like space afterall - but it doesn't sound very homey to me.

As a mom of almost 10 I just can't relate to living in a school. What about you Louise - does it sound appealing?

Our house isn't tiny, in fact it's a pretty good size for a city home (almost 3500 sq. feet) but we still get a little crowded sometimes and frankly I think that's not a bad thing - it helps us grow in charity.

Anyway, best case scenario with 10 or even 16 children close together (and mine are somewhat spaced) it's only a few years that they would all be home. The reality is that they grow up and leave.    

God bless,

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