I Think my Ovaries Fell Out Yesterday...

So it was Bring Your Child to Work Day yesterday and for some God forsaken reason, I decided to once again volunteer to help out with the days events. How I didn't remember the torture from the previous year, I'll never know. What made it even more horrendous was the fact that we were going to have about 30 more children than last year, where's the ice pick?

Registration began around 830 and before we knew it, little ones and not so little ones, were all around the building. We always think it wise to load them up on donuts and juice to start the day, but honestly, they've proven that sugar doesn't really hype kids up... it's usually the fact that they're somewhere new with a bazillion other kids that hypes them up. I was sweating and I NEVER sweat so I knew we were about to enter a new level of chaos. I really had no idea what was planned for the day so I was just hoping 3 o'clock was just around the corner.

I thought it might be fun to get my own child in on the activities and told Dad to go ahead and bring him in. I'm a freaking genius because now I had my highly energetic 5 year old to watch after in addition to 20 other six and seven year olds. Joy. Thankfully there were other parents in on the adventure otherwise some kids would be missing today.

The day actually went off pretty well and the kids were mildly entertained and the adults were thankful for an early release. I once again was reaffirmed with the decision that I was right to have only one child. I just don't know how people with three, four, or 19 kids do this... everyday... for the rest of their lives. Maybe they use medicinal marijuana.

Perhaps I just don't have the patience and understanding that these parents of large broods have. Perhaps I'm selfish. Perhaps I'm not as adventurous. Whatever the reason, I do have a heavy heart when Noah mentions having a little brother or sister and I know he'll never enjoy that lifestyle. I do worry that I'm robbing him of some right of passage to be a big brother, but at the same time, I honestly feel he is so exceptional because of the individual attention his father and I can devote to him.

I just don't know if I could ever love another child they way I love him. I don't know if I could go through the difficulties that I went through right after having him. I don't know if I have the patience and energy to go through any of this again and some people will say I'm making excuses and if I am, so be it. I get tired of how people act like only children will be defects of society and that it's our duty to reproduce as many times as humanly possible before our eggs dry up. I'm also tired of the media sensationalizing these unusually large families and making it look like it's so much fun and these parents have all the time, energy, and resources in the world. I think it's a bit socially irresponsible and reckless considering how overpopulated and screwed up our world is getting. I'll save that thought for another time. I'm worn out.