Our family is something of an oddity to most people, in more ways than one. First of all, our size.
Our family happens to be very big. There are 50 kids in our family; all of us kids happen to be adopted, and most of the kids happen to be "special-needs" kids (of which I am one; I was adopted at the age of 9).
It is quite a sight whenever we go out in public because here's this young couple in their 30s being followed by a "seemingly endless stream" of children, children of all ages, sizes, and colors. And handicaps.
Secondly of all, we also happen to be performers. Every two weekends we perform across Nashville, where we sing at different festivals; we have our own country/Cajun music band, and we perform for those who come to the festival. Most of us kids sing or play some sort of instrument (I play the Cajun accordion, but I don't sing; I'm a TERRIBLE singer!). Some, like Johnny, Michael, Porter, or Starlight Melody are so talented they sing AND play an instrument (and some, like Gemini or Porter, play SEVERAL DIFFERENT instruments). We perform to bring extra money because raising a family our size is QUITE expensive!!
It also helps that both daddy and mommy work. Daddy works as a "greeter" at Wal*Mart, and mommy is a registered nurse at a local hospital. Some of the older kids, like Steffi and Anh Kim, also work. Steffi works as a line person/cashier at Golden Corral, and Anh delivers newspapers after school and early on the weekends.
We are never QUITE short on money, in other words. Somehow we ALWAYS get by (although, at times, mommy's and daddy's pocketbooks DO WHIMPER QUITE A BIT!!). Adoption subsidies for us kids also help, as do shopping at places like discount stores, thrift shops, or garage sales for our clothes; this way, we don't have to pay an arm or a leg for our clothes.
Now, I WISH I could say the same about the diapers or the food...we spend BUNCHES on diapers and on food to feed our "army"!
Plus it helps that the older kids who DON'T work outside the home act as "built-in babysitters". The older kids watch out for the younger kids or those who need a little more in the way of extra help, like, for example, Jodie and Todd, who are both severly disabled, and also Roberto, who is about as unpredictable as they come. (Roberto has Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy, and he can quickly get into mischief if we DON'T keep a close eye on him!).
A wicked Cajun Fairy named Robes Pierre entered the impenetrable Magical doll land of Sha Bebe. Queen Faustina, the ruler of the doll land, thought she had destroyed him, but he's back! Will the doll land survive his evil ways?
A wicked Cajun Fairy named Robes Pierre entered the impenetrable Magical doll land of Sha Bebe. Queen Faustina, the ruler of the doll land, thought she had destroyed him, but he's back! Will the doll land survive his evil ways?
Let this coming of age story of a boy named Bean take you back to a simple time. Set in a small southern town in the 1960's, encircled by a river and gleaming white cotton fields.
