I feel as if I’ve been dragged behind a speeding jet readying itself for takeoff…only to be dropped from the sky and hit by an 18 wheeler. Standing back up, an eagle must have swooped down and swiped my head, but hey I’m still standing.

In our month long ordeal, an emotional drought if you will, as others pointed fingers at my entire family while an amazing amount of friends, counselors and therapists rallied, we finally realized August was over and we’d made it.

Stronger than ever, totally banged up and disillusioned, yet more emotionally attached to each other,... more

First day of middle school for my three sixth graders was rather eventful. It’s tough to be frightened of what’s ahead when you have three other siblings in the 7th grade and two eighth grade sibs plus a seventh grade niece paving the way at the school. It’s the same school that I retired from so the faculty and staff also look out for my children. The principal’s son roomed with my 21 year old son in a dorm, and so on and so on in a small town.

The kids have the same bus driver from elementary to high school plus everyone around here knows where we... more

I’m going to continue on my simplicity theories; I just don’t see any other way to manage a large family. We’re not a democracy but I’m also not a dictator. I set the rules, someone has to be in charge, and the ultimate responsibility is always mine.

I both demand and demonstrate structure, stability, routine and positive expectations. I expect the kids to attend church, to participate in family activities, to follow rules, to help me and all the other kids. I stay... more

My adorable, untraumatized, grandson-son who has lived with me since birth crumpled up his face in despair at the grocery story when I wouldn’t shell out $8.oo for two Tonka toy trucks. “Are you nuts?” I’d shrilly asked? “Do you know how many of these you could get for $8.00 at a yard sale?”

Each Saturday I shop at yard sales with up to a dozen of my always excited children. Garage sale snobs, as if, we only go to the expensive neighborhoods, or at least we plan our route to hit the upscale areas first... more

If anyone ever asked me what I believed the most important thing needed in the adoption of older children, I wouldn’t even hesitate to spout off one word.

Attitude.

Attitude is everything.

It’s crushingly hard to maintain a positive attitude at times when one wants to rail at God for even thinking anyone could handle such oppositional, challenging children. But then I always step back with an admonition for myself, “Cindy, what are you thinking? You think God made a mistake?”

And I get back on that horse and... more

With 39 kids calling me, visiting me, or living with me I have a considerable amount of demands placed upon me. I also have more than an unusual amount of joy given to me by these same children.

I read Julie Crowley’s blog about replenishing oneself, and I’m often asked if I get any “me” time. The answer is yes, but I use that time in the gardens or reading late at night. I almost never read fiction anymore, this from a former media specialist,... more

How can a mother of 39 kids be so obsessed with the concept of simplicity?

How can I not be?

I don’t want to own a lot of stuff because then I’m burdened by having to care for it properly.

I don’t own my kids; they’ve briefly been entrusted to me. I’ll raise them and relish the challenge gratefully. I hope I can teach them to find happiness outside of things.

People with chronic self-doubt may be... more

My 21 sons have so far entered adulthood in rather bumpy ways. I talked today to a therapist who used the term, ‘emotionally delayed’, to explain to me the obvious issues involved in the adoption of older children from the system.

The average age of joining our family is around age 8. This represents eight lost years of their childhood. Years spent in fear, in abusive and neglectful situations. Some of my kids had been homeless, most had... more

I was asked recently about my experience in adopting kids who were unrelated to each other by birth. Had I had any involvement with my kids being inappropriate with each other?

A friend of mine, a mom with 15 kids put it best, in that she’d not adopt a teenage boy because her teenage girls would consider him fair game in the dating world.

It’s long been a concern of mine and I’ve been extremely careful in the ages that I’ve adopted. Recently contacted about foster care for three teenage boys, I said no way. Not that I, in any way, feared my teen... more

At the moment I have four pregnant daughters plus a daughter-in-law who is now expecting her first child. When one has 39 children it’s a matter of simple math to easily determine there’ll be a passel of grandchildren.

I have the emotional and physical energy left in me to parent another sibling group, but I don’t have the desire to do so anymore, as I am now looking at the decidedly positive aspects of being involved with all of my grandchildren. Raising my children has sometimes resembled a war zone, 20 years in Iraq, and I’m still... more