Thoughts...

Nieces: 11
Nephews: 17
Grand-nieces: 4, with one on the way
Grand-nephews: 1 on the way
Years in daycare, with kids that love me: 6
Kids of my own: 0

I'm lucky in the fact that my mom is still alive, and I have the knowledge of a Mother in Heaven who loves me.

I'm still sad to be the only married woman in both our families to not have kids.

I actually feel like I could do the childfree thing most of the time, except for those times I read a birth announcement and gets the pangs of sadness, or hear about how the greatest thing a woman can do is have a baby and feel like I'm missing out on something, especially in a church that is so family oriented.

Then again, no kids means fewer groceries, free time to do whatever I want, time to spend with just my hubby, fewer dishes, less laundry...

This is one aspect of our "new normal" that I think I've been having the hardest struggle with.