When I became a mom of three under three, I was prepared for people to look at me like I was crazy. It started long before baby number three even joined our family. I heard, “You’re going to have your hands full,” so many times throughout my pregnancy. That always made me laugh because as a pregnant mama with a baby and a toddler, I was pretty sure I already did have my hands full. But anyway, I knew there were plenty of people who thought I was crazy when I had two under two and plenty more who thought I’d actually lost my mind when I had my third under three.

So I was prepared for strange looks every time I brought my children out in public. What I wasn’t prepared for were the never-ending, weirdly personal questions.  Yes, these babies are all mine, but I wasn’t aware that was an appropriate question to ask a stranger. Absolutely, I do know how I came to be knocked up three times in three years—I was there.  

I wasn’t prepared for every person we encountered to make a judgy comment.

Yes, nurse at the pediatrician’s office/cashier at the grocery store/woman in the parking lot, we do have our hands full, and we are busy. 

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I didn’t expect to always feel like I had some nerve every time I dared to bring my three small children out in public. I’m sorry for thinking we had the right to enjoy a night at a restaurant or a trip to the library, that was silly of me.

But here’s the thing, stranger in public making my reproductive habits your business, we love our family just the way it is. God gave us this family because it’s just the right size for us. God gave us these babies at just the right timing. And while no, not that it’s any of your business, I didn’t exactly plan on this child spacing, God did.

To God, each of our children is thought out and chosen. 

Loving my family, exactly as God gave it to me, even when many in the world seem to think there’s something wrong with it, has helped me love and respect other families too. I love my family just the way it is, and I love your family just the way God made it too.

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If you’ve got big age gaps or little age gaps, if you’ve got an only child or a plethora of children or no children, your family looks just right to me. Maybe you are busy and you do have your hands full, but I bet your heart is even more full. And if you’re currently hoping and praying for children, then I pray God gives you your just-right family too. 

His way isn’t always my way or your way, but it is a good way.