Q: How in the world did you end up with sextuplets?
A: Keith and I were unable to have children without expensive help from a fertility doctor. Connor and the sextuplets were conceived using the same fertility treatments and painful shots. In the case of the sextuplets, we really got our money’s worth!
Q: How is everyone doing?
A: All seven kids are very healthy, with the exception of seasonal allergies in the spring and fall. Logan and Alex have slight speech delays that I expect will be non-existent by the time they finish preschool. Kyle was recently diagnosed with autism and is pretty low-functioning right now. He is in a special class at preschool where he gets lots of therapies and extra help to try to get him closer to the skill levels of a typical child. He is completely non-verbal at this point, but is usually such a happy, ornery little boy.
Q: How do they like school?
A: All of my kids love school, and so do I for the small break it gives me! The six-pack is split up into three different classes at preschool based on their needs and personalities. When they all get out to the van after a morning at school, they hug and greet each other like they haven’t seen their siblings in days! Connor is enjoying the longer days in first grade and especially likes recess and lunch time!
Q: How do you make it through each day?
A: Keith and I decided from the beginning to just take one day at a time. We pray a lot and we have a fabulous group of friends and volunteers who give us regular nights off. There are some days I’m not sure how I’ll make it to lunch time, let alone bedtime, but somehow the days go by at lightning speed! We also try not to think too far ahead because the idea of buying six sets of braces or glasses gives me hives.
Q: Is it getting easier now that the kids are older?
A: It’s easier and harder now. Our days are always noisy and crazy, and that hasn’t changed since day one. Things are just different now that the kids can do so much for themselves, which is good and bad. When they were small, I had to protect them from themselves, but now that they’re bigger, I have to protect them from each other!
