by Melanie Jean Juneau | melaniejeanjuneau.wordpress.com/

Even though we did our best to limit our family with natural family planning, we still left the door open for the Holy Spirit. He wanted us to have a lot of kids and so the Lord has taken care of all our needs. Checks come in the mail from strangers, people give us clothes, furniture and pets.

Yes, I was called to have a large family. We were obedient even though we are considered poor in this society. God has control over our fertility. And so He has showered us, not with material blessings but JOY and a sense of new life.

Our home is a comical miss-mash. Large families are hilarious, especially when they live on low incomes and in harmony with a God who delights in them and loves to share His sense of humor.

First picture a large, 1886, quaint house with all sorts of quirks. A window became a doorway to a hundred year old addition. It must have been some one with an odd sense of humor who cut a 4 ft 10 inch doorway to the baby room into the low wall with a slanting roof. (In the pitch dark, I banged my forehead against that door frame every night for the first month when I walked into the baby’s room at 2:00 am.) Three sets of steps converge on the upstairs landing.

The decorating theme is early childhood art and it is everywhere. Too many plants add to the sense of color and an eclectic combination of furniture is very comfortable. Generations of former owner, who were all full-time farmers, believed in 4 inch spikes for building barns as well as hanging pictures.

Our well dries up, our water pump freezes in the barn, if two appliances are plugged in at the same time, we blow a fuse. Our bathroom tub is 4 ft. long… I could go on and on but for us it is a source of amusement more that=n anything because the Spirit is so powerful in our house. This is a home where loving kids comes first.

We welcome all sorts of kids and people to our house because who invites a family of 11 for dinner! We love kids, animals and plants. We especially welcome the Holy Spirit everyday. We will even welcome you, a stranger but watch out, do not trip over the dog and please, edge around that blanket fort. It took an hour to make yesterday!

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