i'm not breaking any new ground when saying that this has been a very hard year. i won't even get into politics, i promise :). it's been hard because it's been isolating, and things like depression can take over. i was active here in the spring, when at least as we emerged from the hard times of April, i felt some sense of hope, but then we had waves of challenges here in FL and other southern states, and it honestly made me withdraw.
that was a hard thing to do, and not the right thing either. i could protect myself, but in doing so, i harmed myself by not allowing the exploration of the loving relationship with a Man and my sisters that i so deeply crave, and need, and that God has told me is the way to live. it was humbling to admit that alone i do not have the strength, but in partnership with a Man and my sisters, i can find strength.
And so, here i am again! i remain all the things i've come to know myself to be: smart and caring, humble and submissive, a believer in God and His way, and ready to be in service to my Husband.
As for the practical side of things, I'm refering to basic pros and cons of this type of family. The biggest appeal to me is the idea of 'more'. More members of your tribe. More real coonections. More skills and ideas in your household. More people to back you up and for you to back up. More family members to share the challenges/burdons of child-rearing, home-ownership, and general living. Now, the 'more' I speak of sounds self-serving, but it's a means to an end. It allows you to have more time to devote to your loved ones, raise you children into better people, enjoy life, and help your family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers to enjoy their lives more too. With mre people, each of you requires less time to devote to the ratrace of life, and therefore, more time to devote to yourself and each other.
In a world filled with societies that are seeming more and more predatory, there is strength in numbers, in unity.