Robynne's family

How many children do you have?

I have 6 children. Emily (12) and Allison (9) are my 2 from my first marriage. Then we have Ryan (6), Amanda (4), Ethan (3), and Evan (12 months) with my current (and final!) husband. The older 2 girls are with us full time, minus an occasional weekend and one week in the summer with their dad and step mom.




 Are you part of the quiverfull movement, if so why? If not
what do you think of it?


 I am not Quiverfull. I don't even think I had heard of it when I was younger, but I've known since I was a teen that I wanted a large family. I will admit to not being fully versed in their beliefs other than the basics, and some I agree with and some I don't. I do share the belief that children are a blessing from God, and should be seen as a welcome gift from Him, but I do not think that birth control is necessarily incompatible with that belief. I also know that the QF movement is primarily, or perhaps exclusively?, seen in conservative, evangelical sects, and I am actually pretty far removed from that designation. I imagine that would surprise some people if they just saw a snapshot of my family.


Best discipline advice?


 Best discipline advice - Be consistent! (something I am actually not very good at, but when we are consistent, discipline is easier)




How fast can you change a diaper?

 How fast can I change a diaper? Cloth, or disposable?  Actually, I think I'm pretty fast with both, especially considering that I have not only diapered my own 6 children, but also 3 nephews that I have babysat regularly from infancy, and I was an infant/toddler daycare teacher for several years. I have a lot of diapering experience. 




What was the scariest moment with your children?


 The scariest moment ever with any of my children happened about a year ago actually. The baby, Evan, was just a couple weeks old, and was sleeping in the bassinet in our room. I was cooking in the kitchen, and went down the hallway to check on him, and found that someone, probably one of the younger kids, had for some reason draped a towel over the edge of the bassinet and it was over the baby's face. I grabbed it off of him, and found him to be struggling for breath and making shallow gasps and his lips were slightly blue. That was honestly the most horrible moment of my life, ever, hands down, and I hope to never feel the feeling that I felt that day again as long as I live. I panicked, screamed for Ward, thankfully he works from home and was right downstairs, he ran up, I patted and *gently* shook Evan, and he started breathing normally again within a minute or two, but it seemed like an absolute eternity! I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I hadn't walked down the hall at that very moment and found him like that when I did. I thank God frequently that something just made me feel like I had to go check on the baby exactly when I did. I'm actually shaking just a little right now thinking about it again. 




How late are you usually to appointments and functions?

  Ah...late. Well, the running joke, or rule, is that I run about 20 minutes late to everything. But, I can honestly say that has been the norm for me since before I ever had children! I'm actually better now at getting places on time than I was a few years ago, partly by necessity. I still run late to some things, but others there isn't really an option, I have to be on time. And I will keep telling myself that until it works. 


What is the best thing about your family?

 The best thing about my family is the hustle and bustle and craziness! I think it's wonderful! I love that the kids always have someone to play with, there's always someone to help a sibling, or to share the work with, or to snuggle with. And one of my favorite things to do these days, is sit at dinner and look down our long table, with 3 kids on each side, just like I imagined it before I had children.