Proliferation

One of the stunning results of having a lot of children is that over time, the numbers associated with the family start growing faster than you realize. Finding a restaurant that can seat you becomes a major outing challenge.

This weekend we had 3 children graduate from high school. Two of them were homeschooled, and one was a public schooler (another dozen posts to explain that one). The homeschool graduation was on Saturday and the public school one on Sunday.

I am very aware of the importance of that moment in time, that glory time, that pinnacle of achievement that high school graduation is, but, I need to say, a weekend of them is very trying (to be nice).

I digress.

Back to the family size.

So at the Saturday graduation, a community homeschool ceremony, there were only 12 graduates. We had a local church auditorium to use. Of course, being homeschoolers, there were families galore, and no limits on how many could attend. At a point I looked out at who came to be with my 2 girls, and there were almost 4 full rows of cheer section for them. Grandmom and Grandpop, adult sisters and brothers, inlaws, girlfriends, grandchildren, a virtual family reunion all there to witness the big event (a sort of miracle in fact). It was very sweet and a very big deal. And my girls were thrilled as they basked in the glory of this success.

As this batch grows up, the exponential growth of family size will only only get worse, or better, depending on whether we're talking restaurant or Christmas. The idea of "go forth and multiply"becomes as mathematical as it is biological.

Its very fun to watch, and amazing to see the seats fill up with a writhing mass that is my family.

When I was at the graduation I realized that the cause of this crowd actually happened almost 40 years ago, when I was in high school and I met this girl I knew I would marry.

I did.