full hands

All too often, when we are out and about or when we tell someone that we have four children aged five and under, we are met with the response, "Boy, you have your hands full." I am not the first to write about this, nor will I be the last. There is something about having a lot of children that elicits this typical response. I guess it is the nicest thing that someone who can't imagine having "so many" children can think of. I want to answer, like Jennie C. and Margaret, "better full than empty", but I'm afraid that it would sound condescending, so I just smile. I've been thinking a lot about how full our hands are in light of our friends empty arms. We know so many couples, both friends and family, who are struggling with infertility or have lost one - or more - babies. Yes, our hands are full. We have much for which to be thankful.