FORT HOOD, Texas, May 10, 2011 -- While she is thankful to God for her family, one Fort Hood mother said she also is thankful for the professionals at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center's Women's Health Center who helped her bring all 13 of her children into the world.
Linda Grab, 34, delivered her first child in May 1995 at Darnall and her 14th will be among the first babies born in CRDAMC's new Women's Health Clinic, which officially opened May 6.
Since she doesn't have to worry about the medical side of things, she can turn her full attention to caring for her large brood, which is not without its own set of challenges.
Linda and her husband, Joseph 41, have surpassed the typical American family with 2.5 children and joined the small percentage of families who have at least a dozen natural-born children at home.
While they haven't been selected for a reality show like "19 Kids and Counting," the Grabs' story is similar and interesting.
Married now for nearly 17 years, the Grabs first met at Linda's father's church, the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Killeen. Joseph was a Soldier stationed at Fort Hood and was medically retired and now he is pastor of the same church where they first met.
Conservative Baptists, the Grabs decided to allow God to determine the number of children they would have. Joseph said the idea of a large family appealed to him as he enjoyed growing up around his father's family. His father had 18 siblings. Linda, too, wanted to have a large family but both didn't quite expect to be where they are now.
"We are happy with however many children God wants to bless us with. Even our handicapped child has been a blessing. We wouldn't have it any other way," Linda said. "My husband and I pray for the biblical wisdom to raise our children as we want in the eyes of God. As a pastor, my husband is committed to the church family but is just as devoted to our family. The children are healthy, happy and devoted to God."
Adhering to their fundamentalist biblical beliefs, Linda home-schools the children and filters what comes into the home, allowing only Christian programming and activities. They pray and practice devotions every day.
Linda is also thankful for having a great place to raise her children, she said, loving her beautiful and spacious home situated on two acres in a rural area just outside of Killeen.
"We teach the children to be thankful for what they have, and that they should take care of what they have. Everyone, from the smallest child to the adults, is responsible for taking care of the house and running the household," she added. "The children have daily chores but also have lots of play time to spend hiking or playing in the yard."
The Grab children are spaced about 15 months apart, and are all really close to each other. She said they do not allow fighting, and the children are trained to be kind, helpful and obedient. She added that they are pretty strict parents, "but we are all sinners."
"I really like having a big family. There's always something going on so it's never boring. We have a lot of fun together," said Anna, 15, the oldest of the children. "There's always going to be someone around to care for or who cares for you. I sense a bit of loneliness in some of my friends who are the only child in a family."
The Grabs raise their children using a buddy system, wherein an older sibling is assigned to a younger sibling and assists in their primary care. Linda explained that "an older child will help a younger one get dressed or brush his teeth and just watch out for the younger one in general."
The children are also responsible for taking care of their many pets-- three dogs, one cat, countless hamsters and guinea pigs. They each take turns milking the family goat, which provides enough milk for the two youngest children.
It takes a lot of compassion and dedication to raise any family right in the eyes of God, Linda said, but it also takes a lot planning and communication to raise such a large family.
"I shop all the sales and thrift shops and we've had many items donated to us," she said. "I use a lot of coupons and grocery shop at the commissary and warehouse type stores. I can spend $600-$900 a month on food, depending on how many birthdays are in the month."
Linda said they make all their meals at home, using mostly natural and whole foods, and try to maintain a well-balanced diet. It's rare for them all to go out together to dinner, but when they do, they go to places offering group rates.
"Eating meals together as a family is important. Nowadays families are so disjointed and may only get together once or twice a week," Joseph added. "When we sit down as a family, we have great interaction. We talk about all types of things-spiritual things, general life experiences-and we learn from the children as they talk about what they did today or what's important to them."
Soon it will even more difficult for the family to go out together, as Joseph said the group won't all fit in their 15-passenger van. They will have to travel in two vehicles.
It might seem like a struggle to raise such a large family, but not to Linda and Joseph. Linda said that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." - Phil. 4:13
Joseph added, "Children are not burdens but blessings from God. Our children don't belong to me or Linda, they belong to God. We raise them in the eyes of God in hopes that they will then serve and love God throughout their lives."
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