Yes, we are young. We were young to get married and we are young to be having our first two babies {it’s Twins}.

I will have 2 babies before I am 23 years old. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Just as our wedding was planned so are these babies {okay we were not expecting twins}. About a year after we were married I started getting the baby bug.

I was so excited to start a family and we spent many nights dreaming of what our family would do together: Saturdays spent at the park, bike riding together, and family dinners. I dreamed of homeschooling them and we spent more hours talking and discussing what that would look like.

But we knew we were not quite ready yet. If the Lord willed then we would have our first baby on HIS timing. But we knew we needed to save up a bit more and my husband was waiting for that perfect promotion so he could more fully support us with his one income {plus I wanted to finish college…minor details}.

So we waited {him more patiently than me} and finally this year decided we were both really ready to start trying. The only problem was – we lived over 8 hours away from both of our families. We didn’t want to raise our kids away from our family who we are so close to.

We wanted our kids to know their aunts and uncles and have close relationships with their family {plus the support of having family nearby certainly appealed to us}.

You can read more about God’s perfect timing in my husband’s job but God provided the means and the way for my husband to get that big promotion, for us to move close to family, and for me to quit my full-time job to be a Stay at Home Wife {SAHW}.

Photo Credit 

We had decided to start trying this summer for kids anyway because it didn’t seem likely that we would be moving closer to family anytime soon. Little did we know that God had big plans for this year.

In March 2012 my husband was offered his dream promotion in the city an hour and a half away from our families! He took the job and we began the preparations! And this meant that our baby plans were right on schedule. So our first month trying for a baby {April, and not really trying yet as much as not trying} we conceived. The Lord blessed us with a baby. A few months later we would find out He actually blessed us with TWO babies.

So why do I share all of this {aside from sharing God’s sovereign plan and grace}? I want to share that yes, at 22 and 24 we planned to have a baby and eagerly look toward parenthood.

Preparing to be young parents

I know that many people think we are crazy. Just as there are many myths about getting married young, there are many myths about being young parents {i.e. we didn’t plan this, we are not happy about this addition, now we can’t have a “life”, etc.}.

People assume that our pregnancy wasn’t planned {not that there is anything wrong with that, all babies are a blessing from the Lord}. Our current culture pushes a career as the ultimate path for a woman. Staying home and being a mother is now seen as a second class option. Young wives don’t desire that life anymore. They dream of big careers and international travel, not quiet Sundays at home with her family.

Just as we were the youngest of our friends to get married, we are by far the youngest to be having a baby as well. Why? Because men are taking longer to “find themselves”. They don’t have careers that can support a family. They change majors 3 times and take 8 years to get a college degree. Women pour their time and energy into careers and figure a family will come later, their masters degrees and that next job promotion must come first. Who has time for a family?

30 seems to be the new 20 when it comes to settling down, getting married, and starting a family. The world tells us that we have plenty of time for a family and that 30 is still young, no need to rush! And in fact, if you are young, then you are doing it wrong.

Well I hope to be an inspiration to anyone else out there who is like us. We planned for our first baby {we got two for one ;)} and we are eagerly awaiting their arrival. Sure, we are nervous to be first time parents but we are also so thankful for God’s sovereign plan for us and His commitment to families.

I love to hear from other young families! Share how old you were when  you started your family 🙂

This post is part of my Natural Pregnancy & Beyond Series. Catch up on all the posts in this series:

1. Introduction
2. Young, In Love, and Pregnant: Our Journey To Parenthood
3. Our Maternity Photo Shoot
4. 7 Reasons We Are Starting a Family Young
5. My Dream of Becoming a Stay at Home Mom: How We Made it a Reality
6. Crowning Him in Worship: Reflections on Redeeming Childbirth
7. 10 Steps Towards a Natural Pregnancy & Birth