Book Review by Mary Jenkins

Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets by Jon and Kate Gosselin

"I blinked hard and then stared at the bright screen positioned slightly to my right. There was no mistaking what I saw, yet I was in a state of denial. My doctor began his fateful count. One...aaah. Two...okay. Three...now I was scared. Four...I started sobbing hysterically. The chill of reality washed over me as I watched my husband, my best friend, cheerleader, and storehouse of strength, slowly drop to his knees at the count of five...but the count continued...I feel so incredibly blessed that God has chosen us for this journey. This life is absolutely not in a million years what Jon and I expected, but it is infinitely more than we ever hoped or dreamed in so many ways. While John and I can't imagine what the days ahead will hold for our family, I am often comforted by a quote by Abraham Lincoln. He said, 'The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.' I say, 'Thank God.'"

If you are a fan of the television show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" you will love this book. You may think you know it all but you have no idea. This is a personal, in depth look into the lives of the Gosselin family from their marriage all the way through to the sextuplet's third birthday. Though both parents help write the book it is written from Kate's point of view. It is quite touching to hear their story, how they did not ask to get pregnant with six babies but were absolutely against selective reduction. They felt that God had sent them these children and they were to care for them, all of them. Through her narrative you can hear the worry, stress, excitement, exhaustion, and love that all came to her as she carried and birthed her twins, and then her sextuplets. She gets quite a bit of flack in the online community for being rude to her husband and overbearing with her children. However I found that in this book she was simply stating that she is a mom, like any other mom. She has good days and bad days and she had to learn, and is still learning how to accept help from others graciously. She quotes the Bible quite a bit and really gives credit for her strength to God, concluding the book with six lessons God has taught her while on this journey. It is a wonderful and uplifting fun book that I would recommend to anyone.