Imagine you are happily married and have a beautiful little girl.
Then one day, you decide to expand the family by giving her another sibling. But instead of giving her one sibling, you end up with six extras!
That is exactly what happened to Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey in 1997. The couple had already a child and wanted another so they tried to conceive. Unfortunately, Bobbi could not conceive a baby so the couple sought the help of fertility.
As fate would have it, lady luck shined on them and they discovered that Bobbi was pregnant. However, upon her first trip to the OBY-GYN, she was told that she had become pregnant with seven identical babies!
Their small family of three did not expand to four but to ten!
The couple took a leap of faith and decided to keep the babies. Bobbi carried them to term whilst praying that their children would be born healthy.
On 19th November 1997, Bobbi gave birth to four boys and three girls. Despite the fact that the septuplets were nearly 9 weeks early, all of them were healthy. All of them weighed in around 2 to 3 pounds! As soon as the miraculous babies drew in their first breaths, the couple, with their newborns was shoved in the bright circle of a spotlight!
From thereon they did various interviews for television shows and newspaper magazines. This went on for the first couple of years but as the children grew older, Bobbi and Kenny decided that it would be in their children’s best interest to retreat out of the spotlight. As the septuplets began to grow older the couple attempted to give them a sense of normalcy in their life.
All of us know how hard it is to raise a singular child but what about raising seven at the same time? That’s difficult on a whole different level! Somehow, the McCaugheys managed to pull through with some help and support.
While appearing on the ‘Today show’, Bobbi told that she and her husband had help from friends and family alike, right from the beginning. She said that whenever they needed anything they could always rely on someone to be there to help them through with it. She further explained that they had always had a very strong support system that helped them keep the faith and stay strong through the tiring process of raising seven children all at once!
Other than that, the McCaughey babies had their fortunes sealed from the moment they were born. As soon as the couple brought home their babies, they were given a new van as well as a new house among other well-meaning donations. While the septuplets were still infants, all seven were offered various scholarships to complete their education.
And that was something the babies have grown into taking full advantage of. Natalie, Kelsey, Joel, and Nathan are four of the septuplets that received fully funded scholarships offered by the private Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, Missouri. Alexis and Kenny Jr. took their place at Des Moines Area Community College while the last of the septuplets, Brandon, showed his patriotism by enlisting in the United States Army.
The seven siblings are all now on the brink of turning 20 years of age. They are just about to venture out into the real world and start lives of their own. Lucky for them that their father incorporated the significance of hard work into their minds from a young age.
Kenny made sure that his children knew that they had to earn what they desired by motivating them to find jobs as soon as they became old enough to support themselves. Kenny Jr. once told NBC that his father clearly made them understand that if they wanted something, they will have to work for it.
The couple claims that sending their seven kids out into the world is scarier than bringing them into it. Although their children are all off to college, the couple now has a different set of concerns ailing them as parents.
Despite these concerns, the couple has enlisted their home for sale and is attempting to live their life at a slower pace. They now focus on their grandchild who was born to their oldest daughter, Mikayla.
Times have changed for the family in the last twenty years. However, one thing is for sure, they are all moving forward and leading surprisingly normal lives. What lies ahead for the septuplets? Only time will tell!
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