Being a mum to 13 kids is not something I could have ever truly prepared for, yet it has become the greatest blessing and challenge of my life. My days are loud, messy, and exhausting — but also filled with a kind of love that’s hard to put into words. It means never really getting a break, because someone always needs me — whether it’s a scraped knee, a hug after a bad day, or just a listening ear. It means my arms are always full, my hands are always busy, and my heart is always stretched between 13 little (and not-so-little) souls. It’s not easy. Some days I feel like I’m running on empty, wondering how I’ll make it through. But then I look around the table at all the faces that call me “Mum” and I remember why I do it. The laughter, the chaos, the shared secrets, the way the older ones help guide the younger ones — it’s a kind of magic that makes all the hard moments worth it.