Fertility and Family

the×siberian×dream • ☦️ the only thing better than Greek food is Greek religion🌲❄️🗻

My husband and I are Orthodox Christians and therefore we do not practice birth control, but rather we leave our fertility entirely in His hands, even if/when our circumstances are not ideal (physically or financially). Our wedding vows were very clear: we should accept as many souls as God sends us. Of course, many priests counsel couples who are in special circumstances, but birth control is never an option, nor is surgical sterility, only sexual abstinence. My family, however, are all Protestants and believe that birth control is a valid option, that choosing a career or health or financial stability is more important than having children. Obviously we disagree, I don't preach about it to them, I don't look down on my step-siblings who look down their noses at me because I have two children in 3 years of marriage and they have none and believe to be making a smarter decision. But I thought at least my father would be excited to hear about baby #3. Instead he says, "you're a glutton for punishment." My grandmother replies, "but what about your health? I thought you'd decided not to have any more." No one is happy. No one is excited. And they all think they know better. Every truly happy moment in my life has been dragged through the mud by my family. And I'm ready to give up on them, but I know I shouldn't, and I don't want to I'm just tired of being disappointed.