INNISFAIL - If eight was enough for one fictional American television family, how about 13?
And if 13 is believed to be the long-held unlucky number, Janet Boersma counters she's the luckiest mom ever.
"I love it. I'm really happy to have a large family and proud of it," said Boersma. "Every Sunday our family all come home, except for the one that lives in Edmonton, but the rest all come home for lunch. So I get my two big Crock-Pots on for soup, and after church everyone comes over. It is lots of fun."
Boersma and her husband Hans have raised their 13 children -- eight boys and five girls ranging in age from four to 26 -- on their 40-acre hay producing farm, located about 10 kilometres northeast of Innisfail, for the past 11 years, and before that on her parents' Penhold-area land for 16 years.
Although Hans came from a family of eight children, Janet grew up with just two sisters. But when they were married almost 28 years ago the glint was in their eyes to have a large family.
"I always wanted a large family growing up because I love kids. My husband grew up in a big home and he enjoyed the fellowship of a large family," said Janet.
After moving to the Innisfail area more than a decade ago the couple built a seven-bedroom house to accommodate their ever increasing number of children. While Hans, an electrician, takes care of his own business, Janet also has added responsibilities -- including household and outdoor chores important for running the farm, and home-schooling her five youngest children.
Janet said the key to successfully managing her household is organization.
"You have to have your day and your month organized. Right now we are juggling," she said. "We've got an upcoming wedding in July for one of our kids. We've got a graduation in June. We've got a cousin getting married in May. My father is having health issues and I'm running him to the hospital.
"We are kind of a sandwich generation because we are between the seniors, and then there are children and grandchildren, so we are kind of juggling both ends of it," added Janet. "We're helping our parents, but we're also with our children and our grandchildren. I just got done babysitting for six weeks for one of my grandchildren."
Yes, Janet is indeed super mom, and she wouldn't have it any other way. With Mother's Day coming on May 13 she has a special gift wish she hopes will materialize from her lucky 13.
"Our tradition is that we always get KFC, and have a get-together for Mother's Day. So I don't have to cook lunch or anything. They usually get me little things I can put in my garden, little sticks with birds on them," said Janet ."Actually, I would love a bird bath. That's what I would like."
