Full House: Big Families With Bigger Hearts

Have you ever wondered what life would be like with a really big family? Not just a couple of kids, but the kind of family where someone is always talking, something’s always on the calendar and chaos is just part of the magic. We peeked inside the lives of three Mount Pleasant moms who are raising large families with a whole lot of love, laughter and a few mom hacks you might want to steal — no matter your household size.

Moms Amanda Vriens, Katie Walters and Ashley Ethridge might come from different backgrounds and stories, but they all have one thing in common: they’re raising big, beautiful families and doing it with grace, patience and full hearts.

“There’s never a dull moment,” said Vriens, who has five children under the age of 8. “We live in a circus, but we wouldn’t change a thing.”

Homes with Full Hearts

For Walters, the dream of a large family started early. “Josh and I said we wanted seven kids on our first date,” she shared with a laugh. “Of course, we had no idea what that would really look like, but every child has been part of God’s design for our story.”

Ethridge’s journey was a little different. After having three girls, she and her husband welcomed a fourth child and then felt led to grow their family even more through foster care and adoption. “Seeing how our daughters loved and adored their new sibling was more of a blessing than we anticipated,” she reflected. “Eventually, we felt God call us to expand our family — and we haven’t looked back.”

Organized Chaos

So how do you stay organized when someone is always coming or going, and silence is practically nonexistent?

“Who says we’re organized?” Ethridge laughed. “We just do our best and keep our expectations reasonable. We can’t do everything, but what we do, we try to do well.” Her secret weapon? A family organizer app called Cozi that keeps everyone’s schedules in one place. “If it’s not in Cozi, it doesn’t exist.”

Walters agreed that routines and flexibility are key. “We have family meal nights, Sunday huddles and routines that help, but you’ve got to hold plans loosely. In big family life, flexibility is everything.”

Vriens, a self-proclaimed Type A organizer, keeps things tidy with a daily reset. “We clean in the morning, do a quick pick-up midday and tidy again after bedtime. It’s not magazine-ready, but it works for us,” she said.

One-on-One in a Full House

With so many kids, carving out time for each child requires intentionality.

Vriens finds those sweet moments at bedtime. “It’s when we slow down and really connect. We also try to give each older child some one-on-one time every month, even just a trip to Target or a date night with one of us.”

Walters focuses on presence over perfection. “We try to catch those little moments — coffee before school, a walk, a quick game of basketball. You’d be surprised how far a few intentional minutes can go.”

Ethridge emphasized love languages. “Some kids need quality time; others love physical touch. But they all love traditions — those shared moments that make them feel part of something special.”

One tradition that snuck up on her? “Every Valentine’s Day, I wake up early and fix heart-shaped pancakes with chocolate chips and whipped cream,” she said. “One year I didn’t plan to do it, and the kids asked about it. It made me realize how much those little things matter. That’s the great thing about traditions … you don’t always realize you’re creating them, but they become core memories.”

Don’t Forget the Grown-ups

And what about “me time?” It’s rare, but it’s sacred.

“I wake up early and protect that quiet time,” Walters said. “Time with Jesus, movement and my husband — those are the things that refill my cup.”

Ethridge and her husband prioritize a weekly date night. “We’ve found that reconnecting regularly is crucial. And yes, I squeeze in a pedicure whenever possible!”

Why It’s Worth It

Sure, there are trade-offs — more mouths to feed, more activities on the calendar, more commotion than your average home — but the unexpected perks make it all worth it.

“No one is ever lonely,” said Ethridge with a smile. “And the built-in community our kids have? It’s amazing.”

Walters agreed. “They learn to share, forgive and care for each other. There’s beauty in letting go of perfection and focusing on what really matters.”

Thinking of Growing Your Family?

Vriens advice is simple: “Just do it. You won’t regret it.”

Ethridge added, “It’s a sacrifice, yes. But it’s also the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done. The love, the laughter, the lessons — it’s all worth it.”

Walters put it beautifully, “Your capacity grows with your ‘yes.’ You don’t have to be enough — God fills in the gaps. We just steward each season the best we can and trust him with the rest.”

By Katie Finch