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Parents of septuplets tell their story in HomeLife


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Remember Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey? The couple who made frenzied headlines about a year ago by becoming the world’s first parents of surviving septuplets?
Well, they’ve found a few minutes to talk about what life has been like for them over the past year, and they are telling their story in HomeLife’s November issue.
No one is saying the McCaugheys, with their seven one-year olds and one two-year old (three in January), have any real practical advice to offer about parenting. How many people can relate to having eight toddlers?
But they sure have an interesting story, and John Kennedy, a writer for Christianity Today, tells it well. At the beginning of the story, Kennedy writes:
“The scene is busy, but far from chaotic. Bobbi knows everything that is happening. Charts on the kitchen wall list feeding times and diaper changes for each baby: Kenneth Robert, Alexis May, Natalie Sue, Kelsey Ann, Brandon James, Nathan Roy and Joel Steven. Although she appears weary at times, Bobbi bounces up with great regularity to grab a bottle of formula for one child, change the diaper of another or hold one who is fussy.
“The family goes through an average of 45 bottles of formula each day — and 45 diapers. Generally, the babies are fed every four hours. Bobbi prepares all the bottles herself the night before. Their washing machine runs a dozen times a week.”
HomeLife editor Jon Walker said he knew the McCaugheys were granting very few interviews, but he went after their story anyway because “November marks the septuplets’ first birthday, and we thought that would bring increased interest in how the family is doing.”
Walker said HomeLife, a family magazine produced by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention (formerly the Sunday School Board), “celebrates and serves the Christian family, and so we’re always looking for opportunities to show real people dealing with real problems in a godly way. We were impressed by their deep Christian commitment and their strong pro-life position.
“It is my understanding that the McCaugheys only want to appear in magazines that will carefully tell the full story of how God works in their lives. That being the case, we’re honored that they agreed to appear in HomeLife, trusting us enough to tell the spiritual side of their story.”