My wife, eight children and I live in Central Illinois.  All eight children are biologically ours and are 14 years old and younger.  None of them are twins!  We have 4 boys and 4 girls.  Our home is on 4 acres of wooded property in rural Central Illinois.  It is part of our children's schooling that they play a key role in the care of the adult dogs and their puppies.  We believe that by ensuring that our children help with the proper care of our pets, they in turn will be more responsible parents and citizens. Character building and a Christian upbringing is more important to my wife and I than any academics they are taught.  Properly raising our dogs is an integral part of the process of building character in our children.  Each of the five oldest gets money for every puppy that is sold as they each have daily, individual responsibilities.  With the help of family and friends we raise these puppies and their parents!

There is never a dull moment around our house.

Below - Being the second youngest, Elsie has to put up with alot.  One of the other children had placed an unused diaper on her head!!!

Below - Christopher (a.k.a. Bubby) never met an animal he found on our property that he did not like. On the left he proudly displays a garter snake.  Right - his favorite animals he captures... his "toadies".  Among the many animals that can be found running wild around are property are owls, raccons, opposums, deer, turkey, many different wild bird varieties, coyotes, snakes, toads, etc!

In June 2011, my second oldest daughter while fishing "caught" herself in the leg with a fishing lure.  Below is a picture of her being wheeled into the emergency room by her older sister so that the lure can be removed from her leg!  This has been the biggest "catch" from any of our family's fishing trips!

Below - The girls with their matching pajamas...

My dad (grandpa), the kids and I after spending time at Kartsville, gokarting, riding dune buggies, and riding water bumper boats! (July 2009). 

This is my pastor, wife, children and I, when we dedicated to the Lord, my seventh child, Elsie.  Pictured from left to right:  Frankie (age 11), Christopher (age 3), Elsie (age 6 months), me,  my wife, Jeremiah (age 4), Hannah (age 8), Nicholas (age 9) and Bethany (age 6), and of course our Pastor S.M. Davis!!!  Our pastor is close friends with the Duggars who have 19 children.  And people think we have a big family! If you look on the Duggar's website, the first reference on their homepage is to our pastor's website!

More pictures of congregation singing, "God Loves You And I Love You And That's The Way It Should Be"...

Elsie (pictured below on her 4th birthday) up on stage at church with Pastor Davis and Hannah, singing, "You Are My Pastor" (to the tune "You Are My Sunshine"). November 2011

The seven kids visiting great grandma at the assisted health facility she lives in (July 2009).  Great grandma loves kids!  We visit her regularly.  Grandma Glenida is in good health even though she will celebrate her 90th birthday in August 2011.

 The girls getting ready to take off to go to church, where we attend Sunday morning and evening, and sometimes Wednesday evening.  Hannah on the right is my big animal lover and best helper with the puppies and dogs!