Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving With Twins and Sextuplets

by Jon Gosselin, Kate Gosselin Beth Carson

book data

1,354 ratings, 3.56 average rating, 520 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		19%
4		32%
3		32%
2		12%
1		2%

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published

November 1st 2008 by Zondervan

binding

Hardcover, 224 pages

characters

Kate, mady, alexis, collin

isbn

0310289025 (isbn13: 9780310289029)

description

In Multiple Blessings, Kate Gosselin shares the gripping details of her rollercoaster ride of emotional highs and lows when she discovered she and her...more

[close] In Multiple Blessings, Kate Gosselin shares the gripping details of her rollercoaster ride of emotional highs and lows when she discovered she and her husband, Jon, would be expecting sextuplets while still basking in the light of their twin girls' toddlerhood. Strongly encouraged to consider selective reduction for the sake of both mother and babies, she and Jon instead decided to accept the extreme challenge God had handed them. After suffering the long and winding road of infertility, the young couple felt stressed but blessed as they fought valiantly to help their babies survive the fight for their lives. Kate reveals excerpts from her private journal as she describes the daily struggle to carry the babies for thirty weeks. In addition to their uphill medical battle, the family suffered many emotional setbacks such as the loss of Jon's job, forcing the pair to look to God as their sole provider and sustainer of life.
After the miraculous birth, the couple coped with months of neonatal intensive care for their newborns as well as Kate's physical recovery from such complete and prolonged bed rest. Later as the entire family of ten finally arrived home reeling with exhaustion, they still managed to feed, bathe, clothe, and monitor the health of their fragile infants as a steady parade of necessary and helpful volunteers turned their home and family life into a public arena.
The young family lived moment to moment at first, not knowing what each new day would bring and how they would survive on such depleted sleep, money, and emotional reserves. However, as the months progressed, they grew into the next stage of development, proudly letting go of yesterday and looking forward to a brighter and ever-changing tomorrow. Their small home was soon filled to capacity with six cribs, six bouncy seats, several changing tables, never-ending piles of laundry, tubs of colorful toys, stacks of diapers, cartons of formula, rows and rows of bottles, bibs and pacifiers, two triplet strollers, six car seats, and so on. Yes, life was hectic and cramped, but with each major milestone Jon and Kate rejoiced at the miracles that unfolded around them. The crew of six growing babies along with their proud big sisters, Madelyn and Cara, did their part to fill those rooms with squawking, squealing, laughing, and of course, a healthy dose of crying. Kate and Jon eventually came out of the fog of the first precarious two years feeling eternally grateful for the love and support of family, friends, community, and indeed a nation. More important, they felt the ever present hand of a faithful God upholding them and giving them just enough strength and courage to take one day at a time. [close]

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10/09/08

Jennifer rated it:

Has a copy to sell/swap

The Gosselins have always fascinated me, largely because of their TV show. What other family would allow a TV crew to add to the chaos of 8 children, basically all around the same age? From watching the show, you get the impression that the Gosselins live a life of trips, presents and special events, thanks largely to their six four-year-old moppets - and you learn to wince whenever Kate calls out to Jon in a public setting. I've never quite seen someone as anal and controlling as Kate - but per...more

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05/07/08

Myra rated it:

bookshelves: read-in-2008

Read in October, 2008

First things first, let me just say that I just love the Gosselins. "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is a great program, and I am so very glad that Kate decided to write this book (with the help of Beth Carson). The book provides an in-depth look at what life has been like for Jon & Kate since the day the met - and after following the timeline set forth by the authors, it's very easy to see why they feel that God has been guiding them along their way to the ultimate plans that He had for them.
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12/18/08

Laura rated it:

bookshelves: 2009, memoirs, non-fiction

Read in January, 2009

I really love watching "Jon and Kate plus 8" on TLC, but thought this book was just one step up from terrible.

The book is just short of 200 pages, and about 180 of those pages mention god at least once. Each chapter has a bible quote on the top of the page. The entire book seems to be about Kate's relationship with god, often asking "why me?" and then coming up with some reason or bible quote to explain how god is showing her strength, blah, blah, blah.

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04/18/09

Christina rated it:

Read in April, 2009

I tried. I really did try to take this book at face value and leave out any preconceived notions I had because of what I've observed of this family on TV. But halfway through the book, it became clear that the same somewhat self-centered, ungrateful, negative woman I've seen on TV was apparent in the book. Though much of the book was written to acknowledge all the help the family had received, her constant criticisms of everyone and her "woe is me" attitude really disappointed me. ...more I tried. I really did try to take this book at face value and leave out any preconceived notions I had because of what I've observed of this family on TV. But halfway through the book, it became clear that the same somewhat self-centered, ungrateful, negative woman I've seen on TV was apparent in the book. Though much of the book was written to acknowledge all the help the family had received, her constant criticisms of everyone and her "woe is me" attitude really disappointed me. In addition to two night nurses at first, then a single nurse helping daily throughout the first year, the family had a huge abundance of volunteers to help them out, yet Kate still talks about how they felt so alone and no one understood them -- they were drowning but no one noticed. She writes that while some of the volunteers understood about hormones, etc., others just tiptoed past her. It seems to me that she was only grateful if things were done her way.

Case in point? When they came home with their babies from a condo in Hershey (supplied free of charge), she writes how she had a fit when she saw what they had done to the nursery and the girls room and then was so disappointed that things were dusty. Being curious, I looked up what they had done and while I kind of agree with her, I just can't see how a gracious thank you could not have been given and a coat of paint added later (pics are here, by the way: http://www.interiorimagesofpa.com/nbc.ph... ), especially when the home makeover crew had done so much for her, including making a new master suite, buying furniture and more.

It seems like Kate is constantly justifying her behavior -- "I left the house immaculate; they didn't keep it clean." She seems very aware of the criticism of her actions in the past and wants to respond to all of it in subtle ways throughout the book. She states many times in the book a variation of "I was criticized for this, but . . ." I do admire her honesty -- admitting to being constantly negative with Jon, for instance, and explaining her point of view when they petitioned Medicaid to ask for an extension of their full-time nurse beyond the first year. I also understand, probably better than most, both the stress of having multiples (my twins are the same age as the sextuplets) and of having a large family (I had my first five kids in five years, then added two more to make 7 in 9 years -- and YES, I know there is a difference between having them one or two at a time and having six at once, but there are also similarities). I understand she's stressed and exhausted, but a little more grace and kindness and gratitude would ingratiate her with her readers a lot more than her justifications for her negativity.

And while she claims that they never had a hand out, it sure seems that way. People would drop off clothes. She'd sort through them and then sell most of them on consignment, justifying it by saying that people wanted to help by dropping off clothes, so they'd be glad to know that while the clothes weren't used, they did get money to help with other things. She also mentions that she kept her shopping list taped to the mirror where the volunteers washed their hands, I guess as a constant reminder to her volunteers of their needs.

And her exaggerations of all the work involved in taking care of her kids were a bit much. She claims that she wasn't even able to really enjoy the kids because she spent three-quarters of her time in the basement with the laundry and in the kitchen. I'm sure my family generates as much laundry as hers does, yet it's hard to imagine spending the "hours and hours" she claimed she took doing the laundry every day. Hours a week, maybe, but not hours a day.

As a book, it's decently-written, though by the end, I think if I read the word, "ironically" one more time, I would scream. The constant use of metaphors (the flood of diapers rising, surprised "like a cold splash of water," and many more) were distracting and unnecessary.

And I really felt sorry for the twins and the babies in all of it. It sounds like they spent almost all of their first year in the same family room, left to themselves or to the volunteers while Kate rushed around doing chores in the kitchen or laundry room. There are constant reminders throughout the book that they didn't have a van yet big enough to carry them so they were trapped at home (I started to wonder if they were just hoping that someone would donate one? Why else would they wait an entire year to have a vehicle that would fit them all? Too proud to buy a beat-up used passenger van?).

One thing I did love about the book was reading between the lines and seeing how generous so many people were to this family, how many nameless volunteers wandered through, subjected themselves to Kate's rigid structure (wash hands, pull hair back, put on scrubs, then help out), just simply because they saw a need. I wish Kate had been able to look up from her misery during that year and realize that even if people weren't offering exactly what she wanted them to offer, they were THERE, they were helping and they were wonderful. She writes that she's grateful in this book, but it just doesn't seem genuine.(less)

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10/22/08

Beverly rated it:

Read in October, 2008

This was a very quick and interesting read. I tivo their show, and watch it with my kids. We all love the Gosselins, so I was interested to get some insight into life before they started the tv show. I am so impressed by her and her husband. They were so young, and faced some pretty big trials - and looked to God the whole way to find their way through. I loved her chosen quoted scriptures, and found myself more and more impressed by her! Would recommend it to anyone wanting a quick, upbea...more

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01/18/09

Val rated it:

Participated in a book ray from Book Crossing for this book

Ok, I went into this with as open a mind as I could. The writing and the story itself was decent. It went quickly and kept my attention.

On a personal note though, it sort of ticked me off. The Gosselins lived right around the corner from me up until they basically moved during the night without telling one a few months ago. I didn't think the narration made Kate any more likeable. The show makes her come across a...more

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01/12/09

Triana rated it:

Read in January, 2009

I love the show, period. But I've heard some negative commentary about Kate, so I decided to read the book to see if I could understand her and their situation a little better. I'm not going to lie, this book touched my heart and made me want to try a little harder each day to be a little more like her.

She very well knows that she can sometimes get in trouble with her mouth and I think it's awesome that she is so honest about their life and their situation. I've always wanted twi...more

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12/04/08

Madalene rated it:

I guess everyone knows my obsession with Jon & Kate by now, so my reading this book should come as no surprise. It was a very easy read. I wondered if the book would reveal anything the show already hadn't... and, for me it did. Reading what Kate went through physically (and mentally) to have six babies at once was pretty amazing. It was also interesting to hear how much help they had at the beginning. And, believe it or not, Kate comes across even more anal and obsessive than she does in t...more

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07/22/08

Leslie marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read

SOOOOO excited about this one! I love the show (I have them all on my DVR) and I think these kids are the cutest EVER!

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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11/21/08

Talia rated it:

bookshelves: adultnon-fic, inspirational

Read in November, 2008

The Gosselins’ TV show, Jon & Kate Plus 8, has always fascinated me for some reason. Maybe it’s the idea of raising 8 young children all at once and watching the chaos from the comfort of my own home. Maybe it’s the thought of what Kate will start to grump about this week. Whatever the appeal is to me, I checked out this book right when it came out. The book fills in what happened before the TV show began; the conception, birth, and the first year of life for the sextuplets. But more than ...more

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01/05/09

Joselle173 rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in February, 2009

I'd only seen the Jon & Kate Plus 8 show once, but was intrigued, so I picked up the book. After reading it, I decided to watch a few shows. Now that I've seen about 4 shows total, the one thing I noticed is that the show vs. the book is like reading about two different families. On nearly every page of the book Kate talks about her faith in God. This doesn't bug me, as I'm a Christian too, but those who follow her show and aren't aware of the Gosselin's deep faith in God will be surprised u...more

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10/25/08

Holly rated it:

Admittedly, I am not a television watcher. While I am aware of the Jon & Kate show, I think I have only watched one complete episode, and clips here and there. I have seen a great deal of criticism leveled at Kate Gosselin for her obsessive/anal organization and perceived criticism of her husband. I read the book out of curiosity and I'm glad I did.

I liked it. Kate is a strong, straight-forward person. She's honest and frank about their life. The book begins with their marriage...more Admittedly, I am not a television watcher. While I am aware of the Jon & Kate show, I think I have only watched one complete episode, and clips here and there. I have seen a great deal of criticism leveled at Kate Gosselin for her obsessive/anal organization and perceived criticism of her husband. I read the book out of curiosity and I'm glad I did.

I liked it. Kate is a strong, straight-forward person. She's honest and frank about their life. The book begins with their marriage and quickly moves into their fertility issues. They didn't set out to have sextuplets. They wanted one more child, but their belief that every life has a purpose wouldn't let them abort any of their babies. Doctors can call it "selective reduction" but it's abortion, plain and simple.

Kate chronicles her fears through her pregnancy and the pain and difficulties, but also her faith that God would see her through it and that her children would be healthy. She gives credit to her husband for his patience and love and praises him for being a good husband and father. Their relationship comes across as a true partnership. Once the children are born, she writes of the overwhelming task before them: to care for 6 premature babies and not neglect their 3-year old twins or their own relationship. She's candid about the fact that while she appreciated the volunteers and all the help, it was also difficult to lose their privacy and control of their lives and family. For someone who has control issues, this is a difficult thing.

While the family received a great deal of financial help, I came away feeling like Kate wrote this book to clear the air that they didn't ask for handouts, but are grateful for all those who chose to help them during a difficult time.

I was disappointed that the book really only touches on one area of their television life, and that was mention of the original one-hour documentary. There is no explanation of why they chose to put their family in a fish-bowl. I can assume that the money they receive from the show is helpful, but I would have liked to know more about the decision to do the show in the first place.

Each chapter begins with a scripture, and God is very much a central topic in the book. There is no mention of church attendance, their Christian faith seems central to their lives.

I think it's very easy to criticize and judge people for their actions. However, I think that unless you live with and raise 8 young children yourself, you have no basis criticizing others for the way they do it.

Overall, an easy and enthralling book. (less)

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12/26/08

Tara rated it:

Read in December, 2008

Since I am not a very religious person I did not enjoy this book. It was more about God then about the Gosselin's lives. What I love so much about the show is Kate's dry wit and humor, but none of that was present in this preachy, boring book. I wanted to know more about Kate and Jon's lives prior to their children and the book only offers minor details about that. Instead it delves into way too many details about only the birth of the sextuplets. The twins were hardly devoted any time in this b...more

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01/12/09

Sarah rated it:

Read in January, 2009

After reading this book, I realized this - the ONLY reason I watch the show is to see those adorable children. I could care less about Kate - she is disrepectful towards Jon on the show, and even in the book.

Most of what is talked about in this book I've already known, because I watch the show. I did find it weird that Kate constantly talked about religion in the book, yet that is never brought up on the tv show. Same goes for the constant mention of her family. I had to push my...more

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02/14/09

Stacie rated it:

Read in February, 2009

My husband gave me this book for Valentine's Day and I had it finished in 2 days! This was an amazing book and should be read by every Christian Mom. It made me realize I don't have it so bad with 3 kids. Geesh! Jon and Kate had a real test of their faith in God, their faith in their marriage and their strength. I look at them in a whole new light after reading this book. I am jealous of how strongly Kate put her faith and trust in God and just relied on Him to bring them through. I could...more

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11/11/08

Heather rated it:

Read in November, 2008

I enjoyed this book, although I have never watched the tv series or actually even heard of it until several months ago. The Gosselin's were and are truly blessed. Gosh and to think it gets crazy at my house with two children under the age of 4. I can't imagine what theirs is like.
From reading I could tell Kate definitely depended on prayer and faith to get through pregnancy, child birth, child rearing and the "stuff" thrown at her along the way.

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11/12/08

Jandkplus8fan1 rated it:

Read in March, 2009

I read this book because I love the reality show Jon and Kate plus 8. I decided to read Kate and Jon's journey and how they ended up getting a reality show. At the beginning is when Kate and Jon meet and then get married. I then tells about how they struggle to have kids and finally have twin girls Cara and Mady. After a year Kate wanted another kid, but what she didn't know was that instead of getting 1, she got 6. This book tells of the details of Jon and Kate's hard struggle to start a family...more

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04/02/09

Elizabeth rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in March, 2009

Hmmm, this is a tough one to review. I have seen this family's show on TLC and was floored at how religious and preachy a life they live. The Gosselin's religious beliefs are not apparent whatsoever in "Jon & Kate +8." However, the book seems to be one big testimonial of their faith and reliance on God. Kate makes no bones about the fact that after "her God" Jon comes first and then her children. Her family serves the Lord and she wants you to know about it. Here's the rub th...more

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01/26/09

Amber rated it:

Read in January, 2009

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I love the show (though I'm not a regular watcher), and was disturbed by how many people only focus on Kate being bossy or grouchy. I have, many times, thought about how easy it is, judging her from home where the viewer is not struggling through her life, to view her negatively.
Since I am the mom of six fairly close together children (though, thankfully, no where near as severe as Kate's situation!), I often find myself feeling very sym...more

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01/13/09

Renee rated it:

Read in January, 2009

I watch Jon and Kate + Eight on TLC and think they are a wonderful family. While I have no kids of my own, nor plans for in the future, I really like and admire this family. I appreciate the love and care that Kate and Jon give their kids. You can tell how much they care about the people their children will become and that is awesome. This book is Kate's personal journey through the birth and first years of the sextuplets. While I am not a very religious person, I do respect and admire personal ...more

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