Email
Print
And baby makes 15: Life's a juggling act for Statesville family
Photo by Regan Hill
Here's most of the Allen family.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: July 6, 2009
In a book of essays she wrote about various experiences in her life, Statesville homemaker Jean Allen dispenses with the questions that are so common they've become cliches.
To start with, yes, she and her husband, Brian, are Catholic. They have a full understanding of the conception and procreation process. And they are well aware of the concept of birth control.
But comments about these subjects and others arise when folks discover that the Allens, both 45, have 13 children.
There's Dustin, 24; Logan, 22 (who is in the Army and on duty in Iraq); Jenna, 20; Blaze, 14; twins Mary Grace and Gerard, 12; AnnaMarie 11; Lilian, 10; Joseph, 9; Rocco, 7; Jane Frances, 5; Emma, 4; and Kate, 18 months.
Jean explains her bursting brood almost euphemistically.
"We married traditionally," she says, alluding to dictates her faith has against using contraception.
The Allens are members of a Catholic church — St. Anthony of Padua in the south Charlotte area — so steeped in tradition that the Mass is said in Latin, the Church's lingua franca prior to the mid-1960s and the Second Vatican Council.
And yet the Allens are larger than the next two biggest families at St. Anthony's combined. Jean said she knows of two members of the church who are expecting their sixth and seventh children, respectively.
Explained Brian: "I don't think anyone ever plans to have a family this size."
It was the Allens' ever-increasing numbers that brought them to Statesville about 10 years ago.
Brian, a member of the Charlotte Fire Department and a part-time carpenter, said the family could no longer fit in the house they were occupying in the Matthews area.
"We needed a bigger place," he said. "And one that we could afford."
They live in a two-story, five-bedroom house on East End Avenue, not far from Statesville's downtown area.
Brian said they "buy in bulk" and meals are accompanied by water more often than store-bought drinks.
"And when we do go out, it's usually to a place like CiCi's Pizza," Brian said. "Any kind of more expensive restaurant would just not be practical."
The kitchen table was made by Brian to be just large enough to fit everyone and not block the doorway.
But there is still not much elbow room and Friday afternoon at lunch — tuna sandwiches, chips and salad — Brian knocked over a cup of water while reaching for something.
"That happens a lot," said Jean.
"But," added Brian, "it's usually someone else who does it."
Dustin lives on his own but joined the family for lunch. As the oldest, he is held in high esteem by his younger siblings.
"You guys, guess who I saw?" he said.
"Michael Jackson," one of them shouted out.
"Michael Jordan," said another.
"Close," said Dustin.
"O.J. Simpson," guessed another.
Before they got too carried away, Dustin told them he had seen Carolina Panthers player Julius Peppers.
"He was huge," Dustin said. "He had on sunglasses the size of dinner plates."
The kids oohed and ahhed.
Do they all get along?
"Occasionally," said Mary Grace.
Dustin recalled how he and Logan would fight when they were boys.
"I would just tell them to take it outside," recalled Jean.
In addition to their strong faith, the couple is traditional in other ways as well.
Jean has had about half of her children at home.
"I used to own my own birthing tub," she said, describing it is a kind of miniature swimming pool.
The children were delivered with the help of a midwife.
Should family and friends expect to see any more Allens added to the mix?
"I don't think so," said Brian. "I think this is it."
To which Jean added: "He's said that after almost every kid. And the next thing you know, I'm pregnant again."
Email
Print
