The septuplets, who attracted worldwide attention when they were born in 1997, are now officially old enough to celebrate their birthdays with champagne.
The McCaugheys celebrated their 21st birthdays in multiple locations on Monday and held a family reunion on Wednesday, marking another milestone in a journey that began as the first surviving septuplets. Kelsey McCaughey, the fourth oldest sibling, said: It is a great honor to celebrate this accomplishment.
Bobby and Kenny McCaughey’s seven children were born nine weeks early in a Des Moines, Iowa, hospital, making them the first surviving quadruplets to make history.
Today, children are charting their own paths as adults. They had many hobbies since childhood. Although they still maintain a close relationship, they also enjoy spending time with friends, trying new activities, and taking new classes. Instead of a crazy birthday party with big bar bills, they go home and throw a low-key party.
Bobby humorously said, “Even if it were legal, that wouldn’t happen.”
All of their children received scholarships at birth to attend Hannibal LaGrange College in Missouri, where Kelsey, Natalie, Nathan, Joel, and Alexis are currently studying.
Joel is majoring in computer information systems, Kelsey is majoring in public relations, Natalie is majoring in exercise science, and Alexis is majoring in early childhood education. Going to college was “definitely a culture shock,” Kelsey said. “We spent all 18 years of our education in Iowa, so we had no real contact with anything else.
It was tough adjusting to being away from my parents and away from Iowa, but we all welcomed it, made new friends, and met new people in a new environment.
Kenny Jr. lives at his girlfriend’s home in Iowa while attending construction school. Brandon is currently serving overseas in the U.S. Army.
There’s no doubt that his family’s home is much quieter than before. “We don’t have to solve problems like we used to. Now we can spend more time together,” Kenny Sr. continued. Bobby said there have been big changes. Kenny and I have had more opportunities to do things together.
That’s great in a way, but I also miss the daily routine of everyone being at home. We look forward to them when they come home because they are so much fun.
Over time, the family’s interest in media gradually waned. “Kenny and I are still well recognized because we look alike, but no one recognizes the kids,” Bobby commented.
In addition, Kenny Sr. and Bobby decided to sell their seven-bedroom Carlyle home to Ruth Harbor, a Christian organization that supports pregnant women. The McCaughey family downsized and moved to a three-bedroom house in nearby Runnels
.
“I think this is a great opportunity for our family,” Kelsey said. My mother replied: She said, “I think the Lord really put that in my parents’ lives, and he did a really great work.»
Her oldest daughter, Mikayla, 22, lives in Kansas City and has a 1-year-old child named Behem. Three years ago, Mikayla became her first child to marry, and Bobby and Kenny Sr. are now Bechem’s grandparents. The attachment to them is the same, but the responsibility is completely different,” said Bobby’s grandmother.
It’s great to be able to visit Bechem, experience milestones and have fun. Kelsey said: “It has been so rewarding to watch her sister move forward in life and start her own family.
The septuplets also show other signs of adulthood, such as Natalie and Brandon’s engagement. Natalie is planning her wedding to Sean Geralds in May 2019, while Brandon plans to marry his fiancée Alana Hale once he returns from work.
Despite everything going on, the family is looking forward to getting together this week to celebrate Thanksgiving and blowing out the candles on Wednesday’s big birthday cake. Natalie claimed in an interview that she was her sister’s best friend. I think we all really value relationships and relationships.
