200 and counting

One of the economics blogs I keep up with was impressed to learn of a Welsh woman with 134 living descendants. That is impressive, and this is a happy story of the family getting together.

As I thought about it, I remembered how far along Joy's grandmother is.

Joyce Clark Elzinga gave birth to 14 children, 12 of whom are still around.
Her 14 children gave birth to 76-someodd grandchildren, and I think they're just about done.
Those grandchildren have given birth to over 110 great-grandchildren. Prince is around #97 and Princess is around #111 (it might #117) and when we visited with her a few months ago [right], another 6 were on the way.
Those 110 great-grandchildren have already started on the first dozen great-great-grandchildren.

Altogether, that makes some 220 descendants, nearly all living.

And though at one point in her dating career, Joy would joke that she wanted 17 children, just to see if the young men would run away, it is a certainty we will not achieve such heights ourselves.

So here's to Mrs. O'Flynn and Grandma Elzinga! Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: ... Happy is the [grand dame] that hath her quiver [jam packed] of them.

[For geneological purposes, her husband's obit from 08 is here.]