To settle down, have children, and build a family is the path many couples have taken and continue to take throughout human history. In fact, some even consider it life's greatest joy, the ability to introduce the world to a new human person.
One couple thinks the same but on a much larger scale. Raising 22 children and counting, they hope to keep that number growing, no matter the cost.
All the planning that goes into having a baby is definitely hard work, but it's considered worth it for those who truly desire to bring life into this world.
One couple in Batumi, Georgia, decided to start their familial journey in a big, big way.
The couple met while Christina was on holiday in Georgia, originally from Moscow, Russia. They hit it off immediately, both having dreams of having a large family.
They decided to settle down follow those dreams, currently parenting 22 children.
The couple originally wanted to have one baby a year, but they soon realized that neither of their bodies would be able to keep up with that rate.
So, they decided to use the path of surrogacy, and have received their other 21 babies in the span of 18 months.
They figure they've paid around £138,000, or $191,000 USD, to their various surrogates.
"The clinic in Batumi chooses surrogate mothers for us and takes full responsibility for the process," Christina said in an interview with The Sun. "We are not personally acquainted with surrogate mothers and do not have direct contacts with them in order to avoid problems after pregnancy."
The family currently lives in a three-story home, in which lives them, their 22 babies, and the 16 nannies they have to take care of those 22 babies.
"It costs about £3,500 to £4,200 [$4,844 to $5,813 USD] per week for essentials for all the kids. Sometimes [the costs are] a little more, sometimes a bit less."
The nannies are paid £350, or $484 USD, a week.
Christina's Instagram suggests that as they do continue to have more kids, they'll either build another floor onto their home or move into a larger house.
"We don't have an exact plan, because right now we have enough space for everybody."
Christina has said that her and her husband have discussed having over a hundred children as a part of their family, when speaking with the Daily Mail.
"I don't know how many there will eventually be," she told the outlet.
Christina also described her husband as her "mentor, guide and fairytale prince all rolled into one," to the Daily Mail.
Husband Galip responded by adding, "She is so easy to be with, she always has a smile on her lips and yet at the same time [she] is shy and mysterious."
Speaking further about his beloved wife, he continued, "She was the kind of wife I always wanted for myself, an uncut diamond where I saw what a pure and kind heart she had."
As Christina says, "Our romantic relationship has changed but then our whole lives have changed, not just the romantic part. I'm not sure if we will be the biggest family in the world, but we are planning to be the happiest family in the world for sure."
h/t: The Sun
