THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 18, 1995 TAG: 9506160230
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
When asked to detail their father's flaws, the normally talkative Blackwood bunch fell suddenly silent.
``Well,'' said 14-year-old Benjamin after a long pause. ``He's not punctual.''
``He gets mad when he can't find his keys,'' added Naomi, 17, after another long silence.
``It's true,'' said wife Catherine. ``His keys or his stethoscope.''
But when called upon to say just what makes Dr. Robert Blackwood a great dad, the 10 children couldn't stop talking.
``He has a forgiving and committed heart,'' said Stephen, 19 and the oldest.
``He loves us,'' said Jesse, 13. ``He loves our mom. He takes care of us. He wants to be the best dad. He reads to me.''
``He's the best storyteller,'' said David, 5. ``He plays `bear' with us, and Saturdays he takes me out for breakfast.''
``He walked three miles in a blizzard to get a movie for Naomi's birthday party,'' remembered 10-year-old Timothy. ``In six feet of snow. Took him a couple of hours.''
``Last week when I was sick he stayed up with me all night,'' said Naomi. ``He slept on the floor.''
Baby Joseph, 18 months, who snuggled up on his dad's lap, Anna, 4, who just couldn't sit still, and Nathan, 7, and Michael - Tim's identical twin - make up the rest of the Blackwood brood.
The family emigrated from Canada about a year ago and moved into a rambling Victorian in the Great Bridge section of Chesapeake. Robert Blackwood practices medicine at Kempsville Family Practice in Virginia Beach.
The 42-year-old father said the biggest responsibility involved in having such a large family is that there are so many eyes watching to see whether he walks and talks consistently.
``The opportunity is so very brief,'' said Blackwood, recalling how Joseph's birth just 18 years to the day after Stephen's left him awed at how fast time had passed. ``Brief, but important - a real privilege - most important.''
The eight boys all resemble their father, who is 6-foot, 5-inches tall and slender. And the two girls take after their mother.
Petite and perky, Catherine Blackwood, 39, might be mistaken for a teenager.
She said that one of the big things that makes her husband such a great dad is that he ``admits when he's wrong.''
``There is a lot of opportunity for forgiveness'' in a big family, said Robert Blackwood.
``If one of them needs special time, he makes it,'' said Catherine Blackwood. ``He listens to them.''
Living in a big family also promotes ``values like sharing,'' said Robert Blackwood, speaking of the financial responsibility that is also his.
Stephen, a student at Halifax University in Canada said, ``I don't know if we are more sharing, because we have nothing to compare ourselves with. All I can say is that we share.''
Stephen, at home during the summer, rooms with four of his brothers in a large bedroom over the garage.
Robert Blackwood credits his family's happiness to the fact that they worship together. And all 12 fit into one pew at the First Baptist Church of Norfolk.
``I want to leave a legacy of faith,'' he said.
But he lauded his wife. ``She's the real star of this family. I might be chairman of the board, but she's executive officer.''
Stephen added, ``They're a team.''
To celebrate Father's Day, the Blackwoods planned to ``go around the table and say what we appreciate about Dad,'' said Naomi.
Robert Blackwood said that he thinks he has a perfect family. ``They are perfectly symmetrical - a boy and girl on each end, six boys in between and the twins right in the middle.''
These kids are never lost for words, apparently. Even at the dinner table, there is plenty of chatter.
``At the end of the day, everybody has a lot to say,'' said Stephen. ``We don't have a protocol.''
``My Dad's life is a great story,'' said Ben.
Added Naomi, ``I want a husband just like my dad.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by NANCY LEWIS
The Blackwoods get together for a family photo: back row, Benjamin,
Stephen, Naomi; on couch, Michael, David and Joseph on Robert's lap,
Anna on Catherine's lap, Tim; front, Jesse and Nathan.
by CNB