Something about large families fascinates Americans. By this, we’re not talking about twins or triplets. We’re talking about families large enough to form a football team. That’s why shows like “19 Kids and Counting” and “Jon & Kate Plus Eight” have become such a fad. So, it’s not surprising when we hear that a new family, of large proportions, suddenly came into the spotlight. Their story will definitely surprise you!
Mia Shelby and Rozonno McGhee met when they were in high school. Rozonno loved Mia’s determination. “I used to see her walking down the hallway, and she always held books in her hands like she was on a mission.” The two began dating and soon realized their love was for real. They were married when they were 20, but it would be some time before they would expand their family.
Since both Mia and Rozonno were both raised by single mothers, their upbringing was kind of rough. Mia’s brothers found a life of crime, and Rozonno’s mother suffered from drug addiction. Because of that, they had to mature very early in life in order to survive. They grew to be strong, responsible adults, but they were still dealing with life’s obstacles.
They had spent a few years trying to conceive a child, but eventually they realized they needed external help to do so. The couple wasn’t financially wealthy, but they put their money, and faith, into fertility treatments. After a couple of tries, Mia became pregnant with twins! It seemed like their prayers were answered, but soon tragedy would find them.
Unfortunately, the twins did not make it, due to premature delivery. The McGhees were heartbroken, but that wouldn’t stop their desire to have a family. They decided to try again, and once again, Mia became pregnant. This time the couple was in for a big surprise! They were pregnant with sextuplets! When their children were born safe and healthy, the parents were ecstatic. Soon, an uneasy feeling would start to sink in.
How in the world could they take care of six children? Rozonno had a carpet cleaning and upholstery business, but in order to take care of the kids, Mia had to quit her job. The babies went through an incredible amount of diapers a day, and they consumed even more formula. Regardless of all that, they felt blessed. Their next decision would turn their world upside down.
In order to celebrate their large family, they had a small photo shoot with their six children. The photo of Mia sitting and Rozonno laying down with all of their children was sent to both of their families. It was so beautiful that it was soon made viral. The McGhees were in utter shock when a bigtime celebrity was knocking at their door.
The family was invited to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show and talked about their struggles in life. The family was then surprised with a Walmart gift card of $250,000 and a fully-paid vacation for the couple to Las Vegas. When they got married, they weren’t able to go on a honeymoon. So, they were very happy with the gift! But their good fortune would not end there.
After their Oprah appearance, the couple was flooded with donations of generosity on a regular basis from brands, celebrities, and many others. They were then offered a reality series by the Oprah Winfrey Network, “Six Little McGhees.” Thanks to the show, Rozonno’s business began to grow. But like it so often does, their fame came with a downside. Would the McGhees fall down the same hole as other reality TV stars?
Six years later, the family continues to be happy and in great shape. Thanks to Rozonno’s success, they were able to buy a bigger house for the kids to live comfortably. They also moved to a bigger town, with a bigger school, so all the kids could be in different classes. Since the children were growing up fast, they decided to celebrate their blessed life again. You’ll never guess what they did!
The family decided to recreate the same photo that had carved their path to happiness. Since the kids were bigger now, some changes needed to be made. The new version showed Rozonno wearing a black shirt like Mia, and all of the kids wearing matching outfits. People began to wonder how they were able to get all six kids to pose so nicely. Their secret would soon be revealed.
Brian Killian, the photographer of the first picture, was hired to do the job. Since his photos had become so popular, he decided to share his secrets of success. Both parents were kept in the same position, but two kids were placed in at a time. Then they were all joined together using Photoshop. He’s obviously a very talented photographer because both pictures look so real. What does Killian say about working with sextuplets?
“They just want to hug you,” he said. “They’re full of love and full of joy. They were great.” Maybe this is because they grew up in the world of reality TV, so they’ve become accustomed to being around cameras, and know exactly what to do. It seems like Rozonno Jr., Issac, Josiah, Madison, Elijah and Olivia are excited to keep their lives in the spotlight- which will prove to be perfect for their upcoming opportunity.
When Season 3 of “Six Little McGhees” ended, the kids weren’t exactly little anymore. So, the show received a new name: Growing Up McGhee. The next season was picked up by UP TV, which is a network geared toward religious African American families. Which was perfect for the McGhees, since their fan was in the exact demographic! The show has also allowed them to do some pretty cool things, like when Mia had this crazy idea!
One of the episodes shows Mia trying her hand at the newfound fad of extreme couponing. After setting a budget, Mia heads to the grocery store. After having quite a hard time with the fine print on the coupons, Mia ends up going over her budget. She shows that shopping for eight is definitely not easy. The show isn’t just about their crazy antics, it’s also a bit of a tearjerker, which can be seen in the season finale.
The last episode of Season 5 showed Rozonno and Mia checking one more thing that they’ve always wanted to do: renew their wedding vows. When they were first married, they had a pretty small budget, so this time, they flew the whole family to Turks and Caicos. While barefoot on the beach, the couple showed each other their unending love for one another, as they held their children’s hands, and stared out into the beautiful sunset.