Our Artist in Residence

Jack recently found Ed's old 18" by 24" drawing pad. He has started a jungle themed collection of art. Some drawings are just one page size, but others are multiple pages.



I love his creativity and the detail that he adds. This one has the dark clouds, lightning and rain drops. The dark clouds have the wavy pattern, because he was drawing on top of a patterned stool. But, he liked the look and decided to continue with it. What you can't see is the thunder. He held the picture up and started wiggling it back and forth. The sound it produced was the thunder.



Sometimes I think he has a really good artist's eye. I love the way he did the sunset in this picture. His "use of color" surprised me. Most kids would just do the sun and the blue sky, or maybe rows of pinks and orange. I really like how he did the orange on top of the blue.



This is one of my favorites. I would never have thought of doing branches on a Christmas tree like this. Isn't that awesome?!



This is an older one. It is bugs that he saw on our vacation to the mountains. His bugs are great!



And not to be left out, I have included a piece of Molly's work. I think it is amazing how she started this picture. Look how she has divided up the grass into sections. Then, can you see the small strokes as she colors in each small square? Unfortunately, her attention span didn't last long enough to finish it, even over two different sessions. I like it nonetheless.

Our Abigail

Our precious Abbey is three months old. She is smiling more and more, although she wouldn't give me a good one for the picture. She is still our sensitive girl, getting overwhelmed easily. She loves to be wrapped up tight or carried in my Maya Wrap. She also loves to look at her mobile and the lights on her swing. She is doing a great job learning to sleep through the night, sometimes going seven hours between feedings. She is a tough little girl, enduring the rough love dished out by her older siblings.

The great news of the week is that she was approved for care by the Shriner's Hospital for Children in Chicago. We are thrilled and very thankful to Doc, Mimi and a family friend who is a Shriner, Charlie Yeoman. They all helped us with the application process making it easier and faster. Now we are trying to schedule our first visit for sometime in March. Thanks to those who prayed about this opportunity with us.

Of course if Abbey is three months old, that means Caroline is three months, too. When I get some photos of her, I will post them.

Abundantly More

I am amazed and humbled. The Lord has truly done more than I could have asked or imagined.



Two weeks ago, a couple that I barely know dropped off essentially an entire wardrobe for what remains of Abbey and Caroline's first year. They also gave us linens to decorate a room for twin girls. We are talking sheets, bumber pads, diaper stackers, the whole works...times two. And they did it all for free! They said that they felt the Lord putting it on their hearts to give us all the old clothes that their twins had outgrown. But, they didn't bring it all, as they didn't want to overwhelm us. So, they just brought the first year's worth. And, it isn't just stuff that nobody else would want. It is precious, good stuff. Some of it looks barely worn. Did you catch the first part that they are basically strangers--a family I have met once. Thank you Williamsons and thank you Lord!

But, the amazing thing is that that isn't all. Not only has God provided clothes for our girls, but they are three months old and we have yet to buy a diaper or wipe. And, we have a large stash of them in our closet waiting to be used.

I have been overwhelmed by how the Lord has cared for through His gracious provision, using even strangers. There is Vi, my aunt's neighbor, who heard about us and sent two adorable pjs from The Children's Place. Lori, another woman I have only met once, lives next door to our church friend, Kaye. According to Kaye, Lori took it upon herself to be our diaper fairy. Over the course of several weeks, she sent us several huge boxes of diapers and wipes that she bought at Cosco. Another church friend, Laura, brought me some precious bibs that her aunt bought for Abbey and Caroline. She had heard about us through Laura and thought we would like the bibs. Ann Louise, Ed's sister, is a physical therapist. One of the families that she treats has twins. That mother sent me three sets of outfits. Can you say, "Wow!" All of this from strangers, and this doesn't even count the stuff that people that we do know have done. I am amazed.

I really am so humbled. I do not trust God to provide. I fret and worry. I get anxious and angry. And yet, He has done this for his unworthy child. He has shown me His love in these diapers, clothes, friends, and strangers. More than that, He has shown me His love through Christ. Why am I amazed that He would and could give me diapers and clothe my children when He has given His child to clothe me in righteousness? O may I learn to trust such a generous, loving Father who doesn't give up on his daughter.

Growing

I just have time for a quick update. We went to the doctor today for RSV shots, so we got some current weights. Caroline breaks the scales at 10 lbs 4 oz., and Abbey is following behind at 9 lbs 2 oz. The doctor was pleased.

I was very pleased, since it means that I can continue to let them sleep as long as they will without waking them up for a feeding. We have had three nights now, where they have skipped a feeding. Yippee! That means that I have gotten 6 hours of continuous sleep for three nights in a row. Great, huh?

On another note, our application is in at the Chicago Shriner's Hospital for Children. We got to cut through some red tape through the help of a family friend. It was wonderful to have this connection. We hope to hear something in the next few weeks. I will keep you posted.

I hope to have some new pictures up soon. Bye for now.

Exciting Possibility

While doing some research on the internet about cleft palates, I found the name of a local "pathfinder". Pathfinders are people who are willing to answer questions and be a support to other parents of children with clefts. I tried the email link, but it was old. So, I looked her up on white pages and got a good number. This sweet woman, Deb, was laid up in bed with a migraine when her husband answered my call. Despite her pain, she agreed to talk to me.

Deb gave me some great news. She said that her son, who is now two, began his treatment locally. She gave me the name of the team that treated him. She had only great things to say about them. I plan on calling them next week.

Then she told me that after the first two months, they were accepted into the Shriner's program. I have heard of Shriners hospitals, but I had no idea they worked with kids with clefts. The Shriners transported them to a city with a Shriners Hospital for Children, found them a place to stay, paid for all of their care and them brought them back home. Amazing, huh? I have already tried to contact them and have printed out an application from their website.

I am really excited to have a local acquaintance that can answer questions and point me to a good local professional. I am also excited about the possibility of the Shriners providing care for Abbey. Wouldn't that be a wonderful provision? I am very thankful that I found out about this woman and this great possibility. Please pray with me about it. Thanks!

Smiles, School, Sweet Meat, and Sayonara

Smiles:  Both girls are starting to smile.  Yippee!  They aren't doing it a ton yet, but each day we can coax a few.  Sometimes, we can even get some coos.  I tried to get some smiles on film but no such luck.  You can be sure I'll post them when I do.  

School:  Jack and I started our homeschool again this week, thanks to our dear friend, Laura.  She has been here since Friday and will be here the rest of the week.  Having her hold babies and clean up some has helped free me to get us back in swing.  So far, it has gone well.  Jack and I started school in mid-summer so that we could afford time off when the babies were born.  So, essentially, our summer is over.  

Sweet Meat:  I don't know if this is a common term or just a Eubanks thing, but "sweet meat" refers to the pudgy parts on our babies, especially the rolls they get on their thighs.  Needless to say, our tiny preemies were not born with sweet meat.  But, I am happy to report that we can now claim some.  I am so excited to watch them plump up and look more like healthy, normal babies.  At the last doctor's appointment, Caroline actually made it onto the growth chart.  As of this week, Caroline weighed in at 9 lbs 6 oz. and Abbey at 8 lbs 11 oz.  

Sayonara:  After weeks of internal debate, decision reversals and much stress, I said good-bye to the pump.  I am glad to have been able to provide these precious ones with the healthy choice for their first ten weeks, but I can't do it anymore.  To keep an adequate milk supply requires 8 to 10 sessions a day.  Between the time pumping, cleaning the parts, and storing the milk, each session was roughly 30 minutes.  So, yes, that means a four to five hour commitment a day.  I do not have that kind of time.  Granted I haven't been putting that much time into it lately.  That is probably why my body stopped producing.  I am very relieved to have that decision behind me.  I really wish that I could have kept it up for them, like I did for Jack and Molly, but it was too much.  So, I celebrated by eating chili.  It was worry-free and that was great!

That is my update for now.  I wish I had time to post more often, especially with pictures.  I am not too fast with that yet.  So, I will leave you with our family picture from Christmas.  If we had done a Christmas card this year, this would have been with it.  Happy New Year everyone.