Shortening the Miles

Up, Up and Away

2010-09-07T20:28:00.002-05:00

It is time once again for Abbey's team visit at the Shriner's Hospital in Chicago. For this trip, our local Shriner's set us up with Grace Flights of America. Grace Flights works with another organization called Angel Flights. Both groups use private pilots who donate their time, money, skill and aircraft for medical transportation.

We had two legs to our trip. I was both excited and nervous about the whole adventure. Rodney and his dad flew us for the first leg. They were very friendly men and quickly put us at ease despite their jokes implying their inexperience. We had to step up on the wing to enter the plane (a Piper), and Abbey and I rode in the back. She did great and even took a nap.

The picture below is the Cessna Skyhawk that we flew on the second leg. Since he was flying alone, Mike let me sit in the front passenger/co-pilot seat. Mike gave me a map and showed me how to follow along. He told me about the different gauges and instructed me on some of the basics. It was really interesting. Because the wings are up high on this plane, we got to open the windows and feel the air rush by. I looked back at a very windblown Abbey and saw a big grin on her face.

Since I was in the front seat for the second leg, I wanted Abbey to be able to hear my voice. I didn't know if not seeing my face would upset her. Plus, the second leg promised to be bumpier, since the Windy City had a wind advisory out. That girl didn't fuss a bit--not about me leaving her in the back by herself, not about the bumpy ride, not even about having headphones on her head. She did decide to pull them off about half way there, though. She is a trooper, don't you think?

While we were flying, I mentioned to Mike (a native of Chicago) that I had been to Chicago for three other trips but had never seen anything except the hospital, hotel, Ronald McDonald House and airports. As we got close to Chicago he asked me if I was on a schedule. When I told him I had the rest of the day free, he said he'd fly me by downtown. He pointed out all kinds of landmarks: The Sears Tower, Trump Tower, Navy Pier, the Bean, some museums, stadiums etc. We got to fly over the lake, too. The color of the water was such a beautiful aqua. I had prayed on a prior trip that the Lord would provide a way for me to see some more of this city. I never thought it would be from 2000 feet up in a Cessna! Isn't that great?!

I will admit that the descent and landing into Chicago was a bit scary with the turbulence from all the wind combined with the view from the front seat. I was certainly praying, and it took me a minute to catch my breath after we hit the ground. All in all it was very exciting and fun. I am thankful for two safe flights and to our wonderful pilots. I look forward to doing it again.

Back to School

2010-08-06T19:43:00.003-05:00

Going back to school for Jack has been a delight. It is old hat for him, and he hasn't missed a beat. He likes his teacher, Ms. Patti, and to my surprise knows most of the kids in his class. There are only three students (all girls) that were in his class last year, but he knows his other classmates from just being around last year. I am eager to watch him learn as the material becomes more challenging. I just don't know what to do with the quiet house.

Off to School

2010-08-06T19:28:00.005-05:00

I started to title this post, "Back to School." Then I realized that wouldn't be accurate. Molly isn't "back to school," rather, she is starting school. If you remember that in February, we decided to start Molly in kindergarten this year. Today was her first day.

Over the summer she wasn't very excited about the idea and focused on how much she would miss me. Buying a Tinkerbell lunch box, a hot pink water bottle and a light pink backpack with a monogrammed, cursive M on it made all the difference. This morning she snuggled with me and told me how excited she was to be going to school "like Jack". Today was just a testing day, and she won't go to meet her teacher and classmates for another week. But, the first day is behind us. She had a great day and told me she had already made a new friend. I found it ironic that her new friend, "Valerie" shares a name with one of Molly's imaginary friends. I am pretty sure that this time, "Valerie" is a real girl.

Back Again

2010-08-06T19:22:00.002-05:00

So, I've taken a five month hiatus from my blog. But, I haven't abandoned the idea. I still want family and friends to be able to keep up with our lives across the miles. It has been a busy spring and summer and things have gotten more complicated as Abbey and Caroline have grown in their abilities. They are all over the house, climbing on furniture and bringing me books with commands to, "Read". So, time for blogging has been hard to come by. But, I'll start again and see how it goes. Maybe I'll even have time to post pictures from the two weddings we were able to participate in. Or, maybe not. :o)

Admission, Pre-Op and Plans for Tomorrow

2010-02-23T22:03:00.000-06:00

Abbey has done great today. She has been happy and not too slow to warm up to all the strangers she has seen. We’ve interacted with several nurses, a nutritionist, the social worker and the nurse practitioner. Everyone has really focused their attention on her and given her time to warm up to them. There is no rush to see her and move on. They are giving great personal care.

We have gotten to play in the play room and around the playground. Ed has even gotten to do a bit of Wii bowling. We have eaten our meals in the cafeteria, and they have been helpful in providing food that suits Abbey’s tastes.

We get the double occupancy room to ourselves, since she is an infant. I’m not quite sure why they do it that way, but I am glad we don’t have to worry about her cries bothering a neighbor. Plus we have room to spread out. Sadly, I don’t get to use the extra bed that is sitting empty on the other side of the room, but am consigned to the pull out chair.

Tomorrow things will start around 6:15ish. Thankfully, she is the first on the schedule. The plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist will each come to check in with us. We will have to sign consents. They will probably take her to be prepped at about 6:45. They said that she will be prepped and ready to begin surgery by about 7:30. It should take 2.5 hours or so.

They will be “freeing up the muscles and tissue” that she already has. They will repair the nasal mucosa (tissue that is the floor of the nasal cavity), reconnect the muscles of the soft palate, and repair the oral mucosa. She will be in the ICU tomorrow night.

We will keep you updated. Thanks so much for your concern, love and prayers!

Ronald McDonald House

2010-02-22T21:03:00.003-06:00

All I can say is put your spare change in the box next time your are in McDonalds. I'm sitting here on the queen sized Select Comfort bed at the Loyola Ronald McDonald House. I couldn't be more impressed. The house is so nice and comfortable. They have all kinds of food that volunteers have provided. Everything is so clean and organized. They have anticipated our needs, and we are able to relax. Although our stay is short, many stay a long time. We met a family who is going on their fifth month here. I can't imagine having to deal with that kind of medical circumstance, but I know that this house would be a bright spot in a difficult time. Ed will be staying here each night, and I will stay with Abbey in the hospital. (At least that is the plan.)

So, we are thankful for this organization. We are thankful for a safe trip. We are very thankful that Abbey only had one major meltdown. (She got fussy a few times but books, snacks and my entertainment staved off too much crying until the last 30 minutes.) We are thankful the snow ended earlier in the day, so we didn't run into road trouble, either.

Here's hoping for a good night sleep in preparation for all of the preop. stuff we will endure tomorrow.

Lots

2010-02-02T11:00:00.003-06:00

Well, lots has happened since I last posted a bunch of pictures. We had Abbey and Caroline's birthday; my sister's family came for their first Memphis visit and got to meet the twins; there were many Christmas festivities; and we are still deicing from our big winter storm. But, there has been lots of other stuff going on to keep me from posting the pictures and stories from all of this fun stuff. The two main things are that Abbey and Caroline have learned to walk and that both my iphone and laptop computer have broken. So, now I only get snippets of time to come upstairs and do all of my computing.

In addition to all of that, we have had lots of appointments to schedule and attend. Jack's attention and anxiety problems may be serious enough to merit some sort of intervention. So, Ed and I are getting some help with making those decisions. Also, he has had several dental appointments with more to come. He is in the process of getting braces on six of his top front teeth and the first of two expanders. He will get the expander for the lower teeth first. Then he'll get the upper one, just like Molly had. Right now, he has spacers, and his appointment for the braces and lower expander is in the next few weeks.

Abbey has just entered the Tennessee Early Intervention Program. This morning I worked on creating a Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) with her care coordinator. (Thankfully, that professional comes to our home.) Abbey is delayed in four of the five areas they test: adaptive, speech, motor and cognition. Of course, speech is the main area of concern. In a month or so, she will have a early interventionist come to our house on a weekly basis to work with her, and she will probably also have a speech therapist coming, too.

Caroline still has a flat spot on the back of her head. If it is severe enough, then it could hurt her brain growth. The pediatrician thought it was borderline, so she referred Caroline to a specialist to be sure. We have an appointment with the neurosurgeon on Thursday. If the neurosurgeon feels like it is significant enough, then Caroline will probably have to wear a helmet to correct it. Hopefully it will be fine, and we will be done with this issue after the one appointment.

Thankfully, Molly isn't seeing any specialists. Nevertheless, her growth and development have been on my heart and mind and in our discussions lots recently. Ed and I have decided to put her in kindergarten instead of first grade next year. She is doing great with homeschool kindergarten, so that isn't the reason. We just feel like she will be at more of an advantage down the road if she is one of the oldest in her class, instead of one of the youngest. Also, we think it will be better for both her and Jack if they are two grades apart. She won't be immediately following behind him, which will be good for both of them. This has taken a lot of thought, but we have decided it will be best.

Finally, there is me. While I don't have appointments of my own, I have been in transition with my work. I was getting canceled over 50% of the time with my old speech job, so I have branched out. I will still be working some days for Baptist Rehab, but I will be putting in the majority of my time at HealthSouth Rehab. in downtown Memphis. So, I have had several meetings and orientations with them. Ironically, I was unable to make it to my first real day on the job at HealthSouth this past Saturday, because of the ice storm. They didn't cancel me , but the ice prevented me from getting there that day. I am wondering if the Lord is trying to tell me not to trust in my ability to make extra money for the family. :o)

Thankfully, Ed isn't taking on anything too new. He always has meetings and appointments that fluctuate, so we are used to his busy schedule.

So, sorry for the lack of posts and pictures. I haven't given up on blogging. I doubt I'll be able to get caught up on what I've missed and that makes me sad. But, hopefully, I'll be able to get back on track. As you can see, though, we have had lots going on.

Once Again

2010-01-04T11:07:00.003-06:00

Yep, Abbey's surgery has been cancelled again. She got a cold a week ago Sunday. She really only has a bit of a runny nose right now. But, even a bit is enough to cancel. They don't want any swollen nasal passages when they are working to create the floor of her nasal cavity. They don't want any chance of infection around the surgery site. They want 100% health when she goes under anesthesia. They reminded me that while this is important surgery, it is "elective". So we need to wait for it to be as risk free as possible.

So, I am frustrated once again. There is so much coordination that has to happen. Ed has to get someone to preach two Sundays for him. Mom and MaryAnn have to clear their schedules and travel. The church folks make themselves available to help. Jack's teacher and carpool folks have to be informed. The several weeks beforehand we have to be careful about who we have over to the house. Jack couldn't have any play dates during his fall break or during Christmas break. Now, her new surgery date is right after his spring break. So, he won't be able to have play dates then. Plus, we have to miss church at least one Sunday. We have tried a 3 week quarantine and just living normal life but being careful. She has gotten sick both times. There is all of this, not to mention the emotional build up of thinking about giving my daughter to strangers who are going to hurt her, even if it is for her own good.

I trust that she is in the Lord's hands, and that we all are, but I don't want to have to do this again. Yet, even as I type this, I am reminded that this is so small in the scheme of things. It is so fixable and such a blessing to have the Shriner's help. There are so many worse things we could be dealing with right now. So, I guess I'll snuggle with Molly and not worry about all the things that were still on my to do list today.

Thanks for caring about our journey.

Major Cuteness

2009-12-14T20:51:00.005-06:00

It has been a while since I posted anything. I think I was pretty discouraged after Abbey's surgery was postponed, plus we were recovering from illness. Then we geared up for Thanksgiving and Ed's birthday. That just rolled into the December Christmas push. So, sorry for the absence of thoughts and pictures.

On Sunday, the kids were actually wearing coordinated outfits and looked so cute that I took them into the sanctuary to snap a few pictures. Here are a few of my favorites:

Jack and Molly love their little sisters. Sometimes they can't get enough and have to chase our new walkers. It is a good thing that Caroline is getting faster.

Isn't Abbey a sweetie?

This is the best of the four of them. It is hard to get a good one of everyone. If you enlarge the photo, you can see Abbey's cleft. If all goes according to plan, that will be gone on January 7th.

Now, for you family travelers, does all this cuteness make the preparations more worth it?

Frustrated

2009-10-26T20:54:00.003-05:00

I'm trying to look on the bright side, but I am still frustrated. Many of you know that Abbey's surgery was officially cancelled and rescheduled today. The fever that she had over the weekend was an automatic cancellation. The bad thing is that the first available date to reschedule it isn't until the beginning of January. The surgeon wanted to do it between ten and twelve months. Now it will be at 14.5 months. (If the weather or another fever doesn't postpone it again.)

I am frustrated and concerned about how this will hinder her speech and language development. In the past month and a half I could already tell that she was making more and more sounds that are characteristic of children with clefts. So, she will have to unlearn the bad habits that she picks up in the next two and a half months.

Plus, they were going to put tubes in her ears. People with a cleft palate can't maintain proper ear pressure, because their eustachian tube doesn't work correctly. So, they often have fluid in the middle ear that interferes with hearing. At times, I can tell that this is happening to her. She doesn't react as quickly to her name or other sounds. So, now we have two and a half months more of her not having normal hearing.

But, I trust the Lord is in control. His plans and purposes are higher than mine. I know that and trust it, but my heart still hurts for my little girl. Plus, I don't want to have to go through this waiting and anticipation again. Please pray for me, Abbey and the rest of our family. Thanks!

All Dressed Up With No Place To Go

2009-10-24T11:54:00.004-05:00

The clothes are clean and put aside, the instructions written out, the quarantine almost over, the teachers notified, the reservations made, the departure date approaching, and...Abbey has a fever. Last night she was warm and it was only 99.8, so not technically a fever. I thought it was probably the two new teeth that she is cutting. :o) But, this morning it was 101.4, so not likely the teeth. Plus, her appetite is dropping off, she is a bit fussier than usual and she has a runny nose.

So, I called the hospital and talked to the charge nurse. She said that if Abbey gets better quickly and never really seems that sick, then there is about a 20% chance that they will go through with it. We have to wait until Monday to talk to the nurse practitioner.

But, l know the Lord is in control and we will have the surgery in His timing. Like one friend said, maybe the person that is going to encourage us, or vice versa, won't be having surgery until later. We will see.

By the way, Abbey is all dressed up for her birthday!! She is one today. I can't believe it. It has been a wonderful year. We are going to have a little celebration later this afternoon. I hope to have pictures and thoughts up soon.

Exciting News and Bad News

2009-10-18T19:26:00.002-05:00

The exciting news is that Caroline took her first steps. Actually, she took them for Jack. He said he saw her take a step yesterday. Then, last night, she took three for Ed and me. Today she took four for me one time. Yea for Caroline!

Now, the bad news--Jack has a low fever. He has had cold symptoms, and this evening he has complained of an earache. We are supposed to leave for Chicago in just over a week. Of course, Abbey can't be sick, but I am sure they won't let Ed or me in the hospital if we have cold symptoms. The Ronald McDonald House said we have to be completely well to stay there. (I haven't been feeling well either and am not sure it it is allergies or a cold.) So, please pray that Jack will heal quickly and that the rest of us will stay well.

That's our update for now. Thanks

Jack's First School Project

2009-10-17T19:09:00.000-05:00

Jack had to pick an animal, research it and create a 3D representation of it in it's habitat. He also had to show it's food. He chose a tiger. Thankfully, we had a lot of orange and black playdough from Halloween last year.

He wanted the tiger to be eating a wild boar. He also wanted some snakes for fun. He had the idea for how the grass would look.

He also had the idea of having the tree on the back of the box so that it would stand up when the box was opened. Isn't he creative and handsome?!

Chicago Plans

2009-10-12T13:23:00.003-05:00

Well, the plans are coming together to take Abbey to Shriner's Hospital for her palate repair at the end of this month. This morning, I talked with our local Shriner and firmed up the travel details. They are going to reimburse us for our gas, and Ed is going to drive us up. This takes a bit of the pressure off, as we don't have to worry about an upset baby making the trip miserable for two other folks (if she cries, that is). It is a nine hour drive without stops. We have no idea what it will be like trying to drive back with her after the surgery. It could be a nightmare, or the pain meds could make her sleep most of the way.

Ed will be a saying at a Ronald McDonald house for all four nights. Abbey and I will be with him the first night and then in the hospital the other three nights. I am really amazed at the Ronald McDonald house. The photo tour of it looks so nice. It only costs $10 per night and volunteers often bring food for supper. You can bet I'll be putting my spare change in the collection bin next time I am at McDonalds! Our local Shriners are going to pay for Ed's lodging and for my meals in the hospital. So, we shouldn't have very much out of pocket expense.

Both my mom and Ed's mom are planning to come help care for the other three kids while we are gone. This is a huge help to us and our family. Originally we were planning for Ed to stay home, but the compassionate elders at our church encouraged Ed to go with me and Abbey. From what I have read about other moms' experiences with the surgery, I think that was so wise of the elders. It is a huge relief to me to not have to deal with the emotional stress of it all by myself. So, Mom and MaryAnn are going to drive from SC and be here a whole week.

Our family started a self-imposed quarantine last week. If Abbey even has the least little bit of a cold, then we will have to reschedule everything. So, we want to do the best we can to stay well. Jack is still going to school, of course, and Molly gets to go to her ballet class. We are cutting out everything else and staying home as much as possible. I did get out to eat lunch with some other pastor's wives last week and I have a women's meeting at church on Tuesday, so I'm not going stir crazy, thankfully. I am not feeling great, though. I hope it is just allergies and not a cold or the start of something else. I'd love it if you'd pray for the health of our family--especially Abbey, Ed and me. Thanks.

Cedar Hill Farms

2009-10-10T19:15:00.006-05:00

I really don't feel like writing a lot right now, but I know some family has been eager to see pictures from our outing to the pumpkin patch. We didn't really go to the "patch," because we spent most of our time enjoying the other fun things that Cedar Hill Farms has to offer.

Ed and Jack loved the corn cob shooter.

Molly had so much fun riding the pony that she used Jack's ticket and rode twice.

The corn box was novel fun. I even got in and enjoyed it a bit.

Jack and Molly were king and queen of the hay fort.

I was super surprised that the spider-shaped corn maze was the main thing that Jack wanted to do. He and Ed were able to answer the spider questions and find their way out fairly quickly. Did you know that spider blood is blue?

The girls and I waited outside the maze and had fun taking pictures. Caroline was glad to receive Molly's affection.

Aunt Weez sent the cute outfits. We decided it was the perfect day to wear them. Poor Abbey, on the right, probably won't get much more festive this season, as we will be traveling back from her surgery on Halloween.

We all rode the tractor-pulled "train." Abbey sat with Molly and me.

Caroline hung with the fellas.

Even though we didn't get them from the field, we did leave with pumpkins. Even the littlest Eubanks (Abbey) got a pumpkin.

Maybe next year Caroline will be able to join in more of the fun. Despite going during their nap time, both babies did really well.

Finally

2009-10-03T09:54:00.002-05:00

For the past several months I have been thinking it would happen any day. This is the day! Caroline finally has a tooth poking through the surface. I haven't been able to check Abbey's gums yet this morning.

Also, this week is the week for first words. Caroline has said "mo" for more and "ba" for bottle. Most of the times it has been an imitation of my question, "Do you want more?" or "Do you want a bottle?". This morning, I think that she initiated "mo". Molly's first word was "crack" for cracker and "coke". What is it with my kids and food words? :o)

One of the girls (Abbey, I think) was babbling in her crib this morning and said, "muhmuh". Now, I think she was calling for me, but I'm not sure. So, I won't claim that one, yet.

I think we are headed to the pumpkin patch this afternoon. If disobedience doesn't reign and we really get there, then I'll post some pictures.

More Fun With the Babes

2009-09-30T08:24:00.005-05:00

They are just so cute and fun that I couldn't resist snapping some photos and posting them. (Disclaimer: I know that the photo quality isn't that great, so I apologize.)

It's another, "who me?" moment. In addition to dumping out the diaper bin multiple times a day, my little rascally Caroline likes to play her daddy's bass.

Abbey loves this rocking horse in the church nursery. I have literally had to pry her hands from it on occasion.

My sweet, helpful Molly is willing to help feed Caroline if it means that it will free me to feed a screaming Abbey. This is partly due to her desire to hear the cartoons she watches in the morning. Whatever the motivation, it brings peace to our home.

We haven't been able to resist the beautiful, fall weather. The other day we got outside to swing. Both girls loved it. The belly laughs they made when Molly pushed them high were just priceless. Abbey is the little Gamecock below.

The Joys of Having a Daughter, Part 2

2009-09-24T21:46:00.003-05:00

Who me?

The Joys of Having a Daughter

2009-09-24T21:34:00.006-05:00

Maybe, it is not that she is a girl. Maybe, it is her unique personality. Or, maybe, it is just a stage. Regardless, I am loving Molly's desire to be helpful and to organize. Here is her "surprise" for me and Jack:

Cutie Pies

2009-09-19T18:37:00.003-05:00

I thought it had been awhile since I'd posted photos of the two cuties. They are growing so fast and learning so much. Ann Louise and Dave were here last weekend. They were amazed at all that Abbey and Caroline had learned in the month between visits. When they came in August, the babies were still immobile. Now they are sitting, crawling, pulling up, and cruising.

The other morning I left them in the den to go into my bathroom for something. The next thing I knew, Caroline was crawling across my room. One afternoon I was bringing Caroline in from the car, after having brought Abbey in first. Instead of sitting in the den where I'd left her, Abbey had crawled to the front door, where she met me.

They are just beginning to get the hang of getting the Cheerios into their mouths now. The quicker they master that, the better. Then I can stop being the momma bird putting each little piece of cereal into the open (sometimes, crying) mouth.

Here are pictures of them. Abbey is first:

They are so precious and so fun. Their first birthday will be here in the blink of an eye. It is so hard to believe that we didn't know them this time last year. I really do love them so very much and I enjoy them immensely.

I Should've Stayed Home

2009-09-04T10:15:00.003-05:00

We've been sick all week. So, when the Memphis Mom's of Multiples Club planned a playdate to check out the new children's garden at the Memphis Botanic Gardens, we thought that would be the perfect cure for our cabin fever. Jack has the day off from school, and we are all well enough to go. Granted, I'd have to time the babies' feeding so that we could enjoy the gardens long enough before we had to break for their lunch, and they would have to sleep in their carseats or forgo their morning naps. It was going to take a lot of effort, but it would be worth it.

The forecast said partly cloudy with scattered showers possible (10% chance). It started sprinkling here, so I called the club president to see if they were rescheduling. "Oh, the radar shows that the rain will be gone before we get there. Plus, it is just sprinkles." So, we loaded up and headed out. Jack and Molly were fighting and like a good mom, I promised to "turn the car around and go home if they didn't start to obey." More and more cars headed towards me had their lights on. Then the rain picked up. Still, we were thirty minutes away, and we really needed this outing. The radio announcer said that it was officially raining in Memphis. Then it started lightning.

So, onto plan B--Chick-fil-A play place with a coupon for free fries. But, was it really worth getting both babies out of car, into the stroller and then into the store in the rain? Sure, what the heck? But, before we could get very far towards the store, one of the children didn't heed a second warning against disobedience. So, I followed through on my warning and turned the car around.

Not one to want to waste all of the effort of getting everyone ready for an outing, I decided we would stop by Amy's Country Clippers to get Jack his much needed haircut. Alas, it was all dark inside. Amy decided to close up shop early for the Labor Day weekend.

I guess I should've stayed home.

Consignment Sale Success

2009-08-22T09:58:00.003-05:00

I went in saying I'd be happy if we spent less than $200. I ended up writing my check for $192.50. Then, during my shift as a worker, I found $10 more worth of stuff. So, I went over my goal, but I racked up. I got 66 items total, so that is only $3.06 for each item. It is funny that my sister prices all of her stuff at $3.00. I guess she is on target. So, here is the breakdown:

Winter/next size up school uniform clothes for Jack: 12 pieces totaling $36
Non-school clothes for Jack: 12 pieces totaling $37.50
Clothing for Abbey and Caroline: 4 pieces totaling $9
Clothing for Molly: 18 pieces totaling $57.50
Baby/Kid "gear": 11 pieces totaling $29.50
Christmas/Birthday toys/gifts: 8 items totaling $22.50
Huge bag of Lincoln Logs for Ed's study at church: $10

Best/Favorite Finds:
A sweater with four dogs on it for Jack--He has been wearing it all morning.
Tinkerbell pajamas and two cute dresses for Molly--She wanted to wear one today, but I said, "Not yet."
New pack of disposable colored spoons for the babies for 50 cents. It is going in the diaper bag to use as toys and/or for feeding.
A pea pod costume for Caroline--Poor Abbey will be traveling back from her surgery in Chicago on Halloween, so I doubt she will feel like trick-or-treating.
A bag of Power Rangers and Superheroes for Jack's birthday for $3.00

So, although I hate spending $200, I think I did pretty good. It is really good when you consider that I hope to make at least that much on the stuff I sell. Last spring I thought I'd made about $80, but ended up getting a check for $250. So, it may be that all of that stuff is really free.

Truth

2009-08-18T11:12:00.003-05:00

This has been a hard several days. The brokenness of the world and in my own heart have been pressing down hard on me. This morning I was encouraged by the songs of Bebo Norman. He sings songs of truth; songs about hard things and beautiful things. He sings about the power of Jesus in the darkness of our lives and this world and the hope of a new day. I am thankful for Bebo and his reminders of the Truth.

We Have A Surgery Date

2009-07-06T18:10:00.007-05:00

I went ahead and called Edie, the scheduling secretary at Shriners Hospital, even though the info. we had said that messages wouldn't be returned for two to four weeks. Lo and behold, Edie answered the phone and even had Abbey's paperwork on her desk. I was so surprised and excited.

She went ahead and scheduled the repair of Abbey's cleft palate for Thursday, October 29th, five days after her first birthday. Since it is still a good ways out, she said it could get changed if the surgeon has to go out of the country for something. (He's just that good of a surgeon.) We will need to be there on the day before at 10:00 for a full day of pre-op stuff. They will want her to stay three nights total: the night before and two nights after. So, if all goes well, we will come home on Halloween.

If she even has the slightest runny nose, we will have to postpone the surgery. Edie told me not to even bother coming. She has to be perfectly healthy for the week prior to the surgery. So, I think we will probably have a self-imposed quarantine for three weeks prior to the surgery.

For a ten days post-op, she will have to wear arm immobilizers so that she doesn't put her fingers in her mouth. We will be able to take them off for a few minutes here and there when she is highly supervised. Also, she won't be able to eat anything solid and must be fed with a syringe. I hear that the babies stay pretty hungry for those ten days. Sounds like fun, huh?

Despite the uncertainty, quarantine and post-op fun, I am thrilled that we get to have her surgery performed by such great doctors and specialists. I am really so thankful.

And now, here are a few recent pictures of the unsuspecting, precious girl:

Small Town Fourth

2009-07-04T21:49:00.004-05:00

I forgot how fun the Fourth of July can be in our small town.

I must admit that when I moved here I was pretty skeptical. Every year growing up in Charlotte, we went to watch the big city display downtown. When I lived in Columbia, SC, I was amazed at the display at Fort Jackson. You can count on some serious fireworks on a military base. That was awesome.

So, when I moved here, where there is no official display, I was pretty bummed. I marveled at the six firework tents that went up by mid-June--six tents for a town of less than 5,000. Crazy. Keep in mind that fireworks are illegal in Memphis and Shelby County, so all those folks have to come out here to buy. It's kinda like how we Mecklenburg County folks had to go to SC to get our supplies. Still, six tents?

After tonight, I remember the wonder I had last year, and I understand a bit more about how six tents can make it. I stood in our back yard and watched fireworks bought by folks all over my neighborhood and others close by. At first, I couldn't decide whether to watch from the front yard or the back. When I decided the back was the best, I couldn't decide which way to look. There were showers of color in several directions. Some were small, others were surprisingly big. It wasn't coordinated. It wasn't set to music. It was just plain folks all around me enjoying the holiday in their own yards. I got to be the beneficiary. It was great!

The prelude was great, too. Last night, we set off our stash. Now we didn't buy any of the really big ones, but we had more than just bottle rockets and firecrackers. And, we had the freedom to do so without worrying about the police coming to write us a citation. Jack and Molly ran around the yard, back and forth from the street up to the safety of the front porch. Ed is so cautious with things that I was able to be fairly relaxed about it. It was so very fun!

Happy Fourth of July!

Tomorrow Is The Big Day.

2009-07-04T21:42:00.012-05:00

(Some initial thoughts about this got published by mistake. I wanted to write a fuller version, so that I could refer back to it in the future. So, if you got a much shorter version of this, I apologize for the duplication.)

So, tomorrow is the big day. Jack starts first grade at Oakland Elementary School. We bought our school supplies. We have our official uniform compliant clothes laid out. We have yummy lunch box items ready to be packed. We visited the school today (on our own initiative, not for an open house). However, we do not know who his teacher will be.

I can't believe that we haven't gotten a letter, a call or been notified in some way. This morning I decided we should go up there, ask about it, and give Jack a chance to see his school. They said that parents would be welcome to accompany the children to the gym tomorrow morning, where they will be seated by grade level. Each teacher will then call out the names of the children in her class, and the children and parents will accompany her to the classroom. I sure am glad that I don't work outside the home. I mean, can you imagine sending your kids off on the bus not even knowing the name of your child's teacher?

We thought that homeschooling Jack last year went really well but have made this change for several reasons. So, before I start to question myself too much, wondering what on earth we have done, I need to get my reasons for making this change down in black and white. Then, I can refer back to this post as a reminder. So, here goes:

1. Our changing family situation: Ed and I decided to homeschool before we found out I was pregnant, much less having twins. It was great having Jack at home for most of the babies' first year. I think it would have been too much change for him to adjust to a new family situation at the same time as adjusting to a new school situation. Having him home allowed him to bond with his new sisters. Now, however, Abbey and Caroline are nine months old. We have adjusted, mostly. :o) They are about to become mobile, and that is a whole new ball game.

2. My stress and patience levels: I realized at the end of our school year that I was very stressed out. I would try to hurry through our school work so that we could be finished before the morning naps were done and so that I could move on to household things. Caring for two babies and managing a household of six takes me a lot of time. So, I often felt the time crunch. Adding homeschool into the mix made me even more stressed. And, like many others, when I am stressed I am not very fun to be around. We all know what they say about "when Mama ain't happy..."

3. My relationship with Jack and the others: Because of the stress, I often got way too impatient with Jack's inattention and dawdling. Even when he wanted to talk about connections he saw between what we were reading in his science book and another book we owned, I would get frustrated. I know that in my impatience and anger, I sinned against him a lot and did not foster the kind of learning environment that I had envisioned. While sending him to public school won't keep me from sinning against him, it will prevent us from having a perfect storm that could do permanent damage to our relationship.

4. Jack's attention problems: I don't know if he is a normal, fidgety, distracted six year old boy or if he has real attention problems. Regardless, he had trouble focusing on his work while Molly played and I tended to the babies. Keep in mind that the babies mostly needed comforting and bottles. This year however, they are going to need a lot of redirection as they become mobile and are able to get into everything. Jack doesn't do well with interruptions and loses his focus. So, homeschooling Jack while we have toddlers doesn't seem like a good mix. I don't know if going to an overcrowded public school will be any better, but at least it won't set us up for the perfect storm mentioned above. Also, it will provide a context where those trained in these things can give us some wisdom and guidance.

5. Socialization: First, I must say that I firmly believe the socialization argument against homeschooling is a myth. However, we think that at this time, in this place, homeschooling Jack prevented him from learning important social skills with peers. Since we live in a small town with limited extra-curricular options and go to a church with only a few other children, it has been hard for him to have opportunities to interact with a lot of other kids on a regular basis. We think going to Oakland Elementary will be good for him in many ways in this respect, although we do expect to have to deal with some negative consequences of this as well.

6. Confidence building: Jack is an anxious boy and is often insecure about trying new things. He leans on me, and even Molly, a bit more than I'd prefer. We think doing this all on his own will be great for him.

7. The Gospel: I think that having our kids in an environment where they interact with people who don't share our beliefs and values will teach them the beauty of the Gospel. They will better see the darkness and brokenness of the world and therefore the need for a Savior will shine brighter. It would be all too easy for us to shelter them and surround them with people who share our worldview, especially as a pastor's family. Experiencing diversity will help us teach them what we believe and why He matters.

I think those are all the reasons. So, as we go forward with this decision, I am reminded why I'm not teaching him here at home, even though I don't know who will be teaching him tomorrow at school.

The Middle Child

2009-05-08T15:21:00.011-05:00

Jack is our first born and the only boy. Abbey and Caroline are twins, need I say more? It would be easy for Molly to get lost in the shuffle as the middle child. She is such a precious girl, and I would hate for her to ever feel unimportant. I want to learn to be intentional about making her feel special. So, let me devote this post to her. Isn't she growing up so big and pretty?

She loves wearing dresses. This is one of her favorites.

She is very much into her friends lately. Her three favorites are Cheyenne, Adisyn and Carly. When I go to pick her up from preschool I see her on the playground holding one of their hands. I have talked to these girl's mothers and they say that their daughters love Molly. It is mutual. Here are some pictures of her with her friends:

Molly had a great time with Adisyn at the zoo. Don't you love Molly's pose? So girlie.

Adisyn had a cowboy themed birthday party. Cheyenne was there, so it was doubly fun for Molly.

Her whole class had an Easter egg hunt. Carly is on the left side of the photo and Adisyn is on the right. Of course, Molly is in the middle of it all.

Carly's big sister plays on a ball team that competes against Jack's team. So, when Carly doesn't have her own game, then she and Molly get to hang out while their older siblings battle it out.

In addition to friends, Molly likes playing guessing games. ""Is the green ring in my left hand or my right hand?" "Am I going to give you a kiss on your left cheek or your right cheek?" And on it goes. She still loves to look at books and have me read to her. Almost daily, she colors me Strawberry Shortcake pictures and tapes them to my bedroom wall. She loves Jack and playing with him outside and she loves her baby sisters. Sometimes her love is a bit much for them, but they take it in stride. They are going to be tough little girls.

Molly is a delight!

And the Verdict Is.....

2009-04-08T13:03:00.004-05:00

Our girls are identical twins! Ed's mom, MaryAnn, was so generous to pay to have the DNA tests run. Affiliated Genetics sent us a test kit in the mail. I swabbed their cheeks and mailed it back. They tested 15 different STR DNA markers and they all came back "concordant". So, with "greater than 99% accuracy" we can say that they are monozygotic--from one egg. Actually, I think that they are "mirror image" identical twins, because their hair whorls spin in the opposite directions. So, one is likely to be a lefty. I was surprised by the results, but Ed had guessed it all along. He is usually right about things. Both of us are excited, as we think it will be fun. What do you think, would you have guessed identical?

Children of the Covenant

2009-04-06T12:12:00.007-05:00

Yesterday we had Caroline and Abbey baptized. In this picture I am holding Caroline, and Ed is holding Abbey.

It was extra special, because it was Ed's first two baptisms ever.

We were thrilled to have a bunch of family come for it. In this picture are Steve Crow, Louise Crews , Molly, Ann Louise Eubanks, Me, Caroline, Jack, Ed, Abbey, MaryAnn Crews (Mimi), and Jerry Frank Crews (Doc).

Some family friends gave the girls these beautiful monogrammed bibs.

We have a family baptism gown that Ann Louise, Ed, Jack, and Molly all wore. I was torn about how we were going to handle having two girls and only one dress. A smart friend suggested that one girl could wear the dress, and one could wear the long and very pretty slip. The slip is sleeveless so it needed something under it. The dress above was perfect. It was a dress that I wore as a child. Since Abbey bears my mother's maiden name as her middle name, we decided that Abbey would wear my dress with the baptism gown's slip over it.

Caroline wore the outer gown, since her first name is "Anna", taken as a form of "Ann", her grandmother's name and a strong family name on Ed's side.

I really like having our children wear this gown that has a family heritage. More than that, I am glad that God has made way for them to be included in His Covenant Family. I am so glad that God makes promises to me and my children.

Our Creations

2009-03-03T14:10:00.004-06:00

The snow was too powdery to make a traditional snowman. So, we used Molly's new ball to make impressions for this snowman. The big icicle that Jack was holding in the last post made a good pen for drawing the arms, hat and face. Part of it made for a good nose, too.

Here is Jack lying inside of my angel.

Here are our angels together. This picture doesn't do it justice, but I don't think I've ever had such a good angel. It has been rare that I have made one that didn't have grass poking through.

Okay, so that is it for the snow pictures. I guess this is what happens with a record snow, especially from a Southern girl like me. Isn't digital photography great?! Thanks for hanging in there with me through the series.

We Had Tons of Fun

2009-03-03T13:37:00.003-06:00

Look at the smiles in these pictures. Also notice Jack's missing tooth.

Molly had a hard time walking in it, but gave it her best shot.

We walked down the street to the empty field. Jack loved being the first one to play in this big space.

We found some huge icicles.

Even the post-snow activity was fun. Molly enjoyed this almost as much as the snow itself.

One more snow post to come and we'll be done. :o)

Bundled Up

2009-03-03T12:34:00.005-06:00

We were given these precious cold weather suits. I didn't think we would get to use them, but I was wrong. Unfortunately, neither baby was very impressed with them. Abbey is more upset in this picture, because she was cold. She had already had her turn outside. Caroline was still waiting for hers.

They sure did look cute, though. Caroline is the adorable one in the picture below.

Unfortunately for Abbey, we took her all the way out into the yard. Ed held her as he sat against the slide. She was fine at first, but then the cold wind got to her. Right after this picture she started crying. Poor thing. The things they have to endure for posterity's sake.

We wised up when we took Caroline, only stepping her into the edge of the backyard. Ed was all bundled up and ready to hold. What a great sport!

We (really, it was Ed that convinced me) were smart enough not to put them down in the snow. We had done that with Jack and Molly for their first snows. But, those weren't record amounts. Isn't he a good and wise daddy?

It Was Very Deep

2009-03-03T12:16:00.004-06:00

They were only calling for two to three inches. It started snowing on Saturday afternoon and was coming down hard. Jack had a fun time playing in it as it was coming down. He came in after awhile and by bedtime, his tracks were covered. I measured before bed and found that we had 6 inches. There was a chance for more overnight, but it wasn't snowing when I turned in.

On Sunday morning, my tracks were covered. Jack and I were delighted and amazed when our ruler disappeared when we tried to measure. The official total for Oakland, according to the news, was 18 inches. It was just over twelve in the spot we measured in our front yard.

Everything was covered. It was beautiful! Notice how high the snow comes up on the legs of the chair.

We had to wrap grocery bags around our calves, because the snow was higher than our boots!

The fire hydrant we saw on our walk.

The news said this was the biggest snow in Oakland since the 1960's. Wow!

I Like My Life

2009-02-26T17:10:00.002-06:00

This afternoon, I have been thinking about how I am so thankful for the life the Lord has given me. It really comes as a surprise to me that I could feel this way at this point.

When I was pregnant with Abbey and Caroline, everyone told me how it was going to be soooo hard the first year. I can remember one mom of twins--one--that told me that it would be good and fun. I was really terrified and almost dreading it, because of the reactions I got from both moms-of-multiples and other folks. And, that was before I told them that I was homeschooling Jack. When I told them that, if I had the courage to do so, then they looked at me like I was truly crazy.

But, here we are four months in. Last night I was up with Caroline watching Letterman. It dawned on me that it had been a while since I'd seen Letterman, much less Craig Ferguson, who comes on later. In the early months, these guys were nightly companions. Those were sweet times. They were sleepy times, but sweet, too. Now they are past me as a regular feature.

Abbey and Caroline are "coming alive." They are looking around, smiling, figuring out how to use their hands and voices. It is a fun time. I get a bit nervous thinking about when they become mobile, but I also get excited thinking about when they start talking. I remember how scared I was before they were born. I see how God has helped me through. I remember to take one day at a time. I relax a little.

Jack is learning. He is reading well. He knows about bugs, jungles, times long ago. He can add and subtract some. He is making friends at our co-op and hoping to make friends on his coach pitch softball team when that starts. I love teaching him. I get frustrated. I yell. I ask for forgiveness. I love watching him learn. He likes it, too.

Molly is not lost in the shuffle. She is learning to play alone. She is learning alongside Jack. She is growing and maturing. She is loving her twins.

Is my life full? Yes! Is it sometimes crazy full? Often! Do I get tired of the crying and the bottles? Yes! Do I lose it sometimes? More than I'd like! Is it worth it? Totally!

22, 11, 10 and 8

2009-02-12T22:48:00.002-06:00

We went to the doctor today. Both girls are 22.5 inches long. Caroline is 11 lbs and 4 oz. She is wearing yellow in the picture. Abbey is 10 lbs 9 oz. She is in the pink. Between the two of them they got 8 shots. :o( Very sad.

What a Thoughtful Kid!

2009-02-02T18:26:00.004-06:00

"Mommy, I'd like to buy you another present, because you are doing a pretty good job with the twins and me and Molly."

(The "another present" refers to the tree that Ed and the kids bought and planted for me after the twins were born and the Chutes and Ladders game the kids picked out for me at Christmas.)

Isn't that just precious?!

Our Artist in Residence

2009-01-27T16:28:00.008-06:00

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

2009-01-25T17:01:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-16T00:50:00.012-06:00

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

2009-01-15T18:31:00.002-06:00

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

2009-01-10T19:52:00.005-06:00

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

2009-01-06T22:43:00.004-06:00

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.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T17:34:00.003-06:00

Ed's family was able to come celebrate Christmas with us this year. We all went to the Christmas Eve service. It was the second time Abbey and Caroline have gone to church. The doctor gave us the okay for them to go now that they are past eight weeks old.

The girls were festive for their first Christmas. It was good that we got the picture when we did. Not too long later, Abbey threw up all over it. Fun stuff!

We tried something new this year. Instead of opening everything on Christmas morning, we only opened a few things. We are going to spread out the rest over the twelve days of Christmas. We are hoping that this will decrease the materialistic focus of Christmas Day and help the kids to enjoy each gift more. This way the gifts won't all be in a pile while the favorite toy gets all of the attention. We also hope it will help them to remember who has given them each gift. We will see how it goes. It is just an experiment.

Hope you had a great Christmas. Abbey says, "HO HO HO!"

Life Lesson

2008-12-23T23:34:00.005-06:00

Parenting provides lots of lessons about life. These two girls are giving me lots of insight into my sin, but we won't go there right now. :o) The other night I learned a different sort of lesson from them.

It was probably around 11 pm, and I was laying in bed trying to go to sleep. The girls were out in the den with Ed. They were doing their crying duet--loudly. Despite the noise, I was able to lay down, relax and head off to sleep.

It struck me that this was very different from other times when they are crying. Why was I able to relax instead of getting worked up? I realized it was because Ed was in charge. I didn't have to try to settle them. My job was to sleep so that I could get up later in the night for my turn. They were being cared for by their capable, loving father.

Then the parallel struck me. Isn't this what I am to do in life? The Lord has given me some things to do, and I am to leave the rest to Him trusting that He has it under control. Often, I try to take up what isn't mine. Instead of worrying and fretting, I am to relax and rest in Him.

It makes me think of two verses. The first is 1 Peter 5:7 which says, "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." The second is from Psalm 3, which is written by David when he is fleeing from Absolom. In verse 5 he says, "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me." Someone once commented that David's ability to sleep in the midst of fleeing for his life was a testimony to his faith and trust in God's providential care.

As my kids grow, I hope I can take this lesson to heart and rest, trusting the Father that loves and cares for me and the ones I love.

Molly's Thoughts and My New Thigh Master

2008-12-21T08:16:00.004-06:00

This morning I was sitting on the couch with my legs folded "criss-cross applesauce" style. Caroline was in the hole created by my legs waiting her turn to eat and Abbey was propped on one leg and craddled in one arm while I gave her a bottle. Molly woke up and joined us. She sat there talking to Caroline and helping her wait patiently for her turn. After a few minutes, Molly looks at me and says, "Having babies is fun." Isn't that great?! I am so glad for this attitude.

While sitting there, Caroline began to get tired of waiting. So, I started jostling my leg, as her head was propped on it. This seemed to soothe her a bit. I kept it up intermittently. It wasn't too long before I realized I was going to be hurting a bit the rest of the day. My eight pound, four ounce baby is a great thigh master. (And just so you know, her sister is the light version, weighing in at seven pounds and ten ounces, as of her eight week appointment last week.) Sorry, you won't be able to find these in stores this Christmas.

Not Firing On All Cylinders

2008-12-17T18:38:00.002-06:00

So far since having the twins I have:

1. Gone the wrong way down a one way street because I didn't notice there was a median

2. Started to shower with my glasses on

3. Wondered why the phone wasn't hanging up, only to find that I was pushing the power button on the pump rather than the phone

4. Almost hung up the phone on my friend, instead of turning off the pump

5. Searched around the house for five minutes looking for my hands-free phone headset, only to realize it was on my head already

Gotta get more sleep. :o)

Respite

2008-12-12T08:04:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Ed, I got a real treat yesterday. I got to take Molly to school alone. That means we could just walk out to the van, hop in and go. She could talk all that she wanted without any interruptions--no crying sisters, no interrupting big brother.

Then I got to leave two and a half hours early for my eye appointment, armed with $20 for a yummy lunch. Since I was already going "in to town" for my appointment, I decided to go to the new Panera and enjoy some of the food that I had been missing since leaving St. Louis. Then I went to Barnes and Noble, got some yummy coffee, read a book and wandered around. Finally, I went to the mall for my appointment. As I was walking in and seeing the people and the holiday decorations, I couldn't help but smile. It was great to be free for a few hours.

At the outset, Ed said he wanted me to have a respite. It was a wonderful break! I came home ready to feed the hungry and comfort the fussy, all thanks to Ed.

Surreal

2008-12-07T11:23:00.002-06:00

Abbey and Caroline turned six weeks on Friday!

I went to the doctor for my six week check-up last Thursday. As I was checking out and making an appointment for December 2009, I couldn't believe it. No more weekly visits. Did I really just go through nine--rather, eight--months of pregnancy with twins? Did I birth them and survive the NICU experience? Could they really be six weeks already?

It is true, but I can't believe it.

(On a side note, I may have to go back to the doctor in a month if my incision doesn't finish healing. There is one little spot that won't knit together all the way. She said give it a month. If that doesn't work, then I'll have to go in for her to fix it. That means "numbing me up, cutting a wedge, and resewing it." Sounds like fun, huh? Please pray that I can avoid this. Thanks!)

How to Irritate a Baby

2008-11-28T16:28:00.004-06:00

First you begin feeding the baby. Then, when she stops for a break, decide to change her diaper and her clothes. Then, realize it is her one month birthday and decide to do a photo shoot, alone, with her twin and with her older siblings. Below is the result. (Special thanks to Jessie for the adorable outfits.)

Sisters

2008-11-20T09:29:00.007-06:00

Here are some pictures from the past week and a half. It is hard to believe that the girls will be a month old on Monday. We are getting along well and have been enjoying our time with them both at home. Of course, having Ed's mom, MaryAnn, here to help with feedings, housework, entertainment of Jack and Molly, general encouragement and adult company sure helped! I hope we are able to enjoy the coming days just as much, despite holding down the fort on our own.

I love this picture of Ed and Caroline, as it gives perspective on her small size. She isn't much bigger than his hand!

This picture shows Abbey's special feeder. It is called a SpecialNeeds Feeder and used to be called a Haberman Feeder. That top part is soft, so you can squeeze it into her mouth as she sucks. You can see that MaryAnn is holding her close to upright. You have to do this, rather than letting her lay back in the crook of your arm. If you don't, she is more likely to have some come through the hole in her palate and out through her nose. It doesn't happen often, but it is certainly unpleasant when it does. She cries and sometimes decides she doesn't want to eat anymore.

Here they are together. Caroline is on the left and Abbey on the right. They look different when you have them together. But, sometimes it is hard to tell when they are separate. We have had some trouble identifying pictures. I think they look more similar at some angles.

Sweet Caroline! We took them to the doctor yesterday. Caroline has now surpassed her sister in weight. The doctor was very pleased to see that she is now 6lbs. 4oz, up from her birth weight of 4lbs 13oz.

Precious Abbey! She is gaining weight well, too. Her current weight is 6 lbs 2 oz. It takes her longer to eat, and she doesn't eat as much. Plus, she cries more so that probably expends more energy than her sleeping sister. She is getting better about her sensitivity to too much sensory input, but she still gets overwhelmed more easily.
Can you tell who is who? Abbey is in the hat. Just kidding, that is Caroline.
And, here is the big sister sporting her new dress from Mimi. Isn't she precious? She is really loving her sisters and still wanting to help.
I could write more, but I need to run. They will both be awaking for food in just a few minutes. I need to head them off at the pass. :o)

Some Photos

2008-11-11T17:49:00.006-06:00

Okay, so I didn't get the pictures up yesterday. I am sure it won't be the first time I don't accomplish the thing or things on my to do list. But, I did feed and soothe two babies all day. I'd call that a big accomplishment!

Here are some pictures. I am not thrilled with many of them. The camera flash bothers the girls, who sleep most of the time, so our chances are limited. And, the pictures are out of order, again. I'll get this blog thing down soon.

The following is a picture of both girls at home with us. I am holding Caroline on my right side and Abbey on my left. I know this picture makes it hard to tell how much they do or do not look alike. Sorry, hopefully more to come on that front.

This is a very blurry picture of Abbey. But, I included it, because you can kind of see her cleft palate. It is the darker red part (i.e., hole) in the roof of her mouth. Our first appointment with the ENT from the Cleft Palate team is in mid December. I am sure we will find out more information then.

We were nervous to leave the medical oversight, but so glad to bring our girl home.

Here is a sweet one of Abbey as we were getting ready to leave the hospital. One of the members of our church, Paula McLellan, made the bonnet for Abbey. (She also made one for Caroline.) The girls can take it apart and use it as a handkerchief at their weddings. It will be "something old". Isn't it beautiful?

So, those are the pictures for now. We are getting along okay. Abbey hasn't been taking her full feedings since we came home, but she is better today than yesterday. I think part of it is the transition. Our house is a lot more stimulating than the NICU. She has gained weight, according to the rental scale they sent home with us. So, I am not too worried.

My main concern is that Molly now has the fever that Jack got over and Ed has had a relapse of his cold. Please pray for them and that we can keep the babies fever free. When Jack and Molly were babies, the doctor said that a fever in a less than 3 mth old automatically meant a hospital admission. I don't know if they would be more lenient on us, knowing the fever was from a sibling. I certainly don't want to have to find out.

Thanks again for your interest, encouragement and prayers. The Lord is using them to sustain us during this precious, exhausting time.

We are all home!

2008-11-09T21:48:00.002-06:00

Just a quick note to say that I did get to "room in" with Abbey last night. We did well enough with the feedings for her to come home today. Yippee! Caroline has gotten a bit of the cold the rest of us have had, so we have to keep them apart for a bit longer. I am really hoping that tomorrow I can post some pictures of Abbey's homecoming and of her beautiful face without the tube.

One other exciting thing happened today. Jack lost his first tooth! I will include more about that tomorrow, or whenever I can get the next round of photos up. For now, I need to go get an hour or two of sleep before they eat again.

Thanks for your prayers for the feeding and rooming-in. Please keep them up, as we are still learning and need to make sure we can continue to get Abbey the calories that she needs. Thanks!

Progress

2008-11-07T19:58:00.003-06:00

Abbey has been making some progress with her bottle feeding. She took four full feedings in a row by bottle yesterday evening/night. That is really great for her, as she hasn't been consistent at all before this. The neonatologist said if she continues to take her bottles, then she may be able to go home on Sunday. Unfortunately, she was too tired to take a full bottle from me today at the 12:00 and 4:00 feedings.

If she takes bottles tonight and tomorrow morning, I am going to spend tomorrow night and "room in" with her. I am skeptical that she will be ready for that, but we will see. Please pray that she will at least take one full bottle from me tomorrow, even if she isn't ready to room in.

The last piece of good news is that they removed her nasal gastric tube. They may have to reinsert it, if she continues to be inconsistent. But, it was wonderful to see my sweet girl's face without the tape and tube. I wish I'd had my camera. Maybe tomorrow.

Thanks for keeping up with us.

The Week in Review

2008-11-05T19:50:00.002-06:00

First. let me say that I am sorry the pictures are out of order. I don't really have time to fix it, so it will have to stay this way.

It was great for Jack and Molly to have some normalcy that was unassociated with Caroline and Abbey. For Halloween, Molly dressed as a snow princess. Jack was going to be a Power Ranger, but we couldn't find his pants. So, he just wore the shirt. Costuming just didn't take as high of a priority this year. Ed dressed up and took them down the street.

Thursday night, the night Caroline came home, we were able to carve our Jack-o-Lanterns. The best thing about it was that Jack stuck his hands in the pumpkin and helped clean out the goo. That is amazing progress for our sensory sensitive boy!

Mom had to go back home on Tuesday afternoon. This picture is her last visit with Abbey. Abbey is still in the NICU working on consistently taking a whole bottle. She has done it some, but it is far from consistent.

Caroline came home on last Thursday. You can see that the kids were very interested in checking her out. They have done well welcoming her into our family. Molly is especially interested in helping with all aspects. Unfortunately, we have all passed around a cold. Hence the face masks.
This is the before photo from the day I delivered, or maybe the night before. Keep in mind this was only 34 weeks. I can not imagine going all the way. I am healing well and am sooo glad the girls are outside my body now.
This is right when Caroline came home. Remember that Jack and Molly had not seen her at all until the day before, when they just got a glance through the NICU window. Jack thinks she is so cute and tiny.
Please keep up your encouragement and prayers. We are hanging in there, but I am certainly getting weary. I am trying to enjoy these precious days to the max.

A Quick Update

2008-10-29T20:48:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone. I am sorry that I haven't been in touch since before Abbey and Caroline were born. Things have been very hectic, to say the least. I have been trying to manage eating, resting/healing, visiting the girls in the NICU every four hours and pumping milk for them every 2 to 3 hours. Since I came home yesterday, I have added in spending time with Jack and Molly and traveling back and forth to the hospital. That hasn't left time for me to call you and update you on their births or status since. I really don't have much time now, as I spent the majority of the day at the hospital and am spent. But, I can't stand not touching base.

The current status is that Caroline is doing very well. I asked the doc today about a timetable for length of stay, and she replied that she could come home today. That sent me for a loop, as we were not thinking that she would be coming home so soon. But, the Lord must have known that we couldn't handle that quick of a turnaround. The discharge nurse had almost completed her paperwork and Caroline's heart rate dropped a bit. So, she it there for tonight. They are hoping to send her home tomorrow, maybe on a heart rate monitor. She will breast feed twice a day and then bottle feed a combo of breast milk and formula the other times. They are so young that they only eat every 4 hours at this point, but I still have to pump every 2 to 3.

Abbey is having a harder time. She is having trouble with her sucking. They discovered today, that part of it could be due to the fact that she has a cleft palate. Part of it is she just isn't ready. They did check for heart murmurs, which can accompany clefts, and she is fine in that regard. She will get an ultrasound of her brain tonight to see if there are any problems there. I don't think they suspect anything and this is more of a precaution. I sure hope so. Also, we hope she will be able to bottle and breast feed soon. If so, she won't have to have any surgery until 9 months or so. Because of her trouble feeding, she won't be coming home just yet.

Jack and Molly are doing okay. Molly is missing me a lot, it seems. She told my mom that she needed to leave, because she wanted me and Ed to be here every night and every morning. Jack understands things better, so he is hanging in there. They got to see the girls through the NICU window today for the first time. Until today, they have been hooked up to IVs, so they were tethered. Today, Abbey and Caroline were free to roam. :o)

Ed and I are very tired, as is my mom. It is logistically difficult and fairly draining. Thankfully, the girls are very healthy compared to their friends in the NICU, so it hasn't been too heavy of a burden. Even still, we covet your prayers for health, safety, patience and energy.

Thanks for reading and caring. I hope I can write more later and maybe add a photo. Good night.

Today Is The Day!

2008-10-24T10:58:00.002-05:00

Well, the fluids didn't increase. So, my ob scheduled the C-section for 4:00 CST today. I'm going to try to get a bit of rest right now before we have to report to the hospital. We spent 3 hours there last night, so I didn't get much sleep then. Please pray for all of us. Thanks!

It Could Be Tomorrow

2008-10-23T13:38:00.002-05:00

Well, I went to the ob today for my ultrasound and check-up. The ultrasound technician measured Abbey at 5 lbs. and Caroline at 5 lbs. 6 oz. She even saw hair on Abbey's head. So, those are great weights. Their heart beats are good and their chests are making breathing movements.

The iffy part is that Caroline's amniotic fluid is low. The cut off is 5 and she is in the 4 range. I told both the doc and the ultrasound tech that the past two nights I had thought that I might be leaking fluids, but that it was just a little bit. They couldn't detect any traces of fluid while I was in the office.

My ob gave me two options. One was to go to the hospital and let them monitor me until tomorrow. The other was to come home and monitor myself until tomorrow. If I have any signs of leakage, I am to go to the hospital. I chose this option. Regardless, tomorrow morning, I will have another ultrasound to check the fluid level. If it is still low, I will be admitted to the hospital.

If I am admitted, the ob said she would probably go ahead and do the C-section then. We are still in that bit of gray zone, where it would be better if they stayed inside. But, if the fluid is low, then that isn't good either. Since I had the steroid shots last week and since we are almost out of the gray zone, then the ob thinks delivery would be the best. So, we will see.

I am not sure how I feel about this. I am kind of hoping that we get to see our girls tomorrow, but I am pretty apprehensive about it, too. I am DREADING the operation and concerned about NICU time. But, there is a big part of me that will be sad if I come home tomorrow from the appointment. Ultimately, I am glad that it is in the Lord's hands to increase the fluids or not. I will try to rest in that.

Speaking of rest, I am going to go lay down. I feel some contractions, not unlike the ones I have felt most of the past several weeks. Please pray for us and wisdom for the doctor. Thanks!

Four Hours at Baptist

2008-10-12T17:36:00.002-05:00

I fretted about calling my doctor yesterday from about 10 am until about 3 pm. I woke up for the second day in a row feeling extra tired. The frequency and pain I felt in going to the bathroom seemed a bit more than just pregnancy related. I felt menstrual-like cramps in my lower abdomen, but they were both subtle and inconsistent. So, do I call the doc. on Saturday and risk having to go to the hospital or not? Do I find someone to watch the kids and kill our afternoon just because I was uncomfortable? Do I risk going and being told nothing is really wrong, I'm just pregnant with twins? Do I risk not going and put my girls at risk? Finally, after not being able to nap, I decided to call the OB and like I suspected, she sent me to Baptist Women's Labor and Delivery to be checked out.

They hooked me up in all sort of ways--two baby heart monitors, one contraction monitor, a blood pressure cuff and an iv. It took awhile to locate the contractions on the monitor. All the while I'm thinking, "Ok, so I am just a dork and these pains are not really contractions. I over-reacted and worried too much." Then the RN found them, and indeed they were 5 minutes apart. I couldn't feel all of them, so I wasn't in much discomfort. But, now I was concerned about what this meant. They thought the contractions were due to dehydration. So, they gave me half a bag of fluid. Instead of stopping, the contractions increased to every 4 minutes. They checked my cervix and found it closed. So, that was a huge relief.

Next they put more stock into my urinary complaints. They came back with results from my urinalysis. My doctor said it looked pretty bad and the UTI was most likely what was causing the contractions. So, they gave me a shot of something to stop the contractions. It didn't stop them all the way, so they gave me a second one. That one worked. Unfortunately, a side effect is an increased heart rate and shaking. So, they sent me home shaky with a prescription for an antibiotic and instructions to lay low today. So, I have been laying low.

I felt like it was a great result. I am not a wimpy hypochondriac. My girls are not at danger of coming early, since they discovered and are treating the infection. There is hope that I will feel better than I have once the antibiotic clears up my UTI. So, it was a profitable four hours!

Autumn Has Arrived

2008-10-06T17:50:00.005-05:00

Last week was a fun start to October. Due to my comfort level wandering around in the fields, we decided to use Molly's preschool class' field trip as our annual pumpkin patch trip. It was just a local farmer's patch. There were no hayrides, corn mazes, playgrounds, petting zoos or food for sale. It was just sunshine, dirt, pumpkins and lots of running around. It was great. Plus, we got 2 large pumpkins and 12 fun small pumpkins and gourds for $10. You gotta love Fayette County! Here are a few pictures:

Two days after our pumpkin patch adventure, we got to go to our town's fall festival, Oakland in October. It was another event that made small town life endearing. The local candidates were there in the "political bull-pen"; there was a bluegrass band, complete with our mandolin-playing friend, Harry; the local rescue workers with their trucks open for display; a variety of vendors and some fun things to do for the kids. Molly was brave enough to take a ride on Red the Pony. I think it was her first time on a horse. They both talked Ed into riding the wagon/hay ride. I wish I had gotten a picture of him on it. But, these will have to suffice:

Happy Fall!

Molly's New Look

2008-09-30T16:17:00.005-05:00

You know I usually rest in the same room as Molly to be sure that she doesn't get into any trouble. Well, now that she is four, we have gotten a little looser on things, so Ed was working in the garage while the kids and I were resting in our separate rooms.

Now keep in mind that the guest room, where Molly rests, is a bit of a disaster because of random drawers we are storing in there until we can paint them. Molly decided to check out the content of the drawers...and found some scissors. They were fairly small scissors, easy for a young four year old to use. So, she quietly set about her work and cleaned up the mess afterwards.

When I got up from my rest, I looked at her scrunched on the couch. I thought to myself, "Molly looks like she has bangs. Molly doesn't have bangs. Isn't that something that her hair is tucked just right for me to see what she would look like with bangs and shorter hair?" Silly me. Later, as I went to stroke her nice long locks, it became clear:

Yes, that is seven inches gone! Now the pictures were taken after I removed the three rat tails that she has left in the back. The rest is totally her own work. I must say, she did a pretty decent job. Of course, it was on Sunday afternoon, the day before most salons are closed all day. So, we waited until today to shape things up a bit. Here is her new look:

Rest assured that all the scissors are now hidden.

So, I've Finally Done It!

2008-09-27T09:22:00.001-05:00

Yes, the time has finally come where I have decided to start a blog.

I have been contemplating doing it for a long time. Part of me doesn't want to, because it seems cliche. I don't have time to read all of my friends' blogs, so why add one more to the blogosphere? Then there is the argument that it will really reduce communication between me and my friends. I agree that this will probably be the case for some. And the jury is still out about whether I will really have time to actually post anything.

So, why am I diving in? I really love keeping up on the day to day affairs of friends I have moved away from. I loved being able to get to see and know Becky's baby, KB, before I met her. I love being able to show Jack and Molly pictures of all their St. Louis friends so that the memories don't die. I think it is awesome that we can see pictures of Jessie's new life in Brooklyn so that we can picture her in her goings and comings. It makes me feel connected and a part of their lives.

It makes me sad that our lives are a question mark to so many family and friends. They don't get to see the recent pictures of our kids or hear about our activities. With Abbey and Caroline on the way, it seems even more important. I want our family and friends to know these new additions to our family, even though it may be months or years before they ever meet them. This blog will give anyone who is interested a way to check in with us and our growing family. I hate being separated by the miles and the lack of time to keep up with everyone individually. Hopefully this blog will fill in the gaps.