Psalm 20:7
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
I am thinking I need to have a little meeting with Pastor George to discuss his decision to do these sermon series on trust. Last year in February, he decided to do the first series on putting your trust wholeheartedly in God. Learned some really valuable things and then got laid off. An immediate test of the lessons I was learning in trust. Lessons I thought I learned well and God's faithfulness was immediately shown in our lives as I found another job without a day of missed income. Now 2010, for whatever reason, we are revisiting the series on trust from last year with some new wrinkles this year. Couldn't we have a sermon series on blessings or heaven or maybe stewardship? Surely I have lessons to learn in those areas. Instead, we are back on trust, and again God is finding valuable lessons to teach us. A few weeks ago we had the vasa previa to worry about, followed by that being ok, but finding our baby girl had a 2 vessel cord and some more things to be concerned about. But through this we have really committed to releasing our worries and knowing that we are in the hands of our merciful, perfect creator, and honestly, it has not been a mental burden. Lesson learned, lesson applied.
Enter 1/27/10.
Yesterday, Meg had a fairly busy day between a luxuriuos morning-long meeting, some leisurely grocery shopping, and a priceless evening-filling baby class to teach at the hospital. She let me know early afternoon that she thought she might be having contractions. Hmm, 24 weeks along. She wasn't really sure because she doesn't know what the different things she feels are exactly. So, after finishing up her class about 9:00 last night she checks in with the labor and delivery folks to say she thinks she might be having contractions, could we please check? They stick her on the monitor for a bit and sure enough, pre term labor contractions, 2-3 minutes apart. They give her water, rest, and monitor for a bit to see if they will relax. They do not, so they move on to medication to help stop the contractions. I came over from home with some dinner for her, expecting that we calm the contractions and go back home, a little frightened, but armed with knowledge for the future. Here's where the real fun started.
About 20 or so minutes after the contraction-stopping meds Meg started feeling a little light headed. Thinking it was from not eating for 8 or so hours we got her some juice and heated up that dinner I brought. I came back from the microwave to our friendly L&D nurse back in the room working on the monitor and Meg looking pretty pale and a little worried. Soon, the L&D nurse starts working hurriedly to get the baby back on the monitor. Suddenly, she hits the call button, calls for help and things go south. They can't find a babies heartbeat. Meg now has 3 nurses and a doc hooking her up to an IV, oxygen, bp, and bringing in an ultrasound machine. They take off the monitor and are sitting, waiting, for this ultrasound machine to boot up. In what seemed to be an eternity, but was probably about a min it finally starts up and they start checking our little babies. Baby A, Benjamin, is found immediately and we see a strong heartbeat and all looks well. Moving on to our little girl they are moving over her spine, looking for her heart. They find her heart, but I don't see anything moving. Meg is watching the same thing and equally becoming extremely worried, but with her medical knowledge she is anticipating the next step. In perhaps a move of unmeditated graciousness, she asks me to call my mom and get her down to the hospital. (my mom is the manager of the post partum unit at the hospital, and her caring nurse abilities remain quite intact. she can also be quite good at being a go between with the staff for us). I step out of the room in a panic to call her. Breath.
I head back into the room to find the doctor with the ultrasound going still, but our baby girl's heart has resumed normal function.
The doctor finishes up and takes a minute to assure us all is back to normal, we had quite the scare for a minute, but all is looking good again. In that moment of panic, Meg knew that if they could not quickly normalize or see that heart beating it was proceeding toward an emergency C section to try to save our girls life. Thankfully, thankfully, thankfully our girl's heart picked back up.
They decided to have Meg stay the night so they could continue to monitor her and make sure the babies remained ok. And, as the doctor stated, the scare with the heartbeat also appeared to scare away the contractions as those had ceased during that time. They also gave her a steroid shot to boost the babies lungs development as a safety precaution if anything further were to happen. And finally, around 2:00 they wanted her to get some sleep so my mom and I went home. All remained stable through the night and she was able to come home shortly after 6:00 to rest at home.
Enter 1/28/10
Meg is at home resting, I am at work, the babies continue to develop, and the Lord remains faithful. If you have really read to this point, you might be crazy, but I also know you care about us. We appreciate your care and ask again that you meet us in prayer. We pray that our little growing babies would continue to grow, inside the womb preferably. We pray that the complications would be minimal and that Meg is able to stay at home as much as possible. We pray that we would be able to wholeheartedly put our trust in God and know that he is faithful. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and your support for us.
Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Revelations
This week has been a baby revelation week. Things I may have learned this week follow below. Whether I have learned them or not is in question because if I didn't know them before this week am I sure I know them now?
1. A doctor's appointment for one issue can quickly become an entirely different matter quickly. A correctly located placenta could also mean that your baby girl has a 2 blood vessel umbilical cord. How the third vessel disapeared in a week is still a revelation I have to learn.
2. The smallest things in an ultrasound picture can knock you out. For some reason seeing ribs and a spine clearly in an ultrasounds picture gives me a shock of joy. Maybe it is because they lend strength or credibility to the face and body you see. Either way I like my babies ribs.
3. Preparing for children involves a lot of planning. While I knew there was a lot of planning, I was not planning on this level of planning. The remodel on our loft has completed it's transformation into our nursery, but now we have to get it painted, which means picking colors, patterns, etc. Then we have to get the closet setup, furniture built and in the room, a new lamp, and on and on.
4. On the same note of planning, picking baby furniture is entirely too involved. Having to pick what crib/bed your new child will like from birth to 18+ is an unnecessary challenge. Meg and I spent 2 hours debating what crib we wanted to get because we wanted our 11 year old to be happy 11 years from now. At one point Meg said why can't we just ask them what they like?
5. Babies R Us is a cool store....until you need it for yourself. I had multiple opportunites to visit the store when shopping for registry gifts for others in the past few years and at the time I enjoyed the purpose of the store. After yesterday I am pretty sure the store is actually a torture device designed to make parents heads explode. The plethora of choices you have for any given item is just unnatural and incredibly overwhelming. Somehow, though, they still manage to condense your 8 million choices into green, pink, and blue.
Enough complaining, let's get to some more ultrasound pictures!
Little Benjamin has a beaming little face he likes to show off.
We also get a cute picture of his hand.
Next our little girl provides us with a nice profile shot.
And finally for now, we have our baby girl's foot.
1. A doctor's appointment for one issue can quickly become an entirely different matter quickly. A correctly located placenta could also mean that your baby girl has a 2 blood vessel umbilical cord. How the third vessel disapeared in a week is still a revelation I have to learn.
2. The smallest things in an ultrasound picture can knock you out. For some reason seeing ribs and a spine clearly in an ultrasounds picture gives me a shock of joy. Maybe it is because they lend strength or credibility to the face and body you see. Either way I like my babies ribs.
3. Preparing for children involves a lot of planning. While I knew there was a lot of planning, I was not planning on this level of planning. The remodel on our loft has completed it's transformation into our nursery, but now we have to get it painted, which means picking colors, patterns, etc. Then we have to get the closet setup, furniture built and in the room, a new lamp, and on and on.
4. On the same note of planning, picking baby furniture is entirely too involved. Having to pick what crib/bed your new child will like from birth to 18+ is an unnecessary challenge. Meg and I spent 2 hours debating what crib we wanted to get because we wanted our 11 year old to be happy 11 years from now. At one point Meg said why can't we just ask them what they like?
5. Babies R Us is a cool store....until you need it for yourself. I had multiple opportunites to visit the store when shopping for registry gifts for others in the past few years and at the time I enjoyed the purpose of the store. After yesterday I am pretty sure the store is actually a torture device designed to make parents heads explode. The plethora of choices you have for any given item is just unnatural and incredibly overwhelming. Somehow, though, they still manage to condense your 8 million choices into green, pink, and blue.
Enough complaining, let's get to some more ultrasound pictures!
Little Benjamin has a beaming little face he likes to show off.
We also get a cute picture of his hand.
Next our little girl provides us with a nice profile shot.
And finally for now, we have our baby girl's foot.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Quick update for tonight. Meg had an appointment today with a second doctor to check if a condition called vasa previa was present. It's a condition where blood vessels from the placenta cross the cervix and can cause serious complications. If it had been present it would have meant that Megan would have had to start modified bedrest including no more working. Fortunately, it is not present and all appears normal.
At the same appointment they did find that our baby girl has a 2 blood vessel umbilical cord instead of the normal three. There are several things that this could mean, but it is just as likely that it will mean nothing. One of the most common issues it could be is a reduction in the babies development, but at this point all is normal and our girl is growing at the same rate as our boy. Both babies weigh 1 pound as of today.
While this news is concerning, we are putting our focus on prayer and trusting God. There is nothing either of us can do to change the situation, but our babies life began and will continue to rest in the hands of an awesome, sovereign God. I know even now he has a perfect plan for her and has designed every detail of her tiny body. We are offering our own worry and also the life of our little girl at the feet of God that He may carry us all through this. We would ask that all of our family and friends join us in prayer.
Perhaps God has found that my faith is just needing some more exercise.
In more lighthearted news, we received a bunch of new ultrasound pictures and some of them are actually good this time. I will work on getting those scanned and uploaded to share in the coming days. Also on the exciting front it appears that our room remodel is nearly complete so that painting and other preparations can begin.
At the same appointment they did find that our baby girl has a 2 blood vessel umbilical cord instead of the normal three. There are several things that this could mean, but it is just as likely that it will mean nothing. One of the most common issues it could be is a reduction in the babies development, but at this point all is normal and our girl is growing at the same rate as our boy. Both babies weigh 1 pound as of today.
While this news is concerning, we are putting our focus on prayer and trusting God. There is nothing either of us can do to change the situation, but our babies life began and will continue to rest in the hands of an awesome, sovereign God. I know even now he has a perfect plan for her and has designed every detail of her tiny body. We are offering our own worry and also the life of our little girl at the feet of God that He may carry us all through this. We would ask that all of our family and friends join us in prayer.
Perhaps God has found that my faith is just needing some more exercise.
In more lighthearted news, we received a bunch of new ultrasound pictures and some of them are actually good this time. I will work on getting those scanned and uploaded to share in the coming days. Also on the exciting front it appears that our room remodel is nearly complete so that painting and other preparations can begin.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The belly
We have been taking profile pictures of Meg at intervals throughout the pregnancy to follow her changing girth. Yeah, I said girth.
Meg has agreed to let a few select photos be shown as she is quite modest and even a little belly nudity is risque.
The transformation her body has undergone in only 22 weeks is breathtaking. While having your body grow so quickly cannot be a comfortable or esteem-building occurence, she has truly grown in beauty and is showing a motherly love in her everyday composure even now. God has gifted women with amazingly designed bodies that change their very physiology to support the new life growing inside. For better or worse it doesn't even matter if you care, you're basically along for the ride. Watching a developing pregnant wife is really an excercise in faith building.
Picture 1 is Megan at 5 weeks into the pregnancy looking fit and trim.
Next we have a short 14 weeks later bringing us to 19 weeks. Quite the bump a growin.
Finally, we have Christmas and a couple pics of a beaming mother 1 year from Christmas with kids. Only 20 weeks in at this point.
Even now, as I sit here blogging away, Meg is behind me reading Parade and watching one of them do somersaults against her belly button.
Meg has agreed to let a few select photos be shown as she is quite modest and even a little belly nudity is risque.
The transformation her body has undergone in only 22 weeks is breathtaking. While having your body grow so quickly cannot be a comfortable or esteem-building occurence, she has truly grown in beauty and is showing a motherly love in her everyday composure even now. God has gifted women with amazingly designed bodies that change their very physiology to support the new life growing inside. For better or worse it doesn't even matter if you care, you're basically along for the ride. Watching a developing pregnant wife is really an excercise in faith building.
Picture 1 is Megan at 5 weeks into the pregnancy looking fit and trim.
Next we have a short 14 weeks later bringing us to 19 weeks. Quite the bump a growin.
Finally, we have Christmas and a couple pics of a beaming mother 1 year from Christmas with kids. Only 20 weeks in at this point.
Even now, as I sit here blogging away, Meg is behind me reading Parade and watching one of them do somersaults against her belly button.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Naming
I never would have guessed that picking names would be so difficult. We had our boys name picked out before we were even engaged, so how hard could a girl's name be? We have looked through three websites of girls name, mulled over own ideas, and have finally purchased a book of names. I am really considering having a list of names and picking a name after the birth of our daughter that fits her. As for the boy, he is just going to have to fit the name Benjamin Thomas.
I think a name is an important thing. They have meaning and depth. Benjamin means "son of my right hand" and biblically means "mighty". Thomas is in honor of family on both sides. My great-grandmother's last name is Thomas and Megan's grandfather's name was Thomas.
Benjamin Thomas sounds promising too. Scott thinks it sounds presidential. Hopefully we can attain such heights with our girl's name.
- side note. Ideas for our girls name are welcomed, but I can't promise they will be even considered. :)
Dad likes Rachel and has promised to buy our girl a car if she is named Rachel. Competing bribes are also welcomed.
I think a name is an important thing. They have meaning and depth. Benjamin means "son of my right hand" and biblically means "mighty". Thomas is in honor of family on both sides. My great-grandmother's last name is Thomas and Megan's grandfather's name was Thomas.
Benjamin Thomas sounds promising too. Scott thinks it sounds presidential. Hopefully we can attain such heights with our girl's name.
- side note. Ideas for our girls name are welcomed, but I can't promise they will be even considered. :)
Dad likes Rachel and has promised to buy our girl a car if she is named Rachel. Competing bribes are also welcomed.
16 weeks and on we go
Our ultrasound at 15 weeks was a special experience. Not only are our little babies growing at a breathtaking pace, but we had the great pleasure of finding out we are having a boy and a girl. Megan and I have always wanted two children and of course have wanted one boy and one girl. Somehow, knowing that we were having twins also felt like it would be 2 boys or 2 girls. While we would have been grateful no matter what we were having, we feel blessed to be able to have a boy and a girl to complete our family.
This first picture was as soon as the ultrasound started. Both babies were on the same plane and both looked like they were waving at us as they have their hands up by their faces. This was very funny to me.
This first picture was as soon as the ultrasound started. Both babies were on the same plane and both looked like they were waving at us as they have their hands up by their faces. This was very funny to me.
This is a picture our little girl's hand. It would appear she is asking to be taken out already....maybe because the boy keeps kicking her.
Individual profiles for boy and girl. For future reference baby A is our boy and baby B is our girl.
First pictures of our twins
A compilation of pictures from our first three ultrasounds.
Only two weeks later we get another preview. Now 11 weeks, they are starting to look like what you expect. In only one month they have gone from little specks to a recongnizable form. The process of growth that they go through is fascinating to watch.
What small beginnings at 7 weeks. We also found out at this appointment that we were having twins for sure. Seeing this on the display monitor I immediately knew we were having two babies and we both had a wave of emotion.
We next get a peek at our babies at 9 weeks. At this point they only look semi-human. Not surprising coming from me.
Only two weeks later we get another preview. Now 11 weeks, they are starting to look like what you expect. In only one month they have gone from little specks to a recongnizable form. The process of growth that they go through is fascinating to watch.
Really?...Blogging
So, I've given in and decided I would like to give the same peek into our family that I have enjoyed from our friends. I, however, am not gifted with the creative literations of others and will likely be a boring read. But, you should enjoy the pictures!
Meg and I will try to update this blog with pictures of our about-to-double-in-size family and short quips of the fun (read difficulties) we are having raising twins.
I hope you all enjoy!
Meg and I will try to update this blog with pictures of our about-to-double-in-size family and short quips of the fun (read difficulties) we are having raising twins.
I hope you all enjoy!
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