One of the things I am most thankful for is my musician husband. We play music and sing to our girls all day long...even in the womb they always heard us playing and singing. Consequently, it has turned into something they enjoy doing with us now:)

This week my babies turned 4 months old! Holy cow how does that happen? Everyone told me it would gt easier and my mom would tell me over and over during those first few weeks that these two girls are going to be alot of fun. I have to say that this week was a lot of fun!! We had a few rough days, today being one of them, but it was a good week over all. The girls are very responsive and we can actually play with toys now. The love this litte chain link toy that they open their mouths for everytime I bring it near them. They also love when we read to them. I enjoy reading the bedtime book to them because it reminds this mama that bedtime is coming soon:) The girlies also love their jumparoo which has been a life saver when it comes to trying to straighten up the house.

Here is a picture from this week of me and the girls cooking...which only happens about 3 times a year so we saw it fitting to take a photo of the moment:) I love these girls!

2 months flying by!

Where is the time going? Can't believe our little ladies are two months old! The girls are a little more responsive to us, but we are still so very overwhelmed. We are so grateful to my parents who help us out more than we could have ever asked for. Plus, they get to see their grandbabies every day so its not a bad deal;)

One month down

The girls turned one month old on November 18th. This month has flown by!! We love these little girls!

Week 37

Although most of my pregnancy was rough, we had periods of overwhelming joy that two precious baby girls would be joining our family. At week 33 I went into preterm labor and was put on bed rest. By the time we got to 37 weeks my blood pressure was dangerously high and they decided to start the induction process on October 18 (my due date wasn't until November 10). Below is the last belly picture we took. We had gone to the hospital at 7pm for a non stress test and they decided then they would induce me the next day. We hadn't had dinner and we didn't have our bags so at 11pm they sent us home to get our bags and get something to eat. My last meal was buffalo cheese fries and I did not regret it! While we ate our last meal together as just the two of us I was a total mess thinking how excited, scared and nervous we were to bring these girlies home. We prayed so hard for a safe delivery and it was at that moment I felt complete peace about the whole process that was going to take place the next morning.

Holy cow i was huge!! I really don't remember being this big...although I have beautiful stretch marks now to prove it. 

Weeks 13-35

Now that the days of having a big belly, weird food cravings, 24/7 nausea, the phrase "wow due any day?" when I was 30 weeks pregnant, and complete exhaustion are over I kind of miss being pregant. It was no where near as glamourous as I had hoped, but my babies were well taken care of in there. They didnt cry, they didnt need me in the way they do now, it was the best home for them at that time (and I could literally lay in bed all day with no one needing my attention). Here are some memorable pictures from my pregnancy:

    

Weeks 2-12

I wanted to keep a journal of my pregnancy as it has been everything but what I expected. The first trimester brought many trials as I was literally sick every.single. day. It was almost torture. I was so depressed and sad as my hormones were on a roller coaster ride. I lived from day to day hoping and praying I would wake up feeling better than the day before. We took a few trips to the ER because I was so dehydrated from puking my guts out!it was during that first ER trip that we found out we were having twins! We got home that night and Nate wept with joy at the awesome blessing the Lord gave us. (I still needed some time to process at this point!!)

 I searched scripture, listened to music and read blogs to find some peace about my situation. I felt like no one understood. It was beyond morning sickness...there was no going to work or even lifting my head off the pillows. Spiritually, it was a dark time for me as I just couldn't understand what the Lord was doing. He gave us the desire for a child, but yet there was no joy. I remember some desperate prayers asking the Lord to take my child because I was so sick. At the same time, I had never felt so close to Jesus. He was all I had. I wrestled with my thoughts and desires throughout the day, but ultimately I found peace in Psalm 62:5-8 and a song "My Hope is Built."

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

 my hope comes from him. 

He alone is my rock and my salvation; 

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 

My salvation and my honor depend on God; 

he is my mighty rock, my refuge. 

Trust in him at all times, O people; 

pour out your hearts to him,for God is our refuge. "Selah" 

Thankfully, I turned the corner at the end of this first trimester. However, I wasn't out of the woods. During this time, Nate was (and still is!) incredible. He would take care of our business, my students and me. Every night he would come home to a wife hardly able to hold herself together. He loved me well through those depressed weeks.

This is a picture from our 9 week ultrasound...already the cutest babies Ive ever seen:)