But that's not the point of this blog entry. This is:
YES! It's TWINS! They are due April 24, 2009. My doctor doesn't expect them to make it much passed 37 or 38 weeks though, so we are looking at early to mid-April to welcome these babies!I think the great philosopher, Popeye captured my thoughts best when he said "Well blow me down!".
So here is the story.
Monday, September 8, Joseph and I went for the routine 8-week ultrasound. Glancing at the screen, I saw the blinking light of the baby's heart beat! So exciting! Then the wand moved a little and I saw an identical blinking light just to the left of the first one.
I asked "What is that? Is that my artery or something?" I knew perfectly well what it was, but I was unable to imagine it was true. The technician kept her poker face and invited an additional person in to get a second opinion. The second technician confirmed what we thought but could not believe. We are having twins!
Tears in my eyes, joyful of course, I turned to look at Joseph. His mouth was wide open, his head shaking slowly from side to side. We were in SHOCK!
The next several days were a haze of calling and rejoicing with friends and family. My dad, who is an identical twin, was giddy! He had called it! My mom had also been pulling for twins so, of course, she was thrilled.
I think we are still walking around shaking our heads, unable to fathom what we are in for, but what a blessing!
WOW.
Well then, of course, an ugly little bug called Fear immediately tried to sneak in, as it does often in attempt to spoil wonderful things. My thoughts flitted between a friend who had miscarried a twin, to the story of a twin mom who was on bed rest for weeks, to my own father who was born 6 weeks early and faced medical issues as a baby. Thankfully, my doctor gave me great advice in the midst of this. He said "Let's not borrow from tomorrow. I'll worry about the 'what-ifs' and in the moments like this one where everything looks great, you rejoice!"
I thank God everyday for doctors who love Him!
In a quieter moment, my thoughts also brought me back to April, 2008. We had a conference at church that taught about how God uses words of encouragement given to his saints to lift up the Body of Christ. The "freaky-Jesus" term is prophecy. Well, at this conference we learned that anyone can be used to encourage the Body, so we were instructed to "pair off" with someone we didn't know at all and pray that God would reveal some sort of specific encouragement for that person.
The lady who was my partner got a "word" almost immediately. She told me "I see a full womb! A womb that is irrevocably full". I was not pregnant at the time, but knew that we wanted to expand our family soon, so I thanked her for sharing and just "stuck it in my pocket" as the saying goes.
I think of the significance of it now. A FULL womb. Whew, she wasn't kidding! And "irrevocably full" nonetheless. I have no choice in that "word" but to dismiss the fear the Enemy tries to insert! My God encouraged me 4 months before I knew I was pregnant for a time that he knew full well about. Oh how He loves us!
And one more thing. The encouraging word was given to me in April the very same month the babies are due. What a promise! I am claiming it in the Name of the LORD!
So, surprise! Here's to the next 18 years. I think I need a nap!
