22 weeks (a little late)

Things are still going great!  My doctor's appointments have been totally normal.  My cervix is in good shape.  Babies are moving around all the time.  I am still feeling pretty normal and having plenty of energy.  Here is a picture of me and also a few from some photobooth fun we had today.

22 weeks! I wonder when people will start asking if "the baby" is due soon.

Sophie and mom.  She is going through a really affectionate loving mommy stage.  I love it.

Sophie is getting so old!  What a pretty little girl she is.

Sally likes to smile as BIG as she possibly can, which sometimes ends in this funny expression.  She is too cute these days.

And the twins are GIRLS!

In honor of our twin GIRLS, I am writing this post in pink!  Sorry if it is hard on your eyes! We are so excited to be having more girls!   I was hoping for girls anyway, and Ryan was just as happy either way.  I was planning on waiting until Wednesday to share, but Ryan accidentally spilled the beans too soon on fb, so I decided to go ahead and share as well.

It is funny--most people's reaction is, "Aww, I bet you were hoping for boys."  Quite the contrary!  I am sure boys are awesome, but I think that God gives you whatever He gives you for a reason.  He thinks we would be great parents to two more girls, and he has also given me a desire for them!  How perfect.  People especially assume that Ryan was hoping for boys, but not all guys have a strong desire to have boys.   Ryan said he would like to see what boys are like, but he knows he loves girls and that he will love having more of them.

My ultrasound was totally normal.  Both babies are growing right on target for their due date.  Baby A is 12 oz. and Baby B is 11 oz.  Baby A is head down right now, and Baby B is the opposite.  In all the pictures of them, we kept seeing the other little one's feet kicking around by her sister's head.  We are so thankful for a healthy pregnancy so far and healthy babies.

20 weeks!

I am 20 weeks today, and I certainly look it (at least 20 weeks anyway).  We go to the doctor tomorrow for our sonogram that will confirm the gender.  I am really excited!  I am still feeling good.  I am currently working 4 shifts a week, and that is pretty much all I can handle.  I think I will be cutting back soon for sure.  I have started to feel movement more frequently.  It is just crazy to think there are TWO in there!  I can remember exactly how Sophie looked when she was born at 25 weeks.  When I get that far in this pregnancy, it will be crazy to imagine two little newborn premature Sophies inside me.  I have been reading lots of articles lately on the Kermit Gosnell trial and just abortion in general, and it baffles me to think that some people don't consider babies at this age real people!  If anyone spent a few weeks in the NICU watching those amazing babies grow and develop, their minds would have to be changed.  Here is a picture of me now.  We will share the gender later this week!

In other news, poor Sally broke her leg yesterday.  Ironically, it was the same situation as Sophie.  She just slipped on a piece of fabric (a flag) on the floor and fell.  She didn't even hit anything around her.  I am glad (sort of) that we have experienced this before, b/c I am not sure if we would have taken her in except that she was acting just like Sophie did when she broke her leg.  We just didn't imagine she broke anything b/c her fall seemed so normal.  However, the doctor showed us the x-ray, calling it a "major break."  And it definitely looked worse than Sophie's break.  The fracture went all the way through the bone and was in a couple of places.  I am just heartbroken for her!  She had the worst night ever last night.  She didn't sleep more than 3 hrs. total b/c she kept crying in pain!  We were giving her tylenol, but the doctor hadn't prescribed anything for her.  I was getting really mad at that doctor as the night went on!  I mean, who doesn't prescribe something stronger just in case it is needed?  Especially for a 2 year old!  We called back today and got her some tylenol with codeine, and it seems to be working better.  She keeps wanting to get down from the chair or couch, but then cries sadly, "I can't walk!"   It is so sad.  I can't believe this happened to both girls.  Sophie back in November, and now Sally!  What are the chances!?  Please keep her in your prayers over the next few days.

Sophie and Sally on Easter

Here are some pictures for grandparents to enjoy.  The girls got two sets of Easter dresses this year!  They looked adorable in both.  Happy (late) Easter!

Pregnancy Update: 18 weeks

Things are coming right along!  I am definitely growing.  I have gained around 8 pounds so far. Today at the doctor's office, he told me I am measuring a month ahead of my actual gestational age.  However, when he measured me, he said, "Perfect!"  I asked if my measurements were good, bad, or normal for twin pregnancies.  He said both normal and bad!  Haha!  He didn't mean bad as in dangerous, per se.  He just meant I will be that much more uncomfortable that much sooner.  Actually he told me these next 2 weeks would be my last good ones, as in comfortable.  He said he was exaggerating slightly, but not too much.  I kind of believe him though, since I am already feeling uncomfortable doing normal activities: bending, walking a lot, lifting my legs to get in and out of bed (having a lot of stretching and tendon pain).  He also said, "No amount of rest you take should be considered laziness.  In fact, you should rest more than you think you need to."  I do feel very worn out after a good amount of activity, and I take resting very seriously!  Anyone who knows me knows I love naps!

The babies are both growing well, and we will find out in two weeks their gender for sure and their exact measurements.  I have been praying they would both grow well and at the same rate.  We are going to have a gender reveal cake the Wednesday after that appt. to announce to our small group what the babies are, so I will do a post that night or the next day to announce it here.

My energy levels are still up, for the most part.  Like I said, I do get tired kind of quickly though.  I had some weird spurt of energy (early nesting?) last week and went on a cleaning rampage.  I did probably 10 loads of laundry in a couple of days (this includes folding and putting away), which is a true miracle for me.  I also scoured the bathroom tub.  These two chores are my least favorite, and I don't do them nearly as well or often as I should.  Something compelled me though, and I felt like I had conquered the world!  It motivated me to do all kinds of other tasks afterwards.

Pregnancy Update: 16 weeks

I am 16 weeks today!  You can definitely see a bump now.  I have felt some movement too, which is fun.  I know what it felt like with one moving around in there, but I can't imagine what it will be like with 2 as they grow more and more.  My fatigue is lessening, which is GREAT! I actually have the energy to play with the girls and clean, although I do still take a nap every once in a while.  Unless I am wearing more fitted clothes, I think it is still pretty hard for a stranger to tell if I am pregnant or just a little chubby in the mid-section.  I haven't had such specific food cravings over the last few weeks as I did in the beginning, but generally still eat a lot of fruit and protein.  I am really excited about my doctor appointment tomorrow.  The doctor is doing a sonogram, and he told me he would tell us the gender if he is able.  Hoping he can, and hoping it is correct!  Ha!

Homosexuality and Marriage. . . my perspective

I know that today is a big day in the courts for the topic of equality in marriage for non-traditional couples.  However,  I have actually spent a lot of time over the past year thinking about homosexuality in general and what the Bible really says about it.  I have always been taught that homosexuality is wrong, and I have always believed it based on what I have read in the Bible.  However, I think it is good sometimes to take a step back from the beliefs we take for granted and to ask ourselves, "If I were to pursue this issue from a completely blank slate, what would I think about it?"  So, I began to ask myself, "What do all the Christians who believe homosexuality is sanctioned in the Bible have to say about it?"  I pondered.  I read.  I prayed.  I talked to others.  I realized along the way that one of the motivating sources for me in this pursuit was that I do not want to be closed-minded (or maybe more importantly, be seen as closed-minded).  I think that the idea of closed-mindedness is one that is particularly looked down upon in current culture.  I wanted to be open and accepting to others' ideas and ways of thinking about things.  So, I tried to entertain the thoughts on homosexuality and the teachings of Christianity being reconcilable.  Long story short, I ultimately realized that as much as I want to be open-minded, I just can't ignore some of the things the Bible has to say, and I feel that I was really seeking God's voice in this.  I couldn't ignore his voice, above all things.  As much as I wish there was a way to make homosexuality okay in regards to the teachings of the Bible, I just can't find truth there. 

That being said, you would think that I would then be opposed to the legalization of same-sex marriage.  However, quite the opposite is true.  The argument for the conservative Christian view is generally that it violates the structure of what God intended marriage to be: that it was made for one man and one woman.  Anything else is an abomination.  However, let's consider what our country's secular view of marriage is, even if only the traditional union of a male and female.  You need look no further than Hollywood or even your non-christian co-workers/friends to get an idea of what marriage means today (here are only a few):

Marriage should make you happy.  If it doesn't make you happy, you should find something else that will.  (Eat, pray, love)

You know you should get married when you have never felt this way about someone before.  This person fills you with joy.  Your feelings are trustworthy, and will always give you direction as to how you should pursue a relationship.

Marriage is part of the American dream.  If you're not married, something might be wrong with you.  Why does no one want you?  You must make yourself as attractive and available as possible so that someone will want to marry you.

It's okay to keep some things from your spouse.  If you cheat on them, and they never find out and you are really sorry, it's okay not to tell them.  What they don't know won't hurt them.

The most important part of marriage is how you portray yourselves as a couple to the world.  If you have enough money, are attractive, and have beautiful children, that will all be more important than your actual relationship with your spouse.

I could go on and on about how our society's view of marriage is skewed.  But here is the core idea:  marriage is actually a very selfish act if you have not first found a right relationship with Jesus Christ.  ONLY He can fill you.  If you seek to fill yourself with another person and how they make you feel, you will be sorely disappointed.  It is no different than seeking happiness in a drug or success in a job or your favorite activity.  So the core issue here is not, "Are you marrying someone of your same gender or of the opposite sex?"  But rather, "Have you entered into a relationship with Christ?"  Only those who know Christ will be able to pursue a marriage relationship that is truly what God intended.  He intended marriage to show us more of what our relationship is to Christ.  He intended marriage to teach us how to serve one another.  I think he also delights in the joy we find in another human being.  However, I think the ultimate purpose of marriage is to make us more Christ-like.  After all, that is the goal of every obstacle or situation we face in life as a Christian.

So, rather than being concerned that this bill will pass and that the state of marriage will slip into a deep moral depression in our country, I think we should be grieved that it already has!  A poor conception of marriage has long since been used by Satan to wreak havoc in peoples' lives.   Regardless of what our country chooses to legally recognize as a marriage, people who do not know Christ will ALWAYS enter into it with a poor understanding of what its true purpose is, whether or not they are gay. 

I feel like most Christians just feel that "this is not right!"  Marriage is between a man and a woman!  How can you allow it to be otherwise!  However, the simple union of a man and a woman hardly can be counted as a true Christian understanding of marriage.  It is so much more.  Our first concern should be peoples' hearts.   The legalization of gay marriage does nothing to change how I will love, pray for, and reach out to all my friends who do not know Jesus.