Jesus and Josh

The number one question I get asked these days is..."How do you do it with twins?" And my answer is JESUS and JOSH. Yes, twins is more work and has it's unique challenges, however, I can honestly say that it is really is a double blessing. Today I was just holding Caleb and Hudson in my lap while they were just smiling and cueing at me. It was almost like a competition between the boys to see who could flirt with mommy the best. I JUST LOVE IT!! As much as I love the babies I think it would be very difficult to enjoy them if I didn't have Jesus and Josh in my life.

I've been a believer in Christ now for 12 years and married to Josh for 5. Josh and I actually celebrated our 5 year anniversary on Friday night! I know there are many great husbands out there and Josh is one of them. When he is on the way home from work he will call and say..."I'm on the way home and I'll help you in anyway you need it as soon as I get there". Then he walks in the door and says.."Put me to work". He just jumps in it with me and we are doing this thing together. He doesn't always ask me how to help.... he just does what he see's needs to be done. Like when he opens the dishwasher and realizes that it's full of clean dishes. He will just unload it. Or if the trash is full he takes it out AND puts a new bag in there. If he picks up a baby and it's diaper is full...he changes it. He helps me cook and clean up after dinner. And after being on bed rest for 10 weeks he finally figured out how to put his dirty clothes in the hamper!! He sees the needs of our family and he meets the need.

The twins are still not sleeping through the night and he helps me with that. Every other night he takes on the "night shift". I will wake and pump for the feeding and he will give them a bottle. And believe it or not.... He does it all with out COMPLAINING!! Raising twins and a toddler is honestly not the easiest thing we've ever done but you would never know it. The man doesn't know how to complain! ( I hope our kids will take after him.) Josh truly dies to self and seeks to serve me and the kids in any way he can. He is sooooo selfless!!! I JUST LOVE THE MAN!!

So where does he get that from? I believe the answer is Jesus. Josh is a man who loves the Lord and desires to be more like Him. He is such an example of Christ to me and our children. Without the Lord in our lives I have NO idea how this would work. I would probably be on zoloft and pulling my hair out. The Lord gives me the strength I need for each day. He reminds me in His word and through the encouragement of others to give myself grace. He has taught me to die to self. So what if my toe nails look a mess and a shower or shaving my legs is as rare as the Clemson TIgers winning the National Championship. This season of life is crazy for sure but the kids are a gift from the Lord and I cherish that gift. I know the Lord used my near death experience in my life to really show me this. I am soo thankful to be here and to be the one taking care of my kids and be a wife to Josh. God is good and is carrying me through this season of life.

If you think I'm speaking greek then maybe you have never experienced freedom in Christ. There is no greater decision I have made than to become a Christ follower. Not just a person who attends church on Sunday and claims to be a Christian because I was raised in the south and that's what we all are right? Nope! You must make a decision to to accept Christ as your savior and let your old self die and be made new in Christ. I once was a sinner in need of a savior. Now I'm a sinner who has a savior and has a hope in Christ that one day I'll spend eternity with Him in heaven.

The first time I attended church after the twins were born we sang the song Amazing Grace. The lyrics "His Word my hope secures" really defines where I am. As I am coming out of processing a near death experience and raising twins it is His word that gives me hope and security. Life is going to throw me curve balls...YES! Do I have days where I think twins is incredibly difficult...YES! But in the Bible I find guidence, grace, and goodness. I am so thankful for my heavenly father and the amazing husband He has given me.

I once was lost but now I am found.....Was blind but now I see... Are you found?

Below is a picture of Halloween. Ivy was Arial and she brought along her friend Sebastian and Flounder.

God's Provision on Delivery Day

We are so happy that the boys are finally here! They are so sweet and healthy! However, the day of delivery was quite a scare as most of you already know. It is nothing short of a miracle that I'm still here. It's been two weeks today and I decided that the best thing was to just blog about the story of what happened that day.

The morning of the c-section my platelets were low and I had pre-eclampsia. I started receiving steroid shots 2 days prior to delivery to boost the platelets but it was unsuccessful and was looking like they would have to knock me out for delivery. However, the anaesthesiologist did allow me to stay conscious for the c-section so I was able to meet the boys once they arrived. Below is a pic of their first few mins of life!

After getting the little boogers out we went to the recovery room. We thought everything was fine. I smiled for my first picture holding the twins. We sent the picture below out to family and friends and told them everything was ok and baby and mom were healthy. But shortly after sending the message circumstances changed.

The recovery nurse called my doctor (Dr. Roger Gower from Greenville OB) because I was bleeding too much. She tried to knead my stomach to make my uterus contract but it was unsuccessful. I remember fading in and out while all of this was going on. The doctor came and agreed that I was losing too much blood so he recommended putting a balloon in my uterus to stop it. So, they wheeled me into the operating room again. I think it worked for a little bit at first but then they decided it needed to be blown up more b/c the bleeding was still excessive.

Dr. Gower finally said that the balloon was not enough and I needed to have a hysterectomy. He asked for my consent and I willingly gave it. What was my choice? I wanted to survive this thing and wanted him to do whatever it took. I barely remember this conversation and was still going in and out. That was probably the last conversation I remember until midnight.

There was a little bit of a hold-up before going into the operating room b/c they were waiting on a decision to be made of where to do the operation. My anaesthesiologist made the call to leave the OBGYN OR and head downstairs to another surgery floor. We were told later that the decision to move floors ended up being a decision that was critical to my outcome. Once we made it downstairs an excellent medical team filled the room. I remember one nurse looking me in the eye and saying.."Girl you are gonna make it..we WILL take care of you!" I remember thinking..."Is this serious?"

So they began the hysterectomy (only taking my uterus) but my low platelets did not help the situation. I lost so much blood that I pretty much had a total blood transfusion by the end of the day receiving 16 units of blood.  They determined I was DIC which means a patient does not have enough blood to live.  I also was experiencing kidney failure.  They had to transfuse blood into me so fast that I had a large amount of fluid in my lungs, a condition called pulmonary edema. I remember waking up and feeling like I was drowning alive. They kept telling me to breathe but I just couldn't. I felt like I was in a bath tub being held underwater. They swiftly made a decision to intubate me again and I was told that my excellent anesthesiologist stayed by my side and made that life-saving call. He took care of me every step of the way and is one of my hero's that day.

They were able to get the fluid on in my lungs under control with the intubation. Once I was wheeled to the recovery room the family was able to come see me. Apparently, I was almost unrecognizable because I was so swollen.  Josh said my neck was swollen out to my chin and my eyes were little slits. 

By midnight I was taken to the ICU and that is when I finally started to wake up. I remember hearing nurses talking about me and saying things like..."Her husband is amazing and has taken such good care of her." And..."This couple has really been through it today but the family stayed strong.". I had NO CLUE what they were talking about. When I looked out the window I was blown away that it was pitch black dark and midnight. The last thing I remember was around noon. Where did 12 hours go? What happened to me? I was in TERRIBLE pain and sooo confused.

Josh stood by my bed and told me that the Lord wanted me to be here. Then he proceeded to tell me that there were many close calls in the operating room and it was a miracle that I was still alive. The staff told me that Josh almost became a single dad that night. I was a little horrified but still so out of it that it didn't really sink in.

The bottom line of why all of this happened was because my uterus decided to "go to China" (as one doctor put it). Having twins was just too hard on my body and my uterus was stretched beyond what it could take. The low platelets just made a bad situation worse.

I am still processing all that happened and learning to be the mother of 3 kiddos. The boys and Ivy are the easy part. My body reaching full recovery is the hard part. I can't wait for the day when I am myself again. It's been a long three months and I still have a long way to go.

I am beyond grateful for my family and the fact that I am alive. There are honestly no words to express the gratitude and thankfulness in my heart. I give the Lord all of the credit and glory that I am here today. I am humbled by how many people were praying for me and believe that it was instrumental in my outcome.

Below is a funny picture of the boys. Can you guess which one has my personality and which is Josh? Caleb is the little one with his mouth wide open.

And here is a picture of the most amazing OBGYN doctor. He is one of my favorite people and I am so thankful he was the doctor on call that day. All of the nurses agree that he handled the situation with great wisdom and saved my life. The Lord definitely used him that day!

The Lord was with me that day and used the staff as His instrument to keep me here.  It was a day the Lord reminded us of his power and provision.  I'm so glad to be in His hands always!!

The Time Has Come!

I write with GREAT excitement and anticipation as I will be holding my little boys soon!!! THIS IS SOOOOO EXCITING!

As of now the plans are to deliver tomorrow. Hopefully first thing in the morning!

I was admitted to the hospital on Thursday for potential preeclampsia. The test results turned out positive in addition to me having low blood platelets. The babies are fine but it's better for me to go ahead and deliver at this point.

They have me on some steroid shots to improve my platelet levels. If they can't get them in a normal range then I will have to be knocked out unconscious and Josh will not be allowed in the room for delivery. This is a MAJOR prayer request. I would love to be awake to meet my little ones and Josh would also love to be a part of that.

They are optimistic that all will be fine in the morning and I will be 37 weeks at that point which is full term! Good news is that they project the babies are over 6lbs each and they are doing absolutely fine! Praise the Lord.

I am going to spend the day resting and getting mentally and emotionally prepared. However, it is soooo hard to rest b/c I'm sooo sooo excited!!! It's also hard b/c I want to respond to every text, email or FB message.

I don't take it lightly that we are about to experience a true miracle meeting these boys. My heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness and gratitude for these little lives and that they have made it this far. Can't stop praising HIs name and giving Him complete credit for all He has done.

We will let you know once they arrive and send some pictures! Thanks you for your support and prayers!

36 Weeks and 3 days!

Quick update.... I've been on my feet cooking and cleaning and still no babies. I thought it was going to happen last weekend. Guess all the prayers of keeping them in are carrying over! I have an appointment on Thursday. If I haven't had them then we will schedule and induction next week! Hard to believe this might come down to an induction. ha! God has a sense of humor I believe.

Off Bed-rest??

Well, my doctor keeps pulling the ole trick a-roo on me. She originally said I could come off BR today but then at my appointment said to give it till Saturday. And Saturday would be 36 weeks!! I am pretty amazed that I've made it this far.

So you would think I would be all excited about coming off Bed-rest right? Well...it's not exactly a dream come true. I'm so big and out of shape that it's almost impossible to come off. If I try to do anything I'm exhausted and need to sit down. And my body is being stretched so much that it's painful to walk or stand. But hey! At least I can sit up now instead of constantly being on my back. And I can actually get myself water and a snack if I need it.

I had an appointment today that provided a great report. The babies are both weighing in at 5lbs 10 oz. AND they are both HEAD DOWN! (SOOO excited about that!) Everything was measuring right on track and the babies are the same size. The doctors have very little if any concerns at this point about the health of the babies. They might not even have to wear premie clothes! My body is doing good and no concerns at this point.

I have been on some medicine that stops my contractions and suppose to help stop labor. Doc said to stop taking it on Saturday so they could come quick! I would love to have them on Monday for Moms Bday! But at this point I'll take them when I get them.

I keep thinking my next post will be telling that they have arrived and then I keep getting another week under my belt. So who knows what could be next! We will keep you posted.

35 Weeks!

I can hardly believe that I'm typing the number 35! I use to think Caleb and Hudson would be here by now. It seemed so far away when all of this began! I praise the Lord for this and consider it an answer to prayer. And the end is so near! My doctor told me that I could come off bed-rest on Wednesday. That's only 4 more days! I was also allowed to get a hair cut yesterday. ( It's amazing how that can brighten a woman's day.) AND I get to go to church on Sunday.

I have literally been getting butterflies in my stomach the past few days. One is because I get to leave the house and have some social time. The other is because I know I am so close to meeting my little boys! It's really starting to sink in now and the excitement is building. I can hardly wait!

I continue to be blessed beyond belief by my friends and family. Here is a picture of Ivy taking care of me. She is serious about this bed-rest and is quick to remind me to SIT DOWN when I get up for bathroom breaks. She tells me the baby's are going to come out if I don't lay back down quick. She also routinely checks my blood pressure and gives me "shots".

This next picture is Jan Margrave. A dear servant hearted friend who has flow from Texas to care for our family for a week. After a 12 hour travel day due to a canceled flight she finally arrived and immediately began giving me a foot massage.
Just kidding... She didn't really give me a foot massage but it was fun to pretend. She really hasn't had time for that due to the non-stop cooking, cleaning, and organizing that she's been doing. Not to mention the entertainment that she brings to each day.

The next two pics are of my bump.

A friend reminded me of the verse in James 1:1-4. "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have it's perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing."

This just so happens to be my life verse. It was through trials that the Lord brought me into a relationship with Him. And this trail has brought me closer to Him, furthered my sanctification process, and brought my husband and I closer. Not to mention at the end I have two little babies to hold!

I have no idea when they will come but the doctor expects the boys to be here in less than 2 weeks. There is a good chance that once I start moving around again they will arrive on the scene. Now that I am 35 weeks there is a good chance we will avoid the NICU and get to bring them home right away.

We continue to covet your prayers!! So many have already been answered.

33 Weeks and Counting!

I can hardly believe that I am 33 weeks! Bed-rest started at 27 weeks. That's 6 weeks of lying on my back. I'm still having to fight the urge to nest. However, last night may have given me the motivation I need to stay down. Around 6pm I started having contractions every 2-3 mins for almost 2 hours. It kinda scared me and I thought maybe this was it. We made it to the hospital and they gave me a turb shot which stops labor. It seemed to work so they sent me home. Only after telling me that my cervix is paper thin, I'm still 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. The doctor was honest and said that it looks like they are going to come sooner than later but hopes I can hang on a couple more weeks.

This was not our only visit to the hospital this week. We had to go in on Wednesday night for the same thing. Contractions were just getting out of control. If I were a cat with nine lives I feel like I've used up 8 of them and that next time could be the real thing. But who knows. It's all a guessing game and the Lord will bring them when it's time.

This past week was one of the best! Our friend Shelby came to stay with us from Texas. Shelby is a rising senior in Plano and started to babysit Ivy when she was 4 months old until we left TX. Ivy ADORES her and had a blast all week having a built in playmate. They played so hard that Ivy actually asked me to go to bed around 6pm several nights in a row. I was also blessed by her visit. It was soooo nice not to schedule people all week and have the revolving door. It took Shelby about a day and she had my routine down. Very mature for a teenager.

This next week is going to be great too! My friend Jenn Aulick is going to stay with us until Friday! She's also wonderful with Ivy and I know she will be a great caregiver for me too.

Prayer Request this week:

My belly is getting so big and making it hard for me to get comfortable. I go from back pain to hip pain to heart burn to sore muscles...etc... The discomfort grows as I do. Today is the first day that I felt like I can't make it one more day. I haven't had that attitude until now. I am praying that attitude will change quickly because when it comes down to it I would really rather them make it a few more weeks.

Praises:

Overall I would say this has been easier than I expected. My family has been so tremendous at helping us get through this. They have stepped in to help in many ways but a big one is helping us finish moving into our new house. Dad and Fletch have helped Josh do the remodeling and handy man work. Mom has been great at the finishing touches on decorating. Josh's mom flew out for a week to help.

Our church, friends in the area, and the Mom's in the UMOM group have also stepped up and been a source of encouragement and helping to provide for our needs. Josh has not had to cook once! WOOO HOO! We are so thankful and feel very blessed.

I hope my next blog will be news that I made it to 34 week!

32 Weeks Tomorrow!

MEDICAL UPDATE:

Had an appointment on Tuesday. Got to see the boys on an ultrasound and they are doing great! Good news first...They are very healthy and measure almost exactly the same size and weighing in at just under 4lbs each. My contractions are there but not consistent and not happening every single day. Praise the Lord! Bad news....My cervix continues to thin. I'm now just under 1cm when I should be more around 4. I passed the fetal fibernectin test. This means my body has not started to "un-glue" to prepare for labor. So overall a good report. However, the doctors tell me every day at this point is a gift.

MENTAL UPDATE:

If you know me well then you know I am a goal oriented person. I get this from the Anderson side of my family. It typically works for me but while on bed-rest it feels like it's against me. I also LOVE a "to do" list and get a huge wave of satisfaction role over me when I get to check something off of it. I even take it another step and if I do something that was not on my "to do" list then I will write it in just so I can mark it off.

Tomorrow I will get to mark something off the list! I accomplish one of my goals the doctors set for me and that is to make it 32 weeks! Now the new goal is 34 weeks. This is really a good strategy for me. It would seem overwhelming to say the goal is 36 weeks now b/c then that means another month of bed-rest. But now I just have to focus on the next 2 weeks which is mentally easier to swallow.

Anything I can do to help my mental state at this point is fantastic. This week has been the hardest so far. Tuesday marked one month of laying on my back and ONLY getting up for the bathroom. I also think the nesting instinct has hit me hard. Pregnancy weekly defines "Nesting" as an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new babies, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world. This instinctive desire + bed-rest for a month + my goal driven genes = break down. Not to mention we moved into a house one month before I was bed ridden so I was not even done unpacking and decorating our new home. This is honestly a TERRIBLE combination.

The family a friends who come to baby sit me and Ivy have been wonderful and so helpful. And I am truly thankful to each and every one of them. But it's no surprise that having a revolving door and people constantly in your house having to go through your stuff gets a little old. It's also getting increasingly harder to just ask people for help. I'm just to the point of wanting to give up and I know that every woman on bed-rest can relate.

So how do I keep going from here? What is going to get me through the day??.............. The answer for me is Hudson, Caleb, and the Lord. Knowing that I would risk having them pre-mature if I get up and do what I want helps me to stay on my back. I have to keep telling myself that it's truly laying down my life for my boys. I want the best for them and I know that every day they bake is a true advantage for their development. And it's a privilege and gift from God to be carrying two babies!

I have this awesome devotional book that my Aunt Martha sent to me when I was first put on bed-rest. It's called, "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. It's almost like the book was written to me and for me in my circumstance. The Lord is telling me to take my negative or sinful thoughts captive and try not to let them even enter my mind. When I block those thoughts and focus on the things I have to be thankful for and am appreciative of then it can totally turn my mood around and help me to experience His peace. I wish I could say that I'm successful at this each day but I'm not. The last few days have been a struggle and I tend to want to surrender to my negative thoughts and to complain about it. I could use your prayers in this area as it's a daily battle.

On another note... Josh and Ivy are doing pretty good. Ivy has hit a little wall the last two days but over all she is dealing with it extremely well for a 3 year old. She will come to me after every meal and take my tray to the kitchen for daddy. She also will refill my drinks if I ask and throw things away. She is really taking pride in helping mommy during this time. She even reminds me when I get up for the bathroom to hurray back to lay down so the babies won't come out.

Josh is hanging in there too. I know this is not easy for him but he has yet to complain. I'm amazed by him and so glad I have his example in my life. He is a wonderful husband who deserves so much praise.

We are grateful for how the Lord is growing us personal and in our marriage through this time. In sickness and in health right? Next challenge up is in changing 20 diapers a day!

Released!

I was released from the hospital earlier today. I'm home again. They say there could be a lot of this back and forth between the hospital and home. Josh has been amazing and I am so thankful for him. Poor guy hasn't showered since Tuesday. So far so good. I'm a little nervous to be off the monitors but happy to be back home with Ivy and in my own bed. Optimistic about carrying them longer but have a peace that the Lord will take care of us no matter what happens. Feeling good!

Pre-Term Labor Update

This will be brief as I'm not suppose to sit up in the bed and typing is hard with so many things attached to me.

Tuesday I called the doctor b/c I was having contractions that were about 15 mins apart but not painful. They had me come in for a check and found I was 2.5 cm dilated and almost totally effaced. The next stop was the hospital. So here I am. It's been up and down since I was admitted. First they put me on magnesium and it seemed to control the contractions. I did ok off of the medicine the first 8 hours and then contractions picked up again and were 5 mins apart and painful. So the latest was a shot of something that would stop the contractions. It's been 1.5 hours and I've only had a few. The doctor said she doesn't want to give up and just let me deliver. It's just trading one problem for another. I would rather be the one being poked and prodded than the little boys. At this point we are just taking it a day at a time. If I had nine lives at holding off delivery then I feel like I've used up 6 or 7 of them.

The doctors will just keep tackling the problems as they come and take it one day at a time. Everyone keeps asking me what the goal is. The goal is always going to be full term but at this point that's probably not going to happen. People also keep asking me how far I think I will make it. That is a good question and it is literally changing by the hour.

It is very hard to send updates and one of the reasons is because things are literally changing every hour. Nothing is certain and this doesn't really have a text book you can follow. I appreciate all the love and support. Everyones kind words on Facebook, prayers, text, and emails are uplifting. I wish I could respond to everyone and send individual updates. But if you have ever been hospitalized you know that there is never a dull moment. It's also hard to type or text with some of the machines I am hooked up to.

Ivy is doing great and just jumping around to different friends and family. That is a def praise! Knowing that she is being well loved and happy makes my job easier. I think she's getting a lot of ice cream and thinks she is on a vacation. Please pray her little heart stays content and continues to enjoy where she is and who she is with. We appreciate those helping us with her and are truly grateful.

I am at Greenville Memorial and will be 31 weeks on Saturday.

I will try to update this as much as possible. Maybe I'll even teach Josh how to blog for me.

Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" The Lord has been good and carrying us through this time. He's never let us down before and I don't think he will start now. Praise be to Him who brings new life.

Home Again Home Again!

We were released on Thursday then went back on Friday due to contractions. Thankfully we were released Friday night and just in time. I was starting to really miss Ivy and wanting to be with my little buddy. She has really been a trooper through all of this. She seems to understand what's going on and has just gone with the flow. She is even helping Josh around the house in small ways. I'm also thankful for my sweet husband who has been serving me non-stop since Tuesday.

Thanks to everyone for your words of encouragement and your prayers! Josh and I feel so blessed by every text, facebook message, and phone call. It's nice to be near family and such good friends who are more than willing to wrap their arms around us and help us get through this time.

I've often thought about bed rest and how terrible that would be. Sounds like a nightmare to be on your back all the time. However, there are two very motivating babies in my belly that are making this a lot easier. Knowing the outcome of this will be my boys helps me to lay down and relax. It is neat how your body and mind can rise to the occasion when needed.

Josh and I continue to draw our peace and faith from the Lord and have NO doubt He is in control.

Many of you have asked how you can help. The biggest thing is prayer and probably meals. If you live local then we have a care calendar being created. You can email Sandra Garrett GARRETT@clemson.edu to be added to the list.

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

Funny that a children's worship song can bring such comfort to Josh and myself. The lyrics that truly spoke to our hearts were..."He's got the little bitty babies, in His hands". I can't image not having the Lord as your rock to lean on and trust when you go in for a regular OB check up only to find your next destination is the hospital.

So yesterday I was admitted to the hospital and also saw a high risk doctor. I'm 27 weeks 3 days pregnant with TWO boys and found that my cervix was

dangerously thin. I should be like a 4 or 5 but my cervix was measuring 1.7 and that was very concerning to the doctors. The good news is

that the babies were measuring perfect and almost exactly the same size. They are 2.10 oz and 2.7 oz and healthy as can be! Praise be to the Lord for that.

I also praise Him that my appointment was Tuesday and not Wednesday or Thursday. Josh and Ivy were suppose to be on a plane today heading to Texas for Scott Marks wedding. But now they are hear with me and waiting on some more test results. After arriving to the hospital we found out that I also was dilated 1cm and I had a few contractions last night. That was unexpected! The doctors are being very proactive to do everything they can to keep these

babies baking for as long as possible. The doctors along with Josh and I are very optimistic that this will be successful.

So the next steps were to give me a steriod shot that will help

the babies lungs develop if I should go into labor. They are also putting me on strict bed rest and giving me medicine to keep my body from having contractions. For now I will stay in the hospital until they feel ok with sending me home. But regardless they told us to call in the troops to help b/c I'm on bed rest until these little guys show up.

So I'll give you another frequently asked questions list with the answers.

#1 - How are Josh and I doing?

To be honest..We're great! No anxiety or worries. Of course I wish this wasn't happening but since there is nothing I can do then why worry. I have to give the credit for this to the Lord. I feel like he prepared me the night before I went to the doctor for some big news. I was totally

nesting and getting the nursery ready b/c I felt like something was going to happen. I have already know that the Lord is the one who gives and sustains life and I know that He is good and His ways are perfect..... So really... why would that change just by getting this news. Phil 4:6 "Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your request be made known to God, and the peace that surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts

and your minds in Christ Jesus." I have been claiming that verse and feel that the Lord has given me supernatural strength and is guarding my heart and mind. Knowing and believing that the Lord is sovereign helps a l

ot too. This is not a surprise to Him and it's nothing that He

can't handle. So we give these babies to Him in faith that He will protect them and bring them into this world when the time is right.

# 2 - How is Ivy?

She is actually doing fine. I am trying not to take that for granted. It would be so hard for me to be here if I didn't think she was doing ok. My mom jumped right in the car when we called her and has been taking care of her during the day. We asked Ivy if she would rather stay with us or go with Mimi. Of course she picked Mimi. Then my brother and sister in-law have stepped up to take care of her in the evenings. She LOVES being with them too and has a blast. She did tell Carrie that she thought the babies were making me sick. She is slowly understanding as best she can. This morning she was a little uncertain in the hospital room. She didn't want to sit with me in the bed or get too close. So there is some apprehension but over all she is doing good. And PRAISE the Lord for having family close by who is really stepping up and helping us out. Below is a picture of my brother and sister in-law.

#3 - When will I go home?

Good question! We are taking it one day at a time. There is a chance it will be tomorrow but also a chance I could be here for the long haul.

#4 - How can I help?

That depends on where you live. If you are far then please pray for me and the babies. My prayer is that I will make it to 35 or 36 weeks. That would actually put them being born on my mom's Birthday. (Which she would love.) If you live local then I will

keep you posted on how you can help. Not sure what we need or when we will need it.

Prayer Request

- To stay pregnant as long as possible. Goal = August

- Getting ready for these little ones to come home. As most of you know the last few months have been a bit busy with buying and remodeling a house. I have put getting my baby gear on the back burner. I've been thinking I had a few more months (Which I still might). But I'm honestly not prepared to bring them home from an equipment stand point. I'm sure I have time to get it all together but I do need to get on it.

- To continue to trust the Lord and remain at peace. Always being optimistic and no anxiety.

- That Ivy would be taken care of and this would not stress her out or have a negative affect. May she be given understanding and remain laid back about this. Also to prepare her little heart for the change that will take place when it's no longer just the three of us.

- Wisdom for my doctors and hospital staff (BTW- everyone is great!)

We covet your prayers and appreciate all the love and support from family and friends. Thank you for your text, emails and phone calls. We consider ourselves blessed by you. We could not do this with out you! I will keep this blog updated as I have more information.

And here is my most recent preggo pic. For those who keep requesting one. I'm at a lake party with the youth group. Kristy is also in the pic and she is actually 3 months ahead of me and due June 20th. But you would guess I was the one further along.

They Look Like Babies NOW!

YEAH! A bonus to having twins.... You get more sonograms. At 13 weeks this is what we got to see! If you look close you will see one sonogram is labeled Baby A and the other Baby B. My twins are in "bunk beds" meaning they are on top of each other. I'm told they will either carry this way or in a "duplex" (side by side). Not sure exactly which position is more comfortable for the mommy but my gut is telling it's not bunk beds.

Just to clear up any confusion about Baby A. NO!... that is not male body part you are seeing. That is clearly his knee. (but convincing my mom of that is another thing)

I also have a live video of the sonogram. It was pretty long so I just downloaded about 2 mins of the best part. Click HERE to see that video.

Praise the Lord the first trimester is over! The headache's, nausea, and excessive eating seem to be over. I honestly considered the constant state of hunger pains and eating every 2 hours a curse. However, there are many folks that have told me to count my blessings.

But for real!! Eating every 2-3 hours including in the middle of the night gets old. I was getting up at 2am and 4am like clockwork. You can ask Josh if you don't believe me. He would always take note in the morning of the crumbs or mess in the kitchen from my midnight snacks. The doctor said this was normal for twins and in fact very healthy. She did encourage me that it would slow down eventually. I began to believe her when I dropped my 4am feeding a few weeks ago. Now I'm down to three big meals a day with 3 large snacks.

Even though the first trimester was not a breeze I'm not complaining. I know lots of people who had a much harder experience than I did. And quite honestly....I'm just so darn happy to be pregnant! The one lingering thing that I can't seem to shake is the exhaustion. I basically require a nap every day or I want to pass out at like 5pm! I guess that's a feeling I should get use to....I don't suspect it will get any better once the babies arrive.

So you've seen the pics of what's going on inside my belly but most out of state friends want to know what the outside is like. So here is a picture of me at 13 weeks.

This was taken 2 weeks ago. I would safely say that YES! I'm showing. I even had my first stranger ask me when I was due! That's kind of a good feeling. If you've ever been pregnant then you know what I mean.

Ivy is still very weirded out by the fact that babies are in my belly. She continues to ask all kinds of questions about how they got in there? How will they get out? Why can't she hear them crying? She was very concerned when I told her the doctor would get them out. She told me that was not a good idea. She said the babies would be afraid of the doctor. So she suggested that Uncle Fletcher get them out. Ummmmm.... That would be a NO seeing how Uncle Fletcher is my brother!!

Ivy is also very concerned that one or both might be a boy. She is dead set that she wants it to be TWO girls. (She would regret that in about 10 years when they steal her clothes and want to hang out with her friends). We have been asking her to help come up with names and she won't even talk about boy names b/c she doesn't want a boy in the mix. Mommy and Daddy feel very differently so at least someone will be happy.

And speaking of the gender....We will have to wait 2 months to find out the exciting news. My next appointment falls at 17 weeks and they do the sonogram between 18-22 weeks. So missed it by a week!

But we have plenty going on between now and then. We close on our house in about a month and I know that will keep us busy. In the mean time we are just enjoying life in Clemson. We recently went to a Clemson basketball game. Ivy went into an epileptic fit when the Tiger mascot came to give her a hug. Other than that Ivy really enjoyed the game.

Stay tuned for more baby and Jones family updates! So far I'm doing much better at updating than last year. I guess you could call it a new years resolution.

Jack Pot!

What would you think if you were in your first prenatal ultrasound and the sonographer say's..."Jack Pot"? For Josh.... it was a state of confusion. For me.... I knew that ment we were having TWINS! Of course I didn't need her response to figure that out. It was obvious from the minute I saw the picture on the screen. Even my childless brother who has no idea how to read those black and white blobs could see that it was two. See for yourself!

Our first comment was..."SERIOUSLY???" But the next thing I said was...."Well, I guess I finally get a minivan!" Josh said..."Now we have to come up with TWO names!". Over all we were shocked but mostly excited beyond words. We always wanted a big family so we are now on the fast track.

If you are finding out this news for the first time then I will go ahead and answer all of the most commonly asked questions.

Did you think there was a chance you were having twins?

Actually the answer from me is YES. I was already showing at 8 weeks, extremely exhausted, and very sick. I know every pregnancy is different but it just felt sooo much more extreme then when I was pregnant with Ivy. I even googled "Signs you might be having twins" and found I had all of them. I started thinking I was paranoid but looking back I think maybe the Lord was just preparing my heart for the news. All that to say.... I had convinced myself it was all in my head and that there would only be one baby. So I was SHOCKED when the sonographer confirmed my theory.

Are there twins in our families?

We recently found out that the answer is yes. Josh's great grandmother had twins that didn't survive and someone on that side of the family ended up having twins that did survive. However, our twins are fraternal, which means I dropped two eggs. So I don't see how Josh's family history could have caused my body to do that.

Did we use fertility medicine?

I am amazed at how a stranger will come out and ask this. WOW! That's a pretty bold questions to ask. If you are a friend it's one thing but a complete stranger another. And honestly... why does it matter? The Lord gives life and takes it away. So it was by His hand that these two lives were conceived.

Are we going to find out the sexes and when?

YES! Absoultley. Might find out the answer in 2 weeks. But also could take another 2 months. It will all depend on how they are sitting at our ultrasound.

What do we want them to be?

Ultimately, we would be happy with any combination. However, Josh and I are not afraid to tell you that two girls is scary. Josh said..."Surely there is a boy in there somewhere?" We would both be thrilled to get a boy out of this deal.

Does Ivy know what's happening?

Yes, she is excited! She keeps telling everyone..."Mommy has TWO babies in her belly!" Her first question about the twins was hilarious. She asked me if one could be black and one could be brown? hahaha Ivy will be almost 4 when they arrive so I have a built in helper.

How many weeks am I?

On friday I will be 12 weeks! That's 3 months!

Are we freaked out?

Nope... Not at all actually. I kept thinking Josh might hit panic mode but so far so good. He rarely panic's about anything and we are both beyond excited and can't wait to meet our next two kiddos.

It's funny the response you get from people when you tell them that you are having twins. Everyone pretty much fall's into 3 different responses.

1st- OH WOW! THAT'S SO EXCITING!! I Can't believe it! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!

2nd- MAN! I'm so jealous..... I really want twins!

3rd- Oh no! You poor thing.... I'm so sorry. How is Josh? Is he really ok?

There is no reason to feel sorry for us. Now, if I was a single mother...or had a dead beat husband, then maybe. But when you have a teammate like Josh there is really little to fear. He is such a servant to me and Ivy and goes above the call of duty on a daily basis. Not to mention we have tons of support from family and friends in the area. My brother and sister in-law live in Clemson and do not have children yet. They are as good as any grandparents out there. Ivy adores them and I often think she likes them more than me and Josh.

My mom and dad are not far away either and I know Josh's parents will be traveling to come help as often as they can. Which by the way.... All of grandparents are jumping for joy over this news!

In other exciting Jones family news........WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! We have been looking since September and weren't having any luck. The Lord's timing is perfect b/c our bank just created a new loan program which won't require us to pay the dreaded PMI! This house has everything we prayed for. It's in Central, SC which is just a few miles from Clemson. It's in a small neighborhood that is just one street. The neighbors have a daughter Ivy's age! We are so excited and will be moving in mid April. Here is a picture of our house.

Nice flat yard. Just the way I like it.

Here is our back yard.

And I have to point out that our house payment will be less than our rent in a tiny two bedroom apartment in Plano Texas. SC has some benefits!

One last fun video and pic before I close. This is a video of my mom finding out that I am pregnant (at this point we don't know it's twins). We wrapped a baby doll as one of her Christmas gifts and on the the baby's face we put some questions marks and wrote "Grand baby #4 is on the way". Little did we know that it should have said #4 and #5.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO

Now watch it again but this time watch my step dad. He is a little confused and doesn't know what kind of gift we gave her. As mom gets up to hug me you see him looking through the box trying to figure out what it is.

I plan to post regular updates to the blog about the pregnancy and the move. I know it's been over a year since I wrote but I'm back in the saddle now!