This week

This has been a busy week for me and Steven. We spent most every evening this week preparing for a talk that we were giving on Thursday night at the weekly Campus Crusade for Christ meeting; the "relationship talk." I think that this is our 4th time in 6 years giving the talk and every year it is so rewarding. The focus of the talk is how to build a Godly relationship and we use our own experience to encourage the students listening. I think that maybe Steven and I get more out of it than the students do. It's such a great time of reflection for us; reminiscing on where God has brought us over the nearly 13 years that we've been together. We're so thankful for the testimony that He's given us!

Tonight, we went out to eat at Finelli's for Steven's 29th birthday, which is Tuesday the 24th. It's so hard to believe that we're both turning 29 this year. We'll be celebrating all weekend into next week. Tomorrow he's having a "man night" and will be celebrating with his best guy friends, Sunday is a special birthday dinner with his folks, which is always fun and delicious, then on Tuesday he'll get to open all of his presents! Happy birthday sweet Steven!

Speaking of Steven, he was named Junior Chief Resident today which is such an honor for him, I'm so proud. Many of you probably watch shows like Gray's Anatomy or ER and have heard of the Chief Residents who help supervise students, interns, and do a lot of decision making in their specialty. Well, being Junior Chief is like being the Chief Resident in training - it may mean that one day, when he's a 3rd year resident that he could actually become the Chief! Steven put his name in the hat for Jr. Chief and was voted in by his fellow residents, which is truly humbling. He's such a natural leader and I know he's going to serve his fellow residents and patients well. Congratulations!

In other doctor news, Steven switched his rotation next month from the gruesomely difficult MICU (Medical Intensive Care Unit) to a combo month of cardiology/neurology. This switch will enable him to be much freer to participate in preparations for the babies such as showers and all the fun parenting/birthing classes that I've signed up for in March. I'm so thankful that Steven wants to be so involved and I'm happy to know that he's relieved of the likely stress that MICU would have induced.

In terms of the pregnancy, we're all 3 doing very well. I'm 28 weeks today and I'm feeling great! I took a "belly picture" tonight and can see a difference just in the two weeks since I took the last shot. The babies are super active, kicking and moving all of the time. Meredith continues to stay very high into my left side rib cage...she's making her presence known. We're counting down now - 9 weeks to go, Lord willing they make it to 37 weeks. It's so unbelievable to me that we've come this far. I'm trying to finish reading Babywise and Mothering Multiples during the next 9 weeks and I'm also trying to make time to talk with some close friends who have kids to get lots of parenting advice. Our cribs came in this week, but unfortunately one of them was damaged, so we have to send it back:( Nonetheless, it's fun to have one to start setting up. Let the fun begin:)

Updates

This morning I had a doctors appointment; I did the glucose test where I drank the equivalent of an ultra-sugary orange soda to see if I had gestational diabetes - I also had another ultrasound (with my ecstatic mother, Nana, and proud daddy to be watching). Thankfully, my glucose test came back normal, so I don't have to worry about diabetes at this point:) My blood pressure was great at 100/60 - keep praying that it will stay that healthy so I won't have to worry about preeclampsia, another complication that causes preterm labor. The ultrasound showed that our baby girl, Meredith, had actually turned, so she was finally in the right position of facing downward instead of sideways or head up. We're praying that when delivery time comes they'll both be facing downward so that I can have a regular delivery versus a c-section (but ultimately I trust the drs...more so I trust God and know that whatever His plan is will come to pass). Our boy, Berkley, gave us some wonderful profile shots but unfortunately, Meredith was shy, she kept the back of her head to us the entire time. The only picture I have to share today is of Berkley, it's a great shot...it's actually a 4-D shot that we graciously received today!



Also, their weights have increased significantly in the last 4 weeks; Meredith is now around 2lbs2oz and Berkley is weighing around 2lbs9oz. The difference between the two weights is now 18% versus 20%, so Meredith is slowly closing in on Berkley:) They're both at weights where their lives could be sustained outside of the womb, which is a wonderful relief. I know ultimately that our babies are in God's hands and he is the sustainer of their lives - we praise Him for giving us this gift that we don't deserve!

26 Weeks

Wow, it's hard to believe that 26 weeks of pregnancy have flown by. I'll be going for my next ultrasound and glucose test on February 13th. As you can see from the picture, the babies are growing well. Meredith has decided that she likes to keep her head in my rib cage and Berkley kicked the dinner tray I was eating from last night. I'm feeling well overall with only minor complaints of back pain and difficulty sleeping...but it's worth it.

Steven has begun a new rotation this month, Family Medicine Clinic. He completed his Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the end of January and it was a rigorous month for him, although he never really complained. Family medicine clinic month is much more manageable - he typically works 8-5 with no call and no weekends! We're looking forward to using our weekends to prepare our home for the babies. We just have so much to do and time is drawing short. Since the doctors told me they wouldn't let me go past 37 weeks, we only have 11 weeks to go...unless they come early (AHHH!).

We also wanted to attach a little video of our Larry Pup playing in the snow we had in January. Larry is so entertaining, we just had to share him with everyone (and hat Steven is pretty entertaining as well).