27.3

Happy Easter!! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!! We are so blessed to be one day closer to meeting our boys!!!

Dr. D came in this morning to check on me one last time before Dr. S is back tomorrow!!! Everything is still going great!!

The boys were quite crazy today!! They were moving like crazy most of the day, which made for one sore mommy, but feeling them move is a constant reminder that they are growing and healthy!! My contraction monitors looked good and the boys looked great as well!!

Brodie and I had a wonderful Easter dinner with Dad, Mom, Kurt, Cait, and Kenley!! We missed Doug, Staci, and the kids!!! It was so nice to have a yummy home cooked meal!! We are so blessed with our families!!!

Please continue to pray for Brodie and I as we continue to do everything in our power to make sure our boys are as healthy as possible and for the boys as they continue to grow!! We can not wait for our ultrasound on Thursday!! Please also pray for our cousin Micah as he goes through cancer treatments and for his wife and kids as well and our close friend that is currently having pregnancy complications!!

Psalm 121:1-2 - I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

27.2

Another gorgeous day!!! It has been a nice quiet day!!! Last week, one of the nurses bought us fleece fabric so we could have tie blankets for the boys. Today she had another nurse cut all the notches so I could tie them, so that was nice to break up the day!!!

Our morning monitoring went great, but again the boys were ornery tonight!!! I didn't tell the nurse, but I'm sure it had nothing to do with the piece of strawberry filled cake I had after supper (thank you so much Aunt Terri)!!!! :-)

Dr. D is still happy with my progress!! We are getting so close to 28 weeks and I can't wait for that day to get here!!!

Thank you so much to my visitors today - Aunt Terri, Jenny, Natalie, and Dr. R

Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

27.1

Happy Good Friday!!!  What a gorgeous day!!  Brodie and I went and sat outside for awhile tonight and it was SOO nice!!!  I love seeing the sunshine inside my room, but to be out in it is so much better!!! 

The boys did great on the monitor this morning!!  I always tease Michelle when she is my nurse that they love her and always behave - she says "they love their "Aunt Michelle" - we are so lucky to have her as our nurse so often!  I have became so close with so many of my nurses, but there is something about Michelle that has really brought us close!!  All of my monitorings went great!!  The boys proved tonight that they have a mind of their own!!  They were all over and did not want to stay on the monitor!  They were moving everywhere and at one point Baby A was doing barrel rolls and Baby B decided to play soccer with my ribs - daddy said they need to learn football moves instead of soccer and I'm sure they have an Uncle that would be happy to teach them football along with their dad!!  Their heart rates looked great, it was just a matter of keeping them on for long enough to get a good tracing!!

I had some special visitors today!!  Mom, Staci, Abby, Mac, and Anna came to Lafayette to go to Chuckie Cheese, so they stopped in to see us for awhile!!  I can not tell you how hard it is to be in here and not just be able to go see my family whenever we choose!!  Abby was thrilled to see her Uncle Brodie, as it has been awhile since she has seen him, and I think he was just as excited!!  I love being able to spend time with them!!  Mom, Staci, and Abby all felt Baby A kick today, which Ab thought was pretty cool!!! 

Dr. D came in while the wild crew was here, so needless to say, he didn't stay very long!!  He is still leaving everything the same and we are just going day by day!!!

Thanks to my visitors - Mom, Staci, Abby, Mac, Anna, and Megan.

I saw this quote today on Pinterest, and it for sure makes you think!!  Please keep praying for the boys that they continue to grow and gain strength and also for myself that my body continues to keep the boys inside!  Also, please pray for a friend that is also going through pregnancy complications!  It is so hard to see those that you care about going through complications and feeling like there is nothing you can do for them!!!

Worrying does not empty tomorrow of it's troubles. It empties today of it's strength.

27 weeks :-)

I can not explain how much today means to me!! When I was put on bedrest at 18 weeks, we really didnt know if our dream of parenthood would happen and then at 23 weeks when I was put in the hospital and we were told it was literally hour by hour, it was even worse!!  To look now and realize that I'm 27 weeks and only have one more week until the HUGE 28 week milestone, I just praise God that he has gotten us this far and pray that we keep going!!! Dr. S always jokes that I'm going to be 36 weeks and begging her to take the boys out, and I 100% hope shes right!! Feeling the boys move and hearing their heartbeats is what keeps me going everyday!! I know Brodie and I have two little guys counting on us as much as we are counting on them!! Our boys are our world and they will always know how much they were prayed for before they were even here!!!

Dr. D came in and again said how happy he is with my progress!! We are all excited to see the results from the ultrasound next week to see how the boys are growing....if my growing belly is any sign, they are growing fine!!!!

Kayla came over for lunch today and took me in the wheelchair over to the clinic for a little visit!!! I cant tell you how nice it was to see everyone!!! When you work with people everyday and then go off work unexpectedly, its nice to see everyone!!!

Thanks to my visitors today...Marsha, Kayla, Aunt Jan, Dayna, Carson, Chase, Cole, and Dr. R.

I saw this saying on a friends Facebook, and it really hit home!!!

Fait in God includes Faith in his Timing!!!

26.6

The last 24 hours have been an emotional roller coaster!! Not because of anything going on with me or the boys, but there is so much going on with those we care about!! Please say extra prayers for those that are going thru health issues right now!!

With Dr. S on vacation, Dr. D is now taking care of me!! He came in tonight and told me how great things are going and how happy he is to see things going the way they are!!

The boys proved once again they don't like the monitors!! I think they can just feel the monitors on them and they will do whatever they can to get away from them!!! Guess I shouldn't have said "I can't wait to feel them moving." I got what I wished for!!!

Thanks to Kayla for coming and having lunch with me....and for the Taco Bell!! :-)

Tomorrow is 27 weeks....another milestone!! Next Thursday is our next ultrasound which we can't wait for!!!!

Psalm 84:11 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.

26.5

Another day down and one more day closer to 28 weeks!!!  I added a belly picture so everyone can see it, but please ignore the way I look!! When all you do is lay in a bed 24 hours a day, I don't waste my time doing my hair or make-up!!!

Dr. S came into see me one last time before she left for Spring Break!! As hard as it is to know she's not around, I have complete confidence in our other physicians.

All our monitoring sessions went great!! Boys stayed on great!!

Michelle brought me Coldstone today!! I'm telling you, my nurses are doing whatever they can to make me gain weight!!

Mom and dad came to visit me tonight!! Mom took me on a wheelchair ride!! Its so nice to get out of my room every once in awhile!!!

Thanks to my visitors - Kayla, Michelle, Dad and Mom!!!

Please say a special prayer for all of those coping with pregnancy complications!! Going thru this puts so many things in perspective!!!

My cousin posted this on Facebook today, and it really hit home!!

Have the attitude, “God, this is where You have me right now. I may not like it. I may not
understand, but I’m going to keep doing my best, knowing that You are going to use this to my advantage.”

26.4

Its been one of those days!! I didnt sleep much at all last night so I feel extremely exhausted!! Im really trying to get used to taking naps, but its just not working yet!!! We got a lot of snow at how, so Brodie stayed here with me today!!!

Dr. S came in this morning and reviewed things from last night. I was a little worried about what she was going to say about my last monitoring session because I ended up having quite a few contractions. She looked at it and said she's okay with it because a lot of it was irritability versus contractions! Baby A has decided to wiggle his way back down so when he moves he irritates my uterus even more!! We are hopeful he will move back up soon!!

The boys did great on the monitor and my sessions only showed a couple contractions!! I know I'm not supposed to have favorite nurses, but its hard not to!! My favorite day nurse was on today, so that always helps - we have grown really close to her!!! We joke that we are going to hire our favorite day nurse and our favorite night nurse to take care of me everyday!!

Thanks to Kayla for bringing me lasagna today and also for stopping by to check on me!!!

Please say a special prayer for the other moms that are in my hall. Some of these ladies have to go home permanently without their babies and i just can't imagine how that feels!! I'm scared enough for our boys have to be in NICU and have to stay longer, but the thought of these women never having their baby come home completely breaks my heart!!!

Someone mentioned today that they are proud of me with how high my spirits are. At first I thought about it (as I have heard it multiple times), and thought, if I don't tell myself to stay positive, I won't be in this 110%, but then I said, if I didn't believe in my boys and the fact that they will be okay, who would believe in them. If their mom doesn't have faith, how are they supposed to grow up with faith!!!

Choose faith over worry!!!

26.3

I thought it was Spring, but it sure doesn't look like it outside!! Its not a hard day to stay inside that's for sure!!

Dr. D came in again this morning and said I'm on the right track!! Dr. S will be back tomorrow and then she will be gone for a week for Spring Break.

Mom brought chicken salad and taco dip the other day, which are now my favorite meals everyday!! Guess that's what happens when you eat hospital food for 3 weeks!!

The boys did great on the monitor!! I was having some contractions today but they were spaced far enough apart that they weren't worried about them!! I had a lot of back pain today, but I think it was from laying flat for so long. Baby A has moved back down a little, so my prayer is that he will move back up again!!

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

26.2

Its been a nice quite day!! Brodie came this morning after work for a little while and then came back tonight before work. I feel bad that he is here so much between sitting with me and working!!!

I think the boys have their favorite nurses!! They did so good on the monitors today for OnaLee and Michelle!! They both joked that the boys just love them the most so they behave!!!

Dr. D came into see me this morning since he was on call. He was also pleased with how things looked!! He said my next goal is 28 weeks and he's hoping I can make it to 34 weeks!! I love that I work for physicians that I trust so much!!!

I had some contractions today, but they were again irregular!! Depending on where the boys are laying, the monitors show a lot of irritability sometimes, but knowing it gets better with the boys position, they aren't worried about it!!

Brodie took me for a wheelchair ride tonight around the hospital!! It was nice to see different walls and people around!!!

My prayer everyday is that I remain pregnant tomorrow, but my overall goal is to make it to at least 34 weeks to give my boys the most strength I can!!

"Everyday is a new beginning, take a deep breath and start again."

26.1

Happy Friday!!  Another day complete!!  A huge extra thank you today to my mom for coming to spend the day with me!!  Also a thank you to Dusty who helped Brodie today at the house to get some stuff done around the house and get furniture moved up to the nursery!! 

Dr. S came in this morning and is still happy with how everything is going!!  She is still leaving all the meds the same and just continuing day by day!! 

The boys gave the nurses quite the work out today!!  It took 3 of them this morning to track Baby B down and get him on the monitor!  Once he was finally on, things looked great!!  I'm pretty sure they discuss which one of them is going to be the ornery one for the day!!!  All my monitorings looked great!! 

It was nice to spend the day with mom today!!  She brought us some homemade food which we greatly appreciate!!  You can really only eat hospital food so much!!  Thanks to Kayla, Ruth Ann, and Crystal for stopping by today!

I saw this saying today and with everything going on, it seems to really fit!!

In the bad times,
Choose to grow stronger.
In the good times,
Choose to enjoy fully.
In all times,
Choose to be grateful!

26 weeks :-)

Another week completed!!! I love the sound of 26 weeks, but can't wait to hear 34 weeks...or further!!!

Today was a good day!! Thanks to my nurses and my husband, they were able to convince Dr. S to let me out of my room for a little bit and go for a wheelchair ride!!! She gave me 30 minutes, which to most doesn't sound like much, but when you've been only seeing the same 4 walls for 3 weeks, any time out helps!! Brodie and Kayla took me out after supper and we went thru the unit and outside for a couple minutes.

Baby A has seemed to move up a little, and I can't tell you how much better that makes me feel!! I was pretty sure he was going to fall out if he didn't move up!! Baby B did not want to cooperate on the monitor this morning, but we finally got him on for a few minutes!!!

Thanks to my visitors - Sarah, Lindsay, Dee, Kayla, Shelly, and Kate. Extra thanks to Kayla for having supper with me and keeping me company most of the night!!!

Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

25.6

Tomorrow is my next milestone! Every week is one more week of my boys being inside and growing!!!

Things are still stable with everything and Dr. S is thrilled!! She still says I'm going to go far in my pregnancy...which I told her I'm holding her to!!

The boys did great on the monitor both times today!!

I had a lot of visitors today, but one little precious 2 year old made my day!!! Kenley really knows how to make her Aunt Kristin feel special!! She was saying Uncle Brodie the whole time, and sure enough as soon as he walked in the door, she turned shy!!! Anyone that knows Kenley, you know she's not really shy!! Of course she warmed up and he got hugs and kisses before she left!!!

A huge thanks to all my visitors - Kayla, Arial, Tucker, Veronica, Leslie, Kurt, Cait, and Kenley!!!

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

25.5

Another day closer to seeing my boys!!! As hard as it is to lay in here every day, I love when bedtime comes because that means another day my boys are inside and growing!!

Dr S came in this morning with breakfast and lunch for me!! I then talked to her about my weight check from yesterday, we decided that I would start doing Ensure drinks and see if that helps!! They don't taste the best that's for sure, but the boys must like the sugar from them because they were going crazy after I drank it!!!

All of our monitoring sessions went great again today!!! I love to hear the boys on the monitor, its such a calming sound to hear!!

Mom and dad came to visit me and brought some clothes for the boys that Staci recently got at a garage sale!! Its so surreal to look at the newborn clothes and think my babies may need clothes smaller than that!!!  Brodie is working at home to get the nursery ready, I feel bad he has to do it by himself, but I know I'm safer here!!

Thanks to my visitors today - Kayla, Veronica, Corey, Jenni, and Mom and Dad!!!  And my amazing husband of course!!

Please pray for my cousin as they are waiting for insurance approval in order to start chemo!! We know the trials that going through chemo can cause and we just pray that everything goes okay for him!!

Numbers 6:24-26 - The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.

25.4

Its been another great day!! The rainy weather made for a sleepy day!! I am officially the only one in my hall...which makes things really quiet, but I also feel bad for the nurses because I'm such a boring patient (which in my eyes is a good thing)!!

Dr. S came in this morning and reviewed everything and made no changes!! She always makes my day when she says things look good!!!

The boys did great on the monitor this morning, but were overly active tonight!!! We still got good tracings, but they are stubborn for sure - they get that from their dad!! My contraction monitors went well as well, they did pick up a few this evening, but nothing that overly concerned them!!

I did ask the nurse today if i could get weighed (I know, what pregnant woman asks that), since I really haven't gained much during my pregnancy. I was last weighed on the 9th and at that point I was down about 3 pounds from what I was at the office the week before, well today I was down another 1/2 pound. It frustrates me because I eat 3 meals a day and have snacks, I know the boys are growing and that's all that matters, but I just want to make sure they are getting enough nutrients!! I will talk to Dr. S about it tomorrow and get her thoughts!!!

Thanks to my visitors today - Veronica, Kayla, Holly, and Leslie.

We are asking for extra prayers for a family member that is starting chemo this week and also for our boys that they will continue to grow and gain strength!!!

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

25.3

It's the little things that make your day when you have looked at the same 4 walls for two and a half weeks!! A huge thank you to my cousin Jenelle for waxing my eyebrows while she was here today!!!!

Dr. S was on call today so she was in a few times!! She brought me a smoothie this morning, which was a nice surprise!! She was pleased with the way everything is going, and still jokes that I will be begging her to deliver me because I'm going to make it so far - I really hope she's right!!

All our monitorings went great!! The boys were extra active tonight, but I'm blaming it on the Strawberry Shortcake I ate!!!

The hallway I am in is clearing out, which is hard to see, but I know I'm where I need to be to keep my boys as healthy and strong as they can be!!!

I had a lot of visitors today!!! Thank you to Mom, Staci, Abby, Mac, Grandma, Aunt Crystal, Jenelle, Payton, Danae, and Gracie. I love spending time with my family!!!

God doesn't give us what we can handle...He helps us handle what we have been given!!

25.2

Overall its been a really quiet day, which was much needed!!  I have been sick to my stomach since last night, so having a quiet day was nice.

Dr. D was on call today and came this morning to see me.  He said everything was looking good and joked that he hopes he didn't see me the rest of the day because that means there were problems...so for that, I was glad to only see him once!!

Brodie has been here all day with me as he was off last night.  I know it is no fun for him to just sit here, but to have his company and support helps my days!!

All my monitorings went well.  I did have a couple contractions, but nothing out of the ordinary!  The boys did great as well!  I think they have realized that they can try and hide from the monitors, but that just means they are going to have to be on twice as long, so they are cooperating more!!

I haven't been listing Brodie as a visitor, so today I'm thankful for my visitor - my amazing husband that has been my rock through this journey!!  There is no way I could be going through this with anyone else!!!

Thank you again for all the continued prayers!!  We know the prayers are being heard!  Our boys will always be our miracles!!

 

Deuteronomy 31:6  Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

25.1

Happy Friday!!  Another day down, which means 2 less days for my boys in NICU!!  I've heard from a lot of people that they don't understand how we can be so positive through this journey and not be an emotional mess and my answer is - we have prayed for years to be parents and to now  to be expecting not 1, but 2 amazing little boys, we will do everything in our power to make sure they are healthy!  We know this is not in our hands and is out of our control, but believe that God has a plan for us and with faith we will get through!!  I can honestly say not everyday is easy, but every time I hear my boys heart beats on the monitor, my day is made!!  I know that they are relying on me and I will do EVERYTHING in my power to make sure they are as healthy as they can be!!

Today went great - all monitorings for the boys and myself went great!!  This morning when then boys were on the monitor, they were being quiet and staying on and then I called my mom to wish her a Happy Birthday and as soon as I said it they started going crazy!! It was obvious that they wanted to wish their grandma a Happy Birthday as well!! 

Brodie was here most of the day today and kept me company!!  I love when he is here!!  The boys are really starting to respond to his voice and we love every minute of it - minus when they play soccer with my bladder when they hear him!!

I had some really special visitors today, I know they are going through a lot themselves and for them to take the time to come see me meant so much!! We are truly blessed with the best family!!  I love you guys and know that we are praying like crazy for you!! 

Thanks to all my visitors - Kayla, Veronica, Danae, Micah, Dr. H, Carmen, Dr. R

Instead of a verse tonight, I decided to post some of the lyrics to one of my favorite songs!!  These words run through my mind so many times a day and really help me remember that we are not alone in this journey!!

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains
One thing remains

Your love never fails it never gives up it never runs out on me

25 weeks :)

Another day - another milestone!!  Today is 25 weeks!!  To think that at 18 weeks I was put on bed rest and at 23 weeks I was put on hospital bed rest and told that we needed to take things hour by hour at one point!  Our boys are fighters that's for sure!!!  Everyday is one day closer for us to meet our sons - even though we aren't ready to meet them yet!  At the most, I have 12 weeks and 4 days left as that is when my C-section is scheduled for. 

Dr. S came in this morning and was pleased with everything!! She has nicknamed the boys Sam and Sammy, and is pretty convinced at least one of those names should stick!!  She accomplished her mission and I got a fridge put in my room today, so that is exciting!!  Its the little things!! :)

I can't tell you how much easier it makes it to have amazing nurses to take care of you! I know I'm not supposed to have favorites, but its hard not to - you just click with some better than others and today I had my favorite day nurse!!  She makes me feel so comfortable and I know that she cares just as much for our boys as we do!!  She was going out to eat tonight with a bunch of the other nurses, so she brought me BW3 for supper on her way home.  Brodie jokes that we are going to hire her to be my personal nurse as I always feel way better when she is here!!! 

All my monitorings and the boys went great again!! I did have a couple contractions here and there, but that is to be expected at this point! 

Brodie was here this morning for awhile after work and then went home to get caught up on stuff around the house.  He is off tonight, so he didn't come back this evening like he normally does and it was hard to be here without him, but I know he needs to keep up on things at home (and I'm sure he's ready for a little break from me)!! 

There's a girl that was in the room next to me since I got here, and she had already been here for 5 weeks at that point.  She delivered a healthy 5# 2oz baby boy yesterday and we couldn't be more happy for them!! They are the sweetest family and have had such a trying pregnancy that its a huge answer to prayer that mom and baby are doing great!!

Thank you to my visitors today - Veronica, Kayla, Leslie, and Holly. 

Thanks also to everyone that prayed for my glucose results - I found out today that I passed that, so that is one less thing to worry about!!! Please continue to pray for our boys as they grow and develop!!

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

24.6

One day closer to 25 weeks!! It is so much easier to look at days instead of weeks!!! I've decided to change things up a little bit with my blog. I normally just do it in the evening, but instead I'm going to do it through the day and just post it at night!!

Its now clear that our boys know their dads voice!! He was talking to them telling them to behave and they kicked me hard!! He then said they were football players and once again, I got kicked!!!

9:00am - Its time for monitoring again!! The boys both did great!! Baby A is sitting so low that the more he moves the more painful it is!! Baby B is pretty high, so I don't feel him as much, but he's still moving around! They kept the contraction monitor on as well, which thankfully again was quiet!! Dr. S came in while I was hooked up and was pleased with how everything looked!! Her mission today is to find a fridge for my room!! She says if I'm going to be here this long I need a fridge!! I agree, but I don't have the pull that she does!!!

10:00am - I am doing my test today to check for gestational diabetes. Our oab tech from the office was sweet enough to come over and do it here so I didn't have to have someone else poke me (she's the best, and I'm spoiled). I had to drink the lovely flat orange pop with extra sugar tasting stuff, which made the boys go crazy!! Please pray that the results come back normal!!

1:00pm and 5:00pm - Contraction monitoring time!! Everything looks great!!!

9:00pm - Time to monitor the boys again. They gave my nurse a run for her money this time!! They did not want the monitors pushing on them, and they made it well known!!! Their heart beats were 140's and 150's when we could track them down!! At least we know they are healthy active boys!!! My contraction monitor looked great again!!

A huge thank you to my cousins, Natalie and Nicole, for their sweet homemade cards that I got in the mail today!!! It was such a nice surprise!!

Thanks to my visitors - Veronica, Kayla, Leslie, Shannon, Trystin, Shelly, Joy, Heather, Corey and Holly!

Please pray for the other patients that are here and for the trials they face!! Also, for a family member that is facing some medical problems!! We know the power of prayer is an amazing thing!!

Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

24.5

Dr. S came in this morning and said they could stop the magnesium, so that made my day!!! Its still been a sleepy feeling day, but not near like yesterday was!!

All my monitorings went great again and the boys did great as well!!

I had a lot of visitors today which always helps the day go quicker!! Thanks to Kayla, Kristin, Leslie, Crystal, Joy, Carmen, and Dr. G!!

My nurse has been joking with me tonight that I'm boring since I don't really need anything other than meds and monitoring every couple hours. I keep telling her at this point, I'm glad to be boring because that means things are still going well!!

Philippians 4:6-8 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

24.4

What a day!!! We started the magnesium about 8:00 this morning and for the first few hours, I could barely keep my eyes open!! It got a little better as the day went on, but all in all, I really just wanted to sleep most of the day. I'm thankful that I didn't have any of the nausea that they said could come with it!!

Brodie stayed with me for the first couple hours to make sure that I didn't have any major reactions, which eased my anxiety a lot!!! He came back tonight, and brought me Taco Bell (which was the only thing that sounded good), so that was a nice change from hospital food!!

Dr. S came in this morning and said she's still pleased with how everything was going!! I originally thought I would just be on the magnesium for 12 hours, but the nurse just told me that I'm going to be on it for 24 hours instead, so I still have about 12 hours to go, but whatever is best for the boys is what I will do!!

My Grandma and Aunt Terri surprised me with a visit today!! It was nice to catch up with them for awhile!!

All monitorings went great today!! The boys were well behaved and stayed on the monitor!!

Thanks to Jenni and Les for coming over from the office to check on me!! I apologize for being half out of it!!!

Please pray for a very special family in my life that are facing some health issues. It is so hard for me to be in here when I want nothing more than to be with them to provide my love and support, but I know what they need right now is lots of prayers!!

Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

24.3

Another day down!! I was told by one of our doctors that everyday I'm here and the boys are inside, it takes 2 days off NICU stay for them - it makes it much easier to deal with when I look at it that way!!

Dr. S was on call today, so she stopped in a couple times!! I did have some contractions this morning, but she's not worried as they weren't consistent. The boys were CRAZY this morning on the monitor, it took us forever to track them down and even longer to keep them on!! I had a pop tart, so I guess they had too much sugar!!

I found out today that I'm going to be given a medication called Magnesium Sulfate tomorrow to help prevent neurological problems if the boys are born early!! Please say a prayer that I handle this med okay as its not the easiest on people. I know it will help our boys so it will be worth it!!

Thanks to my visitors today - Gary, Jeff and Elaine, and my mom and dad!! Mom brought some clothes she bought for the boys at the outlet mall, so that was fun to see!!!

I'm again asking for prayers for a couple families that are going through trying times with illnesses. Its easy to forget how blessed you are until you see others suffer!!

Isaiah 66:13 - As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.

24.2

Another successful day!! Weekends always seem a little longer just because its so quiet around here, but I had some special visitors today to help with that!!

Staci, Abby, and Mac came to visit for awhile today, and I can't tell you how much it brightened my day!! The kids seem to be growing up so fast without seeing them as often as I used to!!

All my monitor sessions went great!! The boys were monitored twice and looked great as well!! It seems like everyday they switch which one is going to be the most active on the monitor, and this morning it was Baby A and tonight it was B.

Dr. S was not on call today. So one of our other physicians, Dr. G, came and saw me!! She was just as happy with how things are going and optomistic things are going to work out!! We have pretty much accepted the realization that not only will I be here until 28 weeks, but I will probably be here until I deliver!! Its hard to deal with sometimes, but I know I'm where I need to be and have all the resources here that I need!!

The nurses today made a Dairy Queen run and asked if I would like something, its so nice to have such great nurses!! They for sure make me more comfortable!!

Tonight I ask for prayers for all of those that have family members facing terrible illness. I got a text today that a very special family was called to the hospital as their brother and uncle took a turn for the worst!! I know they will appreciate all the prayers!!

I can't say thank you enough to everyone for your thoughts, messages, cards, texts, visits, and prayers!! We know the power of prayer is working!! Our boys are so lucky to have their Grandma Burton as their angel watching over them!!!

Proverbs 3:6 - Seek God's will in all you do, and he will show you the path to take.

24.1

What a difference a day makes!! Today has been much better day emotionally!! Brodie was here most of the day today, which was a huge help!!!

All my monitorings went great!! Still only an occas contraction here and there, if any!! The boys looked great as well!! They were really active tonight, so it was hard to keep them on the monitor, but we got it!!

Dr. S came in around lunch to check on me and see how things were going!! I know I say it pretty much everyday, but I can not stress enough how comfortable she makes me feel!! This is by far the scariest thing we have ever gone through, but knowing she is always reviewing everything calms my nerves so much!! She is happy with how things are going and seems to have all confidence our boys are going to do great!!

A HUGE thank you today for Kayla and Veronica bringing lunch over and eating with me!! Also to Carol, Darlene, and Dr. H for stopping by!!

I got a phone call tonight from a pretty special 6 year old that will be coming to see me tomorrow!! I don't know who's more excited, her or I.

The big excitement for today was our 24 week growth scan!! My ultrasound tech from the office was kind enough to come over and scan me!! Again, its so nice to be taken care of by those you know and are comfortable with!! The boys are growing so much, its such an awesome feeling every time we see them on the screen!! They are growing right on track and they are pretty much identical sizes (which is a huge relief because with twins sometimes one is way bigger). Baby A weighed 1 pound 9 ounces and Baby B is 1 pound 8 ounces. They were both 14 ounces 3 weeks ago, so their progress is great!!

Psalm 28:7 - The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise him.

24 weeks :-)

Today is our 24 week milestone!! Every additional week the boys are inside is a huge relief!! To say today was rough would be an understatement...I guess I'm entitled to overly hormonal emotional days, but I've not had one in so long, it just kind of hit me like a stack of bricks.

My monitoring sessions went well, with occas contractions here and there, but nothing concerning. The boys looked great as well both times they were monitored!! Mom came this evening and was able to be here for the evening monitoring, so she got to hear how much they move around!!! They are busy boys that's for sure!!

Brodie went home this morning after he got off work to get some much needed sleep and he will come back tomorrow!! As much as I don't like when he's not here, I know he needs to get sleep and take care of stuff at home!!

We will have an ultrasound tomorrow to check the boys growth!! I can not wait to see how much they have grown!! We last measured them around 21 weeks and they were each 14 ounces!!

I have had quite a few visitors today, which always helps the day go faster, but I apologize that you guys had to see my crazy emotions!! Thanks to Arial, Cait, Veronica, Kayla, Carol, and Mom!!!

A huge thank you to my mom for coming and for bringing me homemade supper!! The food here isn't bad, but its nice to have something homemade every once in awhile!! Also to Kayla for the extra visit after work, the smoothie, and the hugs!!!

People keep asking to see a belly picture, and I promise I will post one soon!! The last week I feel like I have really popped out!!!

Please pray specifically for our ultrasound tomorrow and that the boys will be growing on track!!

Psalm 56:3 - When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

23 weeks 6 days

Brodie says I need better titles, so I'm trying to think of creative ones!!!

Its amazing what sleep can do for you!! The nurses and I joke that they are just helping me prepare for interrupted sleep when the boys get here!! I was able to sleep off and on between medications, and then about 3 hours straight after my 2am dose. I'm not really one to take naps during the day....which I'm sure will soon change, so for now I'm pretty tired by the time night comes!!

We had a some snow overnight, about 6 inches, and now the winds have picked up, so Brodie is just staying here until work tonight. I know its not ideal for him, but I feel so much better when he's here!!

The boys were monitored this morning and looked great. We normally have a hard time keeping track of them because they are still so small and have so much room to move, but today we were able to keep them both on for almost 30 minutes straight!! Heart rates were again 140/150's which has been pretty consistent since our first ultrasound!! My morning contraction monitorings went great as well. The first one showed only one contraction and the second time I was on for almost 2 hours and didn't have any contractions!! I got my second shot to help mature the boys lungs, so we are done with those now!!

Dr. S came in over lunch and is still pleased with how everything is going!! I love having a Dr that is completely open and honest with me, so I know if she says not to worry, I feel much better!!! I guess that's one of those extra perks of working with your physician..complete honesty (even when you may not want it)!!!

I've been asked a lot if we have settled on names and the answer is.....no!! We are close, but still not there!! We are still planning on keeping them a secret when we do decide, but as of now, they are still "the boys." I promise my boys one name will not be Billy Bob Burton even if their dad thinks its the best!!!

My night monitoring went great as well!!! My blood pressure has been up a few times today, but they aren't concerned, just going to keep monitoring it!!

Thanks to our visitors for today - Leslie, Kayla, Veronica, Darlene, and Lindsay. Its so nice to be at a hospital that Brodie works at and my office is attached to!!

1 Peter 5:7 - Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares for you!!

23 weeks 5 days

Last night was a good night of sleep again!! The nurses were in and out about every 2 hours, but luckily I was able to sleep between. My morning monitorings went well, each showed a contraction here and there, but nothing concerning!! The boys monitoring went great as well. Baby A's heartbeat was 140's and Baby B was 150's. I just love being able to hear their heartbeats a couple times a day!!

Dr. S came in this morning to check on me. She said she's still happy with how everything is going!! She gave me the go ahead to shower every other day, which we have been arguing about since I got admitted!! She was pretty set on once or twice a week, but I'm thrilled she changed her mind as long as my contractions stay away. She did order the shot today to help mature the boys lungs, so I got one dose today, and will get the second dose tomorrow. The shot wasn't too bad, it burned a little, but I know it helps the boys, so its completely worth it!!

Around 2:00pm I felt a couple contractions, so they hooked me up again. I was on for about 2 hours and only had 3 contractions, so that was good!!! Baby B is positioned funny so we think that may be the extra tightening I'm feeling.

Thankfully the snow wasn't bad and Brodie made it back safely and was able to have supper with me. The boys were monitored again after supper and heartbeats were again 140/150. Dr. S has taken away my night time monitoring and vitals since things have been going so well, so tonight I will have meds at 10, midnight, and 2 and then not again until 6am...before I had monitoring and vitals and 1am and 5am as well.

A lot of people have asked how I'm feeling on meds, and I am feeling really good on them!! Thankfully the meds are oral, so I'm not hooked to any iv's. I'm also able to wear my regular clothes, so that's way more comfy than hospital gowns!!

Thanks to my visitors today - Dr. R, Kayla, Maria and Dr. G. It was a busy day which made it go pretty fast, so it was nice!!!

Please continue to pray for our boys that they continue to grow and strengthen. Please also pray for my body and that I can keep them in as long as possible.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through him who gives me strength.

23 weeks 4 days

Its so hard to get a good nights sleep with nurses coming in every couple hours, but I think I was so worn out that it caught up with me and I got about 5 hours of sleep, and let me tell you, it was much needed!! Brodie came in after he got off work and had breakfast with me (I can't express how much better I feel when he's here) and then went home to get some sleep before coming back tonight.

Dr. S came in to go over everything from last night and said she was happy with how everything looked. I did have a couple contractions over night, but that's to be expected!! My first two monitorings went well, each only showed one contraction, and the boys looked great on their monitor as well!! I don't feel them move a ton due to where their placentas are located, but today they are extra quiet...I think they must be worn out from the last few days as well!! Now as I type this I just got a huge kick...guess someone is reading my mind!!

Dad and mom came this evening and brought supper. We are so blessed to have such amazing families!! It was great to spend time with mom and dad and they were able to be here when the boys got monitored, which once again, went great!! Every time I hear the boys heartbeats I think I fall in love with them even more!! I'm hooked up to the contraction monitor now, which has been nice and quiet!! I will have meds to take at 10pm, midnight, and 2am so hopefully after my 2am dose I will be able to sleep good until 6 when my next meds are due!!!

Overall it was a great day. Thanks to Leslie, Kayla, Dr. R, Leo, Dad and Mom for visiting today!!! I will be getting a shot tomorrow to help mature the boys lungs so if they are born pre-term they have a little extra help there. Everyone keeps commenting on how great my spirits are and I have to tell you its because I know we are not in control and my trust is in the Lord!!

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

How Did We Get Here??

I've decided to start this to hopefully keep everyone updated on how things are going!! Please bare with me as I'm new to this and learning!!

I'll start from the beginning of hospital stays/bedrest. At 18 weeks 1 day I was admitted to St. Vincents in Indy and told that I would need to have a cerclage (stitch put in cervix) due to cervical shortening and dilation to help preterm labor. Needless to say, that was one of the scariest days of my life and the thought of losing my boys was just not an option for me. Unfortunately Brodie had a stomach bug, so he was not able to be there, but thankfully my mom was able to be there!! The cerclage was placed on Saturday, January 26th at 18 weeks 2 days. I was discharged the next day and would be on bed rest at home until delivery. I would be following up once a week for appts and ultrasounds with my OB.

All of my visits had been going great, until Friday, March 1st. Working at my OB office is the biggest blessing, but yet the biggest curse at the same time. Most patients don't understand numbers on ultrasounds, but working there, I knew the number on the screen when my cervix was measured was not good!! I told Brodie as soon as we walked out that I was probably on the way to the hospital. Of course, he being the optomistic one of our marriage, told me to just try not to worry until we talk to Dr. S. She walked in the room, looked at me (a crying mess) and said everything's going to be okay! I can't stress enough how much trust and confidence I have in my group of OB's!! She had discussed my ultrasound with the high risk OB's that did my surgery, and they decided that hospital bed rest until 28 weeks was the best thing for me. That of course was not what I wanted to hear, but I knew it was what we needed to do to keep our boys inside!

Once I got to the hospital I was hooked to monitor if I was having any contractions. I had no idea, but the monitor revealed that I was contracting about every 15 minutes, then it was every 12 minutes, then it was every 5 minutes. They were giving me meds to try to stop them, which eventually worked, but it took awhile. Once again we were faced with one of our scariest days, but knew that we were not in control of the situation!! Since the day I was admitted, I have been taking meds every 4 hours to keep my contractions away, monitored every 4 hours for contractions, and the babies get monitored twice a day!!

We are truly blessed to have the greatest nurses to watch over me and the boys!! Brodie comes and stays with me for awhile after he gets off work and then returns in the evening after he gets some sleep. I can't tell any of you how much it means to us to get the texts, calls, visits, thoughts, and mostly prayers!! We know that our lives are planned out and this is not in our control, we just give it to our Father above!! Our prayer everyday has changed from making it to my C-Section date, to making it to tomorrow. I have found it much easier to look to tomorrow instead of 14 weeks from now!!

I'm planning on writing everyday, some may just be a quick update, or some may be my thoughts of the day! My prayer is that this not only keeps everyone updated, but also helps Brodie and I through this journey!! Our boys are our miracles and when they get here, they will know how many people have helped us through this!!!

1 Samuel 1:27 "For this child I have prayed..."