Jerry added a few pictures of the twins from their early arrival, but for those of you who don't know what happened...here you go!
I finished my last day of work on Friday, September 4th before going on bed rest per my doctor's orders. She wanted me to have at least two weeks to rest and relax before our girls would arrive! Little did we know, they would arrive sooner than expected! Jerry and I had a great Labor Day weekend, what would be our last weekend as a family of two! Monday, Jerry's mom and I had gone to Target because I needed a few items to complete my hospital bag. The next day was my doctor's appointment, and Jerry and I were so anxious to see how big the girls had gotten! We knew it was going to be a long visit because they were doing a variety of things--ultrasound, non stress test, and doctor's visit. The girls were both measuring over 5 lbs, and we were so pleased! The non stress test went well, and they both were moving around a good bit. The contraction monitor was showing a few signs of silent contractions, but nothing concerning to us. Finally, we had our doctor's visit! Dr. Holland looked at the readings from the non stress test and asked if I was feeling any contractions or pressure. I told her I did feel some pressure, but I figured it was all the weight of the babies, and I had a few pains, but nothing like what they had explained contractions would feel like.
She had to do the strep test on me; so she said she would check me as well. After checking me, she told me I was 2 cm dilated! Jerry and I were in shock. Dr. Holland told us we had two options: we could either admit me to the hospital and have the babies that night, or we could wait until the morning to see how I was progressing and make a decision then. However, in waiting, we would take the risk of my water breaking and me going into full blown labor. We made the decision to take the girls that night.
We told Dr. Holland that we needed at least 2 hours for my parents to drive from Jackson, and since she had another c-section before me, it worked out perfectly. She sent Jerry to get everything we needed from the house and sent me over to Forrest General Hospital to be admitted. Thankfully, Jerry's sister came to sit with me, otherwise, I would have probably been going crazy! The C-section was a breeze, and I had the best doctors taking care of me. Within a few hours on September 8th, we went from a family of two to a family of four!
Even though it was probably one of Jerry's busiest weeks since he started working at USM, we wouldn't change a single thing that happened!
The week and half following their birth was definitely a struggle. The girls stayed in the NICU for week because of premature lungs, and then they were moved to the intermediate nursery for a few days before coming home. It was hard leaving our babies at the hospital and driving back and forth to see them.....but we knew they were in good hands. The nurses and doctors in the NICU and intermediate nursery were so positive and were always there to answer any questions or concerns we had. It was such a relief when they told us we could bring our girls home!
We have already had a few sleepless nights, but that is to be expected. Eva Marie and Ella Kate are so beautiful! Even after 2 weeks, their looks have changed. They are the sweetest girls, and we love them so much. We prayed for them for such a long time, and we feel so blessed to have them here.
We have tons of pictures to upload of our precious girls!
"Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you ..." Colossians 1:9
Friday, September 25, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Cradles
Below are a few pictures of the cradles my dad and I built for the girls. These will allow the babies to sleep in our room for a while to cut down on all the trips to the other end of the house, but more than that, they were an opportunity for us to spend a little quality time together.
33 Weeks Down ...
Sunday, August 30, 2009
In the beginning, there were two...
Jerry and I started this blog so that we could keep family members and friends updated on the progress of the upcoming arrival of our twin girls. We hope that our story will help others who might be going through the same challenges we faced in trying to start a family. It's been a long road, but I felt the need to share the story of our miracle girls ...
About 3 1/2 half years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis and a large cyst on my right ovary. After an extensive surgery, I was given a clean bill of health. We knew that we had a small window of opportunity to conceive a child before the endometriosis would come back. We tried to get pregnant for several months, even trying different medications to help the process, but had no success. We were heartbroken, but we trusted in God and knew he had a plan for our lives. We knew we had exhausted all of our options with the exception of one we had dreaded for so long ... IVF (In-vitro Fertilization).
We finally decided to go see the IVF specialist in Jackson, Dr. Randall Hines, to see what our options would be. After a very emotional office visit, we were told that IVF was our only viable option. We were given a large packet of information on how much it would cost, and Dr. Hines told us to call when we were ready to take the next step. After looking at the cost of IVF, we knew there was no way we could afford it without God providing a way. We prayed earnestly that if this was what God wanted for us, then HE would allow it to happen. God provided me with a new job that had incredible insurance. After calling the insurance company to inquire about IVF, they told me it would cover the cost of the medications and the actual process. God is amazing, and we give all the praise and glory to HIM!
We started the IVF process at the beginning of January 2009. I would like to say that it was so easy, but it was not. I would not have gotten through it without my wonderful husband and God looking over us. The daily shots and medications make you feel good sometimes and awful the next, but Jerry and I had an incredible support group surrounding us. Once the process was completed, we had to wait. It was the longest 2 weeks of our lives, but we just kept praying. On February 3, 2009, we found out we were pregnant!! It was long awaited, and we could not have been happier. We told family and close friends who had been praying for us, but we waited to confirm the pregnancy through ultrasound to let the world know! On February 11, 2009, we found out we were having twins, and so here we are today--3 weeks left before our miracle girls arrive!
"God performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, and miracles that cannot be counted" Job 5:9
About 3 1/2 half years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis and a large cyst on my right ovary. After an extensive surgery, I was given a clean bill of health. We knew that we had a small window of opportunity to conceive a child before the endometriosis would come back. We tried to get pregnant for several months, even trying different medications to help the process, but had no success. We were heartbroken, but we trusted in God and knew he had a plan for our lives. We knew we had exhausted all of our options with the exception of one we had dreaded for so long ... IVF (In-vitro Fertilization).
We finally decided to go see the IVF specialist in Jackson, Dr. Randall Hines, to see what our options would be. After a very emotional office visit, we were told that IVF was our only viable option. We were given a large packet of information on how much it would cost, and Dr. Hines told us to call when we were ready to take the next step. After looking at the cost of IVF, we knew there was no way we could afford it without God providing a way. We prayed earnestly that if this was what God wanted for us, then HE would allow it to happen. God provided me with a new job that had incredible insurance. After calling the insurance company to inquire about IVF, they told me it would cover the cost of the medications and the actual process. God is amazing, and we give all the praise and glory to HIM!
We started the IVF process at the beginning of January 2009. I would like to say that it was so easy, but it was not. I would not have gotten through it without my wonderful husband and God looking over us. The daily shots and medications make you feel good sometimes and awful the next, but Jerry and I had an incredible support group surrounding us. Once the process was completed, we had to wait. It was the longest 2 weeks of our lives, but we just kept praying. On February 3, 2009, we found out we were pregnant!! It was long awaited, and we could not have been happier. We told family and close friends who had been praying for us, but we waited to confirm the pregnancy through ultrasound to let the world know! On February 11, 2009, we found out we were having twins, and so here we are today--3 weeks left before our miracle girls arrive!
"God performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, and miracles that cannot be counted" Job 5:9
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