22.5 Week Update and Photo Shoot

This journey through pregnancy has been amazing and I will be forever thankful for our blessings God has entrusted us with. I love our little Gavin and Wyatt so much and can't wait to see who God made them to be. The past couple of weeks our little guys have been getting stronger; their movements are starting to feel different as they gain strength and grow rapidly. The past couple of days they have been very active and seem to be getting into routines of play and sleep. I truly love feeling them roll and kick inside of me. I am forever in awe at this beautiful process of life God has given us.

Date Night - Out Dancing Again!!

As I've written about before, Jason and I so enjoyed all the weekends we were able to go dancing in May and June. Since then, we haven't been able to go dancing; I personally just don't think a dance hall scene is appropriate for a pregnant lady with all the smoke and vibrations. So, we've been missing our dancing time, (although it's WELL worth it for sure!!!); until... we heard about the local VFW having a 'Community Dance' the second Saturday of each month!

So last night we got ready for our night of dancing and headed off to the VFW! I had a huge smile on my face as I was getting ready; for the first time in all our dancing days, I didn't have to worry about how my outfit made me look. I asked Jason, 'Does this outfit make me look fat?!!' and he laughed and joked, 'It's not the outfit!!' We laughed so hard and both agreed that he can only get away with saying that lovingly until March!

So the 'Community Dance' felt like a mixture of a wedding reception and a high school dance. But they had good music from a live band and we had a ball. It was a great fun experience getting to dance and also watching all the kids out there having a ball. It's funny how the seasons change in life and how beautiful each one is! With both agreed this will be a great opportunity for us and our boys to enjoy in the future years! Even though we haven't danced in a while, we did a great job cutting a rug! I must say though, it did feel MUCH different dancing with a belly. My center of gravity was much different which caused me to 'drift' a little more when I would spin. Jason did a great job following me (or I should say my tummy) and we never missed a beat!

So, I do believe that our little boys loved the music as well (it wasn't too loud). They were moving up a storm all night. Guess they were dancing already in the womb! (This morning they were moving a whole lot during the singing at church as well... it will be interesting to see if they are starting to respond to noise more; especially music!)

After dancing, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for a mid-night snack for old times sake :)

When we got home, we rested a little while on the couch and our boys were still moving a whole lot. They have been getting so much stronger the past couple of days. So I was thinking, I wonder if you can see them by chance... and sure enough, we could! Both Jason and I were amazed and watching my stomach move with each strong kick! I'm so enjoying these new feelings as they grow and get stronger. So this morning I was sound asleep and an hour before my alarm was scheduled to go off, I was jerked awake as Baby A kicked and moved so hard I thought he was coming out of my skin. He was up and so was I by this point. It sure did scare me and thus I scared Jason! It made us laugh.

Below is a picture of me and our boys before we headed out to the dance (so you can see my tummy).

The Tyranny of Negative Thinking - A Walk with God

Today I had my ‘Day of Prayer’ at the Cenacle. As I sat there the first few quiet minutes of reflection, I realized that I came this morning with preconceived thoughts about how today would flow and what perhaps I ‘would learn’. The topic was ‘The Tyranny of Negative Thinking’, so my mind began to list the things that I might focus on that day. But as I sat there in the quiet, I began to pray instead for me to be emptied and for God to fill me as He wished; for me to quiet my mind and heart so I may hear Him.

As I’ve mentioned before, it seems as though I’ve been struggling with a ‘lack of focus’ which causes dryness in two of the areas I just love to do; reading and writing. Yes, I’ve been able to read more than I was this summer and I can write at times, but nothing flows like God used to allow and my mind seems to be distracted too much for writing. Knowing this coming in, perhaps I should say struggling with this as I came in this morning, I ask God to speak through this ‘dry spell’ in which my focus was so weak.

In our first guided meditation, I was able to sit in the quiet chapel. I sat and began to write a ‘letter’ to God about the topic at hand. And the words just began to flow. This hasn’t happened in a while and it was wonderful. Along with the flow of words, many tears flowed. Where do our negative thoughts come from? Although much of my conversation with God I wish to remain private, I do want to share that roots and results of ‘fear’ were set before me to explore and understand; fear of ‘failure’ or ‘falling short’.

During our second guided meditation, I explored some questions that aroused from our first mediation. I wrote:

I fall like a leaf, floating down on a cool autumn day. What once was green, now is brown; a sign of a season ending and another starting. Like a leaf, we never fall straight down, but rather are wrapped in God’s breezes; gently floating to the places He pleases. A change in direction, no, not an upward climb, but still in His grip I stand. To stand when falling is only by His grace, His love and His mercy He pours out. For when I am weak, He is strong. Though I may fail, God will prevail. To God be the glory.

Our last activity before lunch was learning to ‘Walk Mindfully’. For a while I walked around the grounds asking myself, ‘How can a walk with God ease the ‘fear’? I realized that when I walk with God, we seem to be going in no specific direction with no specific purpose; just being with each other and sharing. When I think of ‘walking’, I think of getting from point A to point B, but with God, sometimes we walk to ‘just be’. Like the leaf floating down on God’s breezes, my walk with God will go where He leads.

I’ve realized today that with God, there is no failure. I can not fall while in His grip and He will never let go of me. As He guides the fallen leaf, He guides me to where I need to be. What seems like a lack of success is looked at by God as just another turn of events in our life together; an event that will lead me closer to Him and allow Him to shine through me to others as well.

Gavin and Wyatt - 20 Week 5 day Ultrasound Pics!

This afternoon Jason and I got to enjoy watching our little boys move around during our doctor's appt. Both babies are healthy and are looking and doing great! Below are some of the ultrasound pics they provided us! I wish we had a video to share, b/c that's when you can really see them and get a better feel for how they are looking. The 3D pictures themselves are still real blurry and don't show the babies' true shape. But we love them and it's wonderful getting a sneak peak!





During the visit Baby A kept stretching his neck back and forth for us; almost like he was trying to show us a new trick he just learned! (This process kept pressing his face into the placental wall, which made it difficult to take the 3D picture of him! So for now, we'll just have to guess a little more what he's looking like since he was having too much fun playing!)

Both A and B were touching their face a whole lot during the visit which was fun to watch. It was wonderful watching them move and play!

It was great fun watching and feeling Baby B kick at the same time. He did this a lot during the appt!

Mommy Update:

Just this past Saturday, I've started to experience a lot more heartburn daily as well as some slight swelling in my hands and feet. The swelling is not bad at all yet, but just something I'm starting to notice. The doctor said I'm lucky to just now be starting to feel it... Also, the hormonal tears are starting as well this past week. Sometimes I want to just sit and cry over nothing... I took a photography class yesterday and think I almost cried 5 times for no reason... just 'sentimental' these days I guess. It's pretty funny actually unless I'm out in public ;)

20 Weeks Update

This past week the babies and I went through a major growth spurt! I'm always pretty uncomfortable the 2-3 days of 'growing' and the babies aren't quite as active during that time. But as soon as I start to feel better the babies start playing like crazy. I've been enjoying them moving like crazy the past few days; they are getting stronger and stronger. I think I feel another growth spurt coming on which is about right b/c it seems like I have one a week these days.

Here's a silly picture for you; showing off my 'curves'!



This morning I woke up and made Gavin's and Wyatt's 'name plates' to go above their cribs in the nursery. Here's a sneak peak before we hang them in the room!

Life Groups

The past couple of months I have had the privilege of leading Bible study for 9th grade ladies in our new Life Groups for high school students. While I say ‘Bible study’, our group is much more than this, and while I say ‘leading’, I am merely facilitating our discussions as we all learn from each other and share in life. I have become so impressed with these young ladies and am thankful to call them my friends. My heart is filled with such great joy as I see their love for God and their desire to mature in their faith and walk with their Savior.

I’ve been challenged in ways I didn’t anticipate; mainly dealing with energy levels during pregnancy. We meet every Wednesday evening and normally by the evening time, I am running out of energy and starting to feel pretty uncomfortable. I’ve learned by body and my current limitations and through prayer realized that my Wednesdays must be filled with lots of quiet and relaxing time in order to serve in the way I so desire. Most Wednesdays by 6pm I’m starting to run dry, but I continue to pray for energy, passion and for His will to be done in all of our lives and at our fellowship time. It’s truly amazing… EVERYTIME God feels me with energy beyond fathom; fueled by such beautiful and wonderful passions for Him and serving His children. By the time I get home (already past my bedtime) I’m wide awake and can’t fall asleep for a while.

I am so thankful for these opportunities God has given to me. He has taken me out of my comfort zone quite a few times the past couple of months and each time I’m left energized further. I have also had fears lately though; mainly fears about balancing my energy to serve my family and others at this chapter in my life. I trust in God and thank Him for allowing me to see the lies satan tries to fill me with, as well as for the peace in understanding my limitations right now. For I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I have been constantly reminding myself lately (so important for me to understand this once Gavin and Wyatt are born), that God is much bigger than any of my successes or failures. It’s freeing to know that my job is to serve God in the many ways He calls me to, and that all outcomes are in His hands. He works all things for good for those who love Him!

Just as a very brief summary, the past couple of months we have discussed the fact that we are created in God’s image and what that means. We’ve talked about our walk with God and serving God and fellowship with each other. Right now we are focusing on our identity in Christ and protecting it, trusting it and living it out. I thoroughly enjoy preparing for each night and then hearing the ladies’ perspectives on it all.