The Last Month

I just can't believe that Evan and Emily have already turned one month old! It does make me a little sad to know that their first weeks have already passed, and yet I really am enjoying the beginnings of their second month so much! The twins have grown and changed so much already! 

If you were to be a fly on the wall as I write this morning, you would probably be amused. I have Evan in my lap fighting off the hiccups while Emily lays next to us asleep in her Boppy. I am completely covered and soaked in spit up, but I won't yet go change because entering our room could wake up the hubby. Since he doesn't really begin his full night of sleep til 2 or 3 a.m., waking up the hubs is not something I want to do. 

So much has happened in the last month. The biggest change has occurred in finally getting the twins on a schedule. I affectionally called the first two weeks of the babies' lives "Baby Boot Camp." It was a good period, but it was challenging in that we were so sleep deprived. The day after the first night we came home, a friend called and asked how the night went. I said, "Good! I got three hours of sleep!" I really was positive about it, but I was running on adrenaline at the time. After about a week, the sleep deprivation hit and we started praying the babies would sleep through the night. Although Chase and I don't officially yet sleep through the night, actually the babies pretty much do. They go to bed around 10 or 10:30, cry a few hours later to be fed (but pretty much sleep through the feeding), and then they go back to bed for a few more hours. This means they normally wake up around 4:30-5:30 every morning. Getting up this early puts waking up to teach middle schoolers to shame. Staying at home apparently does not mean sleeping later. :-) In all seriousness, though, the early morning feeding is my favorite of the day. Because we allow each child to sleep as late as they want after the middle of the night feeding, I normally feed each one individually and drink my coffee. I so enjoy the one on one time with them and just being able to cuddle with each one. The schedule is working really well for Chase and me too. We are starting to get into a flow of things and we are feeling less and less sleep deprived. It may not be uninterrupted sleep, but we are still able to get about seven hours a night. 

We did need a reprieve, though, and we got one last weekend. We traded spaces for a night with Chase's parents. They came and stayed at our house with the babies, and we stayed at their house so we could sleep. Chase was so surprised I would be willing to leave the babies so soon after their arrival. Not only did a night of uninterrupted sleep sound dreamy (pun totally intended), but time with the hubs sounded great too. Prior to the twins' arrival, Chase didn't believe me when I told him that our marriage would still be top priority after the twins' arrival. The importance of our marriage is something the Lord has laid on our hearts before we said "I Do" and all throughout our seven years of marriage. The Lord has entrusted these children to us for a season, but one day we hope they will "leave and cleave" and begin families of their own. Our marriage will last much longer than the season we will be primary caretakers, and it must be tended to. As my friend Allison has often said, we get away not only for each other but also for our children. A good marriage can only benefit our children. So Chase and I enjoyed a fabulous dinner the night before (although we were so tired we say now we would have skipped it--we could barely keep our eyes open). But the next morning after nine straight hours of sleep, we had an amazing breakfast, and with it, great conversation, which we totally needed. After our night off, we have been totally renewed and able to handle the schedule we now have very well.

We've had lots of family and friends stay with us or come over to visit this past month as well, and it has been so nice. We feel blessed to know so many love our kiddos. As far as each one goes, Ev and Em both have individual, precious little personalities. Since I've written a novel so far and I can't find my camera cord, I will end here. I did take pics of them yesterday to mark their one month milestone, so once I can upload some photos, I will write more about each one. I know the grandparents living other cities would much appreciate it!

Although I know my blog posts will eventually be about other things than babies, right now this is what I literally do (and love) 24/7. A friend asked me the other day what I found to be most surprising about motherhood and I can easily say this: The joy is beyond indescribable, my gratitude limitless, my desire to praise and know the Lord much greater, and all other accomplishments pale in comparison....

If you are reading this and your experience has been that you are in waiting to become a mother as I did, please know I will be praying. If the Lord has given you a sweet marriage during this waiting, I encourage you to cherish it. It is a gift from the Lord...He has given you a husband who loves you much like Hannah had during her season of waiting. Whether it is through adoption or through one's own womb, once it is the Lord's timing for you to become a mother, you will feel a sense of peace that it was His best timing for you and your joy too will be indescribable.