The Machens

The Gymnast

2009-02-11T22:26:00.002-06:00

Molly is so excited! She was recently moved to the "Big Gym" for the big girls. Now she's doing real gymnastics! This week I brought the camera to catch her in action. The pictures turned out pretty dark, but you can still see her. What a cutie!

I was never an athlete. I know that surprises all of you! Maybe it's because I'm her mother-and we know how crazy parents can be... But she's REALLY good! She also has the cutest gymnast legs I've ever seen! She gets those muscles from her Daddy, for sure! She does love gymnastics, but mostly I think she likes the snack bar afterwards! This week I gave her a dollar and let her order. She is getting so big. She told the man, "I want a coke ICEE, a SMALL one." She sounded like such a big kid. I am not ready for her to order her own ICEEs. No one prepared me for how that would feel! What will the first day of kindergarten be like? Stay tuned. Although I'll be across the hall, I already feel a nervous breakdown coming on! The only consolation to me will be the cute little plaid uniform she will wear! Adorable!

18 months and WILD!

2009-02-11T21:54:00.003-06:00

The babies are now 18 months old! Mom and I took them to the doctor for their check up. What an experience! We completely took over the waiting room. Molly was with us so we were all there-in ALL our glory. Several times all we could do was laugh when one or both babies were rolling around on the floor or licking the front door. It's the kind of laugh where you might wet your pants. I think it's because I knew people were looking at me the way I look at women with triplets. I knew what they were thinking. Or maybe it's because I remember when Molly was a baby. She was always in a smocked dress with her little bow and perfect hair. She didn't like getting her hands dirty and would NEVER have eaten a sucker-it was too sticky. She would sit in my lap and suck on her paci-usually pretty quietly.

Now try to imagine two small, but powerful tornadoes. Those are my twins. They are into and on top of everything! Their half-curly hair (without a bow) was stuck to their faces with tons of static in it from rubbing their heads on the chairs. Lanie had a sucker wrapped around and stuck in the back of her hair. They both were eating all of the snacks I brought-sometimes off of the floor! At times they were all three running around the room squealing in delight or protest. There was back-arching and hair pulling and the occasional bite on the arm or back. Lindy tried to push down another little girl after hugging her. I am surprised they didn't kick us out...or take us back sooner! We were there for almost two hours!

Anyway, it was pretty fun. I think Nana was worn out after that visit! Their doctor was very pleased with their progress. They are both really small for their age. Lanie is in the 20th percentile on weight and Lindy is less than the 5th percentile on her weight. Now we have to think of new, creative ways to get them to gain some weight. They don't like Pediasure. He told us to keep them on the bottle because it was more important that they gain the weight. They really don't prefer the cup yet. Lindy was happy to hear that! They are both doing great-saying new words everyday and running all over the place. They are precious and sweet babies. I am still grateful every time we get a good doctor's report! Isn't God good?!

Bad Blogger!

2009-02-11T20:59:00.002-06:00

If any of you still read this blog, you know that I am a horrible blogger! I have totally skipped Christmas 08, New Years, and many other crazy in-between moments that the Machen family has had lately. I'll try to catch you up to date a little...

Christmas was of course wonderful, although it's hard to even remember it now that we are a few days away from Valentine's Day! After Christmas, I was a part of something that I had been dreading and looking forward to for two years. I had to travel to Memphis to testify in a trial. Many of you who read our blog know that two and a half years ago, my best friend Ashley Pittman Scott was murdered by her husband. We had been friends for 18 years when it happened. It sounds so strange to say that we were soul mate friends, but that's what we believed we were. We met in the 5th grade and were immediately friends. At that time we could finish each other's sentences. We were still doing that up until the week she died! We were the closest of friends...more like sisters.

I can't begin to explain to you the impact that her death has had on me. To lose someone you love so dearly is very hard, but the way she died was unbearable. There are so many emotions that I have had and don't have the space on this blog to explain them all. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to facing Jeff at the trial.

I hate to fly. I love going places, but HATE to fly. My friend Brandy took my ipod and loaded a ton of songs on them so I could try not to focus on the flight. There was a song that I had purchased that came on as we were flying around. I remember hearing this song for the first time when I was pregnant with the twins. For some reason, God spoke to me again through this song while traveling to the trial. It's called "Held" by Natalie Grant. It's about a baby and is super sad but the message is wonderful. I am going to share with you the part that meant so much to me-not the sad baby part.

Who told us we'd be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We're asking why this happens to us who have died to live-
It's unfair
This is what means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life-and you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know that the promise was
When everything fell, we'd be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow
This is what means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life-and you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know that the promise was
When everything fell, we'd be held

Throughout all of this, God was there-and still is holding me. This is what it means to be held by Him. This is what it feels like to have the worst happen and still survive. No, He didn't come so that I would have a perfect life, with all perfect days. He came so that I could have LIFE-and have it to the fullest. He kept his promise! I know that He made many of my days "the fullest" when she was here. He continues to fill my days with love and life-much of which causes a lot of laughter too. I am so thankful for that. You know, it's these times in our lives-the storms, when God teaches us the most about Him and ourselves. For that, I am grateful.

Thank you for all of your prayers while I was in Memphis. Elaine and I laughed a lot just remembering Ashley. We also had some tough moments. I am so thankful, E, that you were there with me. It's an experience I'd rather forget.

Sorry about the sad post. What a way to make a come back!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T21:32:00.002-06:00

Well, I guess I'll post our Christmas card for this year... They STILL haven't come in yet. Hopefully they will get mailed out before the New Year! I hope your family has a magical, Merry Christmas. May the New Year bring you much happiness! God Bless!

My Most Thankful Thing

2008-11-28T22:27:00.006-06:00

Molly and I have read a book called My Most Thankful Thing hundreds of times. The book itself isn't that great...neither are the pictures. But every time we read it, I start thinking about what my most thankful things are. It's not really a sentimental book, but I usually get choked up anyway!

Life in our house is crazy to say the least. Having three little girls should be a little wild-but there are toys, clothes (usually clean but unfolded), bottles (I know, they should be on the sippy cup by now...but, hey!), and shoes everywhere. There are loud sounds of either extreme happiness and sometimes BIG fits, plastic high heels clicking on hardwood floors, "E-I-E-I-E-I" being sung (we haven't gotten to the "O" part yet!), and desperate cries when Kyle or I move six inches away. And even though all of this is going on now...I try to remind myself that this tiny period of time that I am allowed to spend with my babies is precious. I am so thankful that God has allowed Kyle and I wake up each day with no expectations. We've learned that every morning, afternoon and evening will have new challenges and certainly new hilarious stories about our girls. They are truly the joys of our lives and I know that if we can look past the clutter and craziness...we will ALWAYS know what our most thankful things are! Happy Thanksgiving.

P.S. It was Book Character Day at school the day of the feast. I normally don't wear pigtails, ribbons, and a tutu in public (or private for that matter). It's amazing what motherhood will do for you! I didn't mind being Pinkalicious while the other Mommies and Daddies wore normal work clothes! :)

Witches, Cats and Turkeys?! Oh My!!!

2008-11-27T08:56:00.005-06:00

Happy Halloween and Thanksgiving! It's been a long time since I've blogged. You wouldn't believe what working and having three small kids will do to you! I have told many people that getting out the door in the morning is like an episode of The Amazing Race...so blogging has been nearly impossible!! But hopefully with the holidays here, I'll get back on track! Here are some pictures of Halloween. I thought I should go ahead and post them since Santa's almost here!! Enjoy!
P.S. Both babies are walking now and are into EVERYTHING!

Happy Birthday, Babies!

2008-08-20T19:44:00.003-05:00

Okay, so it's been three weeks since Lanie and Lindy turned one! I have been getting ready to start school. Both babies have been sick (Lanie once and Lindy twice). So I really haven't had the time to post anything. Lanie and Lindy's party was so fun! Here are some pictures of their first birthday party. My mom got some more pictures that are really cute and as soon as she sends them to me, I'll share them with you!

New Post Coming SOON!

2008-08-15T23:20:00.001-05:00

This is what happens when Mommy goes back to work...
It will include Babies' first birthday! Stay tuned!

Happy Birthday, Molly!

2008-07-23T07:26:00.003-05:00

This weekend was Molly's 4th birthday! I can't believe my baby is already 4!!! Her party was a lot of fun...here are some pictures of the celebration! I didn't get many pictures of her at the party because she wouldn't stay in one place for long!

Six Flags!

2008-07-09T22:54:00.004-05:00

Last week we took Molly and Graham to Six Flags. We had so much fun! It was just like I remembered it! My favorite part is still the Pink Thing!!!

Party Animals!

2008-07-09T22:35:00.006-05:00

July is a BIG party month for us!! First, we had a big Fourth of July party. The next party will be this weekend. It's a baby shower for one of my best friends, Michaela. I am so excited about this shower I just can't stand it! You can read all about baby Mathis at www.babymathis.com. He's such a precious gift and an amazing testimony to his mommy and daddy's patience.

Kyle's birthday is Monday. Molly's 4th birthday and party is next Saturday. Lanie and Lindy's birthday is on the 31st and we will celebrate on August 2nd. Needless to say, we are super busy! But...it's the kind of busy I like-party planning! I will be posting lots of pictures from each event!

Here are some pictures from the 4th of July. Kyle was so excited that he got to use his new La Caja China to cook a WHOLE pig. I was a little less than excited about seeing Wilbur. In fact, I couldn't even look at him until he was cooked. But it was very tasty and we had a lot of fun. Our friends from Lafayette came in town and Molly and Little Patrick had such a fun time on the water slide. Hope you had a great 4th!!

My favorite vacation pictures...

2008-06-28T23:09:00.003-05:00

Lanie Bug

Molly Grace and the pouty face!

Our family picture

Lindy Lou

Daddy and Lanie

Florida!

2008-06-28T22:45:00.004-05:00

We just got back from a week in Florida. We had so much fun! I had so much fun watching Molly on the beach. She really loved everything about it: the sand, the waves, the crabs, and the jellyfish. By the last day on the beach, she was picking up the dead ones on the beach and putting them on my leg!! For a girly girl, she sure is fearless! I loved seeing Lanie and Lindy play too. They really loved the sand and water

. Here are some pictures from our trip.

What has lots of tentacles and stings???

2008-06-28T22:26:00.004-05:00

A JELLYFISH!!!

Here is a picture of Molly's first jellyfish attack...
There were about 7 more but she became a pro at the pain management!

Welcome, Summer!

2008-05-22T09:10:00.002-05:00

Today is the official first day of summer vacation! Just to let you know what I am in store for this summer, I'd like to show you how today started. I needed to get ready early because I knew I would have all the kids by myself for most of the day. Molly got up early and watched me do my makeup. She knows what things she can't touch, so I don't have to watch her too closely. Things got a little crazy around 6:30 when Kyle had to get in the shower. Lanie crawled in and Kyle put Lindy in the exersaucer. So we were all in the bathroom together. I started drying my hair and Molly was applying eyeshadow (under her eyes). She grabbed a tube of lipstick and put some on her lips. Of course, she was out of the lines! It was pretty cute and I thought-okay, just let it go. It will come off. The main goal was to be READY before Kyle left the house! So as I'm drying my hair, I am keeping an eye on Lanie who is getting into everything and performing like a clown for Lindy who decides she really wants to be out of the exersaucer... Every now and then I would look at Molly and she was so still and just playing in the makeup. Then she turns around....

Welcome, Summer!!!

2008-05-11T23:08:00.001-05:00

God is SO good...

God is SO good...

God is SO good...

He's SO GOOD to me!!! Happy Mother's Day to me!

Mommy...

2008-05-09T21:40:00.003-05:00

Yesterday Molly and I went shopping for her teacher appreciation gift. The store we were going to is about 5 minutes from our house. Meme had given Molly a pack of gum on the way home from school. Molly LOVES gum! I will not let her chew it in my car. She has twice before. The first time, she stuck it to the window. The second time, she "dropped" it and couldn't reach it so it was stuck to the floor. No more gum in Mommy's car! So yesterday-of course she wanted to chew the gum in the car. I told her no about three times and here is the rest of the conversation. Keep in mind I am driving and she is behind me and I can't see her:

MGM-Mommy... can I have some bubba gum?
Me-Not in my car-when we get to the store you can have it.
MGM-Mommy...I'm just going to hold it. That's all.
Me-Ok, but DON'T open it! No gum in Mommy's car!
MGM-(pulling it out of the cardboard sleeve) Mommy...I'm just going to take it out.
Me-Don't open it!
MGM-(as I hear a tiny piece of foil rip open) Mommy...I'm just going to take it out of here. But I'm NOT going to eat it. I am going to hold it in my hand.
Me-Ok, Molly. (I am on to her now!)
MGM-Mommy...(I hear a sniff) I am JUST going to SMELL it, ok?!
Me-Ok, Molly.
MGM-Mommy...I'm just going to lick it. Okay Mommy? But that's okay-YOU DON'T CARE!

It was really hilarious! What a sneaky little thing!

I love this!

2008-04-23T21:41:00.002-05:00

Kyle thinks I am a big nerd for posting this picture. I am so excited about it! We have lived in our house now for almost two years and have yet to do any decorating in our bathroom. So far, this room has just been about function...get in-get out-and on to the next thing. But I found this monogram and thought it would look really cool above my bathtub. I absolutely LOVE IT!!! I am so happy and I hope to be able to stay in the tub long enough to enjoy it soon!

Fun at the Zoo

2008-04-04T22:40:00.000-05:00

...and no, I'm not talking about our house!!!

Last weekend we took Molly to the zoo. I don't know if she had more fun or if we did! Here are some pictures. Notice the knot on her head in the last picture. After the tigers, she got a little excited and tripped and fell on the concrete. We heard a crack and thought it was one of her teeth but it was actually her head! Poor baby! Since then, she fell again on Monday at school running and put another (bigger) knot on the other side of her forehead, she and a friend collided and she has a smaller bump on her cheek bone, and today they called me AGAIN to tell me she fell and now has a bruise right in the middle of her forehead. She is living up to her name...Molly Grace!

www.picnik.com

2008-04-01T23:04:00.000-05:00

Here is a website that my mother-in-law told me about. I have been trying out all of the features with some pictures I have taken of my babies. Check it out-it's fun and FREE!

Lanie-You're 8 months old!!

2008-04-01T22:51:00.000-05:00

Lanie, you are the most pleasant baby! We can't believe that you are already 8 months old! Here is a list of what you are doing now:
-You are the happiest baby we have ever seen! You have developed a new little giggle that is so precious! You smile and laugh everytime you see a camera!
-You are getting up on your knees and rocking back and forth. Mommy and Daddy know what is next... are we ready??
-You are a roly poly. You are very fast. It looks like Daddy has taught you some wrestling moves. You are trying them out on Lindy. We cannot leave you alone in a room with her. We have caught you several times stealing toys and putting her in a head lock!
-You LOVE to eat! Your favorites are peas, sweet potatoes and pears.
-You take long naps and sleep ALL night in your crib!!!
-You look exactly like your Daddy still. Mommy is going to have to let you wear the headband bow in public. I have been told several times that you are "handsome". We can't be having that!
-You love Molly so much. Everything she does is funny to you.
-You have the most beautiful smile and sparkly blue eyes. You are a precious gift and we love you so much Lanie Bug!

Lindy-You're 8 months old!!

2008-04-01T22:35:00.000-05:00

I can't believe how quickly time passes! Yesterday you turned 8 months old! You are getting to be such a big girl. Here are some highlights of what you are doing now:
-You are rolling over like crazy! Somehow everytime Mommy leaves you alone for even a second, you find a new strange place to get stuck!
-You are still sleeping in the Pack and Play in Mommy and Daddy's room. (if you call that sleeping...) Really, you only get up once in the night for a paci and try your hardest to get in the bed with us! (Most of the time you win!)
-You LOVE to be held-by anyone-and we love the snuggles!
-You REALLY hate riding in the car!
-You are eating vegetables and fruits. Your favorites are peas and pears.
-You are trying so hard to catch up to Lanie. Your head is only 2 cm smaller than hers and you are the same length. She's still got 4 pounds on you, though!!
-You love the exersaucer,Baby Einstein, and baths.
-You have the most precious disposition and adorable smile. You are the light of our lives! We love you, Lindy Claire!

A little late...

2008-04-01T22:31:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture that I took of our girls Easter Sunday. It's a little late!

Molly's Egg Hunt

2008-03-17T21:01:00.000-05:00

Hippity Hoppity!

2008-03-17T20:38:00.000-05:00

This was picture #6 with the Easter Bunny...the best one! Can you spy the Nana finger?

Snow Day!

2008-03-09T22:19:00.000-05:00

Friday it snowed! I was so excited about it...I picked Molly up early from school so she could play in it. Of course, by the time we got home, it was mostly gone. I did manage to get a picture. We found a little pile of snow and built a snowman. He was small enough to fit in our freezer so Daddy could see him when he got home. Snow makes me so happy!

7 months old!

2008-02-29T16:01:00.001-06:00

I can't believe the babies are already 7 months old! They are changing so much everyday. It looks like Lanie will be getting two teeth soon. She is scooting all over the place. Lindy is still mastering the rolling from back to tummy. It won't be long! They are both enjoying their food. They love sweet potatoes! Last time they were weighed, Lindy was 13 pounds and Lanie was 17. There is usually about a 3-4 pound difference between them. They will be getting the last RSV vaccine soon and we'll be getting them out more. I feel like we've had them in hiding since they came home. I can't wait to show them off!!!

Wanted: SLEEP

2008-02-22T14:35:00.000-06:00

You can imagine how little adult conversation goes on at our house...
But the other night Kyle and I got to talk. I don't remember how it got started, but we were trying to figure out what songs would be on the soundtracks of our lives. He made me laugh really hard when he said that on his soundtrack for this stage of his life would be the Caillou theme song! Since we talked I have been trying to decide on the song that best fits my life right now... Is there a song about the woman who lived in the shoe? Some days I feel like her. I would have to say that for this week it would be "Oh What a Night". Babies have been up at night-taking turns. The dark circles prove it! So...if you had a soundtrack for your life, what songs would be on it?

My Love

2008-02-22T14:22:00.000-06:00

I am a little late with a Valentine post! I decided to get it out before the next holiday!!! Here are some pictures of Molly at her Valentine party at school. I had to share the roses she made for me with her hand prints. What a sweetheart!

In His Hands

2008-02-19T22:21:00.000-06:00

Sunday was Baby Dedication at our church. I had been looking forward to it for so long-it was definitely a milestone for me! Of course, we know that in no way is it Lanie and Lindy's moment of salvation-but an opportunity to show everyone that we as parents are committed to raising them in a Christian home that will encourage, and hopefully one day soon lead to their own relationships with Christ. I thought I would tell everyone the story of their little lives. Even though they are only 6 months old, they already have such a miraculous story to tell. I apologize in advance for the length of the blog!

On February 15, 2007, Kyle and I went to the doctor after my positive pregnancy test. We were pretty excited about it...until we got in the waiting room and found every other pregnant person in town there! We had to wait an hour before getting the ultrasound! As we were sitting in the waiting room-Kyle commented on the fact that Molly was such a surprise and it was so much fun to reveal the pregnancy because no one was expecting it. He said that everyone knew this time that we wanted another baby and that there just wasn't much excitement... Then, out of nowhere, he said, "Well, maybe they'll tell us we're having twins!--Would't THAT shock everbody!" NO ONE was more shocked than US!

I'll NEVER forget the look on his face when the ultrasound tech looked at me and asked, "Have you been on Clomid?"!! After I told her no, she showed us two tiny little beating hearts-Baby A and Baby B. We were shocked-to say the least. Then the toture began... They sent us back out in the waiting room for another hour with about 5 pictures to stare at. Kyle had to go outside to breathe and I just sat in the chair laughing out loud every now and then in disbelief! There happen to be two other girls sitting right by me that were pregnant with twins so I couldn't help but listen to their pregnancy stories. I was freaking out the whole time. Kyle and I couldn't even look at each other without cracking up.

As soon as I saw my doctor-she was very quick to inform us that a twin pregnancy is super high risk and that I needed to be very careful about telling people-I was only 7 weeks pregnant. After we left we went straight to our parents and told them. Their reactions were hilarious! I continued to see my regular OB every week. As the weeks went on, my doctor got more and more concerned about the babies. It seemed that Baby A (Lanie) had a normal amount of fluid around her and Baby B (Lindy) had very little. They were also measuring 1-2 weeks apart. My doctor went ahead and referred me to a high-risk specialist at 16 weeks. When we went to this doctor, he informed us that he believed that what our twins were experiencing is called TTTS (Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome). To make a long story short...twin A is taking all of the nutrients, twin B would continue to decline and eventually die-putting twin A at a high risk for many things, including death. So this doctor continued to keep a close watch on me for two weeks and at that time decided to send us to Houston to see a Fetal Interventionist to schedule a surgery that would greatly decrease the risk to A if B passed away.

We went to Houston for the first time when I was 18 weeks pregnant. We decided that it would be best to take his dad with us in case of bad news. We were so glad we did! When we got the the appointment, I had to endure a 1 1/2 hour ultrasound. The tech measured and remeasured about 50 times, it felt! When that was finally over-the doctor came in and asked us what we were told about why we were there. We told him TTTS and he said, "Well, I don't think it's that it at all." We were stunned and continued to listen (almost an out of body experience) while he told us that our baby, Baby B (Lindy), looked like she had several things wrong with her. For one, he said it looked like she had an open neural tube defect like spina bifida. He showed us where at her tailbone it was still open and said she would probably have some paralysis-to what degree, he didn't know. He said she had a lot of fluid in her brain that would maybe be hydrocephalus, and that she had very little fluid around her and would most likely not grow. Before we knew it, we were in a room with a genetic counselor talking about doing an amniocentesis. We were totally overwhelmed!

They let us leave the office and go back to the hotel so we could decide what we wanted to do about the amnio. They told us that it would rule out several disorders and tell us if our babies appeared to be "normal". But they cannot force you to have one, only advise... They said if we had the test, afterwards we would get together and talk about "options". So we left. We went to the hotel, told Kyle's dad what was going on, and I was so scared. We went to eat and decided to have the amnio. I just felt like I had to do everything I could for these babies. Just so you know, two babies = two amnios. Not fun. It was very painful (even though Kyle tried to tell me it wasn't). -Apparently Coach Machen showed up for the procedure!

Then Kyle went to get his dad from the waiting room. We needed some more ears because after the day we had already had-we would probably forget something important they said to us. So we went in a conference room and I felt like we were on Grey's Anatomy. All three of us were there, two interns, the head nurse, a student and a doctor with a dry erase board. He quickly went over everything he thought was happening with the babies so we would all be clear about it. Then he told us that we had three options. #1 He told us that he did not know our belief system-but that we were young and maybe would want to end the whole pregnancy to not have to "deal with it". #2 Do nothing and wait to see what happens. He felt as though B would eventually die-putting A at a 50% chance of a normal existence, 25% chance of severe retardation due to blood clotting (they shared a placenta), or 25% chance that she would die just from the passing of B. #3 Selective reducing the pregnancy to a singleton pregnancy-basically giving A a better chance of survival-but no guarantee that she would survive anyway.

After he told us option #3 (which I knew was coming), he then proceded to tell us all of the ways that they could selectively reduce my pregnancy. Please note that the whole time he is talking I am feeling BOTH babies moving in my tummy! I have never been so mortified in all of my life. He left the room with his crew so that we could process everything. I was shaking and all I remember is my father-in-law looking at us with tears in his eyes telling us that no matter what, these babies were in Jesus' hands and there was nothing we could do to change that. -That God loved us and those babies so much. We left the office that day with very little hope of having twins.

We got back to town and continued to see my specialist for the next two weeks. He was also shocked at the diagnosis the Houston doctor gave us. Told me that I needed to pray for discernment about what to do (he knew the options and couldn't advise us). He is a wonderful Christian man, who was never afraid to talk about God with us. I won't go into detail about this doctor-most of you know the story about him from my emails during the whole thing. Just know that BOTH of my doctors (my regular OB and the specialist) are amazing people.

At 20 1/2 weeks, I asked to go back to Houston to see this doctor again. My doctor told me that if we decided to reduce the pregnancy, they would not go back in there to check if anything had changed. They would just do the procedure. So we wanted to see if his opinion was different after two weeks. We went back to Houston and this time instead of six things on the doctor's list, there were like two or three. It was the same scenario-the conference room, the interns, the dry erase board, the options. At this appointment, we were given a date where we had to decide what to do. I couldn't be past 24 weeks and have a selective reduction in Texas.

Please do not misunderstand me... I am NOT for abortion or selective reduction in a case where a baby is just unplanned or unwanted. I know that God is the giver and creator of life. I have a child. I know what those ultrasounds become! Here we have two babies. Two people to consider. Do you wait and allow one baby to be in danger-knowing the situation is so grim even the best doctors offer no hope? Or do you seize the opportunity to try for one happy ending? I wanted God to tell me right then what to do. It was so complicated by the fact that every doctor basically gave Lindy 0% chance of survival. We were so torn. I can't begin to explain the emotional pain I went through. It ate at me all day every day because I am a Christian. Weren't things supposed to be more black and white for us??!! At that point, I quit working. It was all I could do to be who Molly needed at the time. I couldn't take on a class of first graders. (Plus I was put on bed rest.)

Every week that passed the appointments got more scary, but at some point we noticed that after several weeks, things seemed to improve a little with B. Suddenly, she had the same amount of fluid around her as A did. However, she was still measuring a lot smaller than A. They still didn't think she would make it or have any quality of life. My doctor went through the decision process with us--but never offered false hope. He always told us that he was praying for us. He told us he wouldn't want to be in this situation where there seemed to be no good outcome. At every appointment, I would sit in his office for about half and hour and talk about my own battle with knowing what the right thing to do was. He never, nor did my regular OB, ever encourage me or discourage me from choosing selective reduction. Basically me and the babies were "grey area". They both did, however, remind me each week that we have an incredible God who is bigger than the situation we were in. They told me many times that I would never be the same person again no matter what happened. They were so right!

I remember one time at an appointment we asked him if his opinion of the babies had changed--basically asking if there was any hope at all. Of course we didn't want to have to decide to reduce the pregnancy and I really didn't want anyone to tell me what to do. What a horrible thing to give advice about! All we wanted was a shred of hope to cling to. He told us like this, "I am working for that baby on the right (Baby A). If we can get one healthy baby, I'll be happy. That one over there (B)-is in God's hands." (title of the blog)

So at some point, after a ton of praying and being prayed for, we just decided that we were going to move forward-forget the "options". These babies were in God's hands and we would just have faith and hope that they would be okay. On July 4th, as I was sitting down with a huge plate of ribs, my doctor called me to come in for the daily ultrasound. He had been playing golf and I was at his beckoning call! :) I will never forget that day! He did the ultrasound, and looked at me and said, "I think that little one has a chance...she's however many grams...and she really could make it." Of course he knew the amount of grams-I don't. So he put me in the hospital on July 6th. I was put in there knowing that I would not leave until there was a baby or babies-no matter how long that took. I had an ultrasound everyday, was hooked up to very uncomfortable monitors, and was seen by at least two doctors everyday until they were born. My doctor decided that they were going to be born on July 31st after he discovered that Lindy wasn't growing very much. He thought she would do better on the outside!

Although I was a little relieved that I would soon be breathing fresh air again, I knew (and was reminded by every doctor) that there were no guarantees and that this may be a long road. Even though I knew things at this point were uncertain, I had incredible peace. Lanie and Lindy were born at 2:01 and 2:03 that day and they both cried! They were both so very tiny. Neither one was put on a ventilator. They both spent a long time in the NICU. Lanie was there for 2 months and Lindy was there for 3. Both babies have done remarkably well!

Who knows why these things happen to God's people?! At that time in my life I was already emotionally exhausted from losing my best friend. I am so thankful that I was raised in a Christian home and knew where to turn when the road got too bumpy! Even though my faith was strong there were many, many dark days. Days when I stayed in bed. Days when I was unsure and scared. There were several times I would just pray and beg for it to not be happening to us. In the midst of my prayers, I felt the presence of my God--and I knew it was going to be okay whatever happened. I can't explain it! And although this was the most trying time of my life-I am most grateful for it. I have been changed. Perhaps more than I have ever been. I now know first hand the power of prayer. I was reminded that people really are "good". We have so many family and friends who prayed for us, cooked for us, and gave us our space when we needed it-and really never asked for details. I found that God holds us in the dark places and reminds us of His faithfulness when we least expect it. I found that nothing is more powerful than prayer and that He still performs miracles. I know that through this experience the Machens and Armstrongs found out what we were made of. Thank the Lord we know Him!!

I am so unbelieveably grateful to God that He stretched me and used us, and our precious girls in ways that we may never even know. I can't even begin to imagine my life without Lanie and Lindy. I am so blessed that God, for whatever reason, showed favor on my family and allowed us to have BOTH of these little girls. You will NEVER meet a more humbled, thankful, and proud mommy in the world! Praise Him for His plans for us!

Baby Dedication was something I would think about while I was in the hospital. Would there be two babies there? One? None? As I prayed for our miracle, I imagined us holding two baby girls before our church and God. We had already given Him control of their lives. It was out of our hands. I had just hoped that one day they would both be in our hands! ...and here they are! Praise Him!

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."
Hebrews 10:23

Baby Dedication party

2008-02-19T22:18:00.000-06:00

We had everyone over after the Dedication for lunch. Meme made yummy lasagne and we had snacks and cake. Molly played the whole time and then left before pictures. The babies slept through most of the party. I stayed in my dress but Kyle changed. Better luck next time on a family portrait!!!

Happy Birthday Miles!

2008-02-11T23:16:00.000-06:00

This weekend we went to Dallas to celebrate my nephew's first birthday. We had so much fun! The cake was the most adorable thing I have ever seen and the decorations were precious-way to go Emi!!! Thanks for inviting us, Baby Miles-we had a blast celebrating with you!

Airing our clean laundry

2008-02-08T07:32:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I decided to see how much laundry we do in a day so I washed and dried the clothes and then piled them on top of this chair. I started at 7:30 a.m. and the last load came out at 10:45 p.m. and is not pictured! No wonder I feel like I can never catch up! The bad part was when we started to fold them (not my favorite part). Eventually we did get them all folded and put away...so we can start over today!!

That is Lindy sleeping by the big pile!

Six Months!!!

2008-02-06T09:01:00.000-06:00

Last week Lanie and Lindy were six months old! They had their check up yesterday and are both doing great. Lanie is 16 pounds 9 ounces and Lindy is 12 pounds 13 ounces. They continue to be about 4 pounds apart. Lanie is 25 inches long and Lindy is 24 inches long. Lindy is trying so hard to catch up! They are going to start solids today. We'll start with cereal and then go to vegetables from there. I am so excited! Maybe they will get full tummies and start sleeping better. But if they don't...their doctor gave us a plan to try to trick them into sleeping! Kyle and I are VERY happy about that. I am so proud--both babies are on the growth curve for SIX MONTH olds...he didn't have to correct their ages! That is so amazing considering how small they were at birth! They both continue to reach their milestones-a lot of them earlier than they are supposed to. We feel so blessed!

One of the most exciting things about yesterday is the doctor took Lindy off of the Enfacare formula. Now they are on the same one and it will be a little cheaper! We were so excited--we went straight to Sam's, got some membership cards and some huge formula cans! Now we don't have to use our parents to get in the door! We are really looking forward to getting a babysitter so we can go to Sam's. Isn't that pathetic?! Kyle LOVES to buy things in bulk. He likes to be prepared. I just like to spend money-on anything. So we've found our perfect place!

I posted some six month pictures of them. I added the ones with no clothes on so you can see how fat they are getting. Molly calls Lanie the "chubby" one and Lindy the "tiny" one. Hopefully she'll stop that before they get a complex!!!

Let the Good Times Roll!!

2008-02-02T14:37:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was Molly's Mardi Gras parade at school. She was so happy about throwing beads and candy to everyone! Here are some pictures of her float.

Hint-Dropper

2008-01-30T23:02:00.000-06:00

Here is my conversation with Molly in the car today:
Me-"Molly are you excited about your Mardi Gras parade at school on Friday?"
MGM-"Yes. Are you going to be coming to my school? With all the other mommies and daddies?"
Me-"I sure am. And I can't WAIT to see you in the parade with your float. It's going to be so much fun!"

................LONG PAUSE...................

MGM-"Mommy--are you going to wear makeup?"

Okay-I get the hint...
This is the second time Molly has pointed out to me that I haven't been wearing much makeup lately. Last week she casually asked me on the phone while she was at Nana's if I had any on. I think my excuse of letting my skin "breathe" has lost its effectiveness. She is on to me now. And obviously afraid of my showing up at her preschool looking like I seem to be looking most days. Have you seen the hair commercial with the woman with all of the kids? Where she looks like a garbage collector? I feel like her. But for the woman on the commercial-all it takes is some kind of shampoo to revive her look. Really all I need is a WHOLE night's sleep and 15 minutes to myself during the day! Until that happens Molly Grace, I promise to at least wear makeup when your friends are around!

D-Day

2008-01-30T22:28:00.000-06:00

Today was Molly's dentist appointment. She had been once before, but today they were actually going to work on her teeth. She was VERY unsure of the x-rays and was really excited about getting her teeth cleaned-until she got in the chair. Overall, she did great! A few meltdowns here and there-but they managed to clean, floss, and fluoride her teeth! What a BIG GIRL! She was very proud of herself. Especially when she got the Hannah Montana and Barbie stickers on the way out!

Lanie's Big Day!!

2008-01-20T22:00:00.000-06:00

It's official...Lanie is rolling over! She has had many attempts, but today was the first day that she kept doing it over and over. I am so proud of her. By the look on her face, it looks like she's pretty proud too! What a cutie!

2008-01-10T14:16:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

2008-01-10T12:23:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I have decided that it is one of my resolutions to do a post once a week. Not much has happened since the last time I posted. Molly and Kyle went back to school Monday after the long Christmas break. Having three at home was crazy at times to say the least...but I sure do miss Molly a lot during the day now. Lanie and Lindy have changed so much in the past two weeks. They are both smiling and laughing all the time. They spend a lot of time during the day "talking" to whatever is around. They have both found their hands and love chewing on them! I really think Lanie will be rolling over by next week. It's taking Lindy a little longer to build up her neck muscles so she really hates tummy time everyday--but she's trying so hard! Molly has been completely into her new toys. She names just about every Barbie and baby doll Molly Grace Machen (well, the ones that she says are cool). 2008 has been pretty uneventful so far. That's not a bad thing! I think 2007 was stressful enough for all of us. Still, we are so thankful for all of our many blessings. We pray that your families will have a blessed year with tons of joy!

Christmas Day

2007-12-28T18:57:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! Santa brought everything on Molly's list--and then some! Of course, Lanie and Lindy had no idea what was going on, but they sure do love all their new toys too! More than anything, I was so excited to be together with our little family. We had a hectic few days of running around and going all over town with three kids to be with each of our families. But we survived-and somehow didn't lose sight of the blessings of our three most precious gifts. We also finally got a family picture at Granny's house!

Lindy & Lanie-5 months

2007-12-28T18:37:00.000-06:00

All Aboard!

2007-12-28T18:05:00.000-06:00

We went to the Jefferson Railway of Lights in Jefferson, Texas. Molly and Graham had so much fun riding a real choo-choo! We almost didn't make it. The first time we were planning to go, we didn't know you needed tickets, so we had to postpone the trip. This time we had tickets and tried to be prepared by printing out directions. The directions didn't tell us that our exit would be CLOSED!!! We went one hour the wrong way! Thank goodness for OnStar. We arrived safe and sound just before the train departed. That's what we get for all of these blondes running the operation!!

It's Hard Enough...

2007-12-28T17:45:00.000-06:00

It is hard enough to get a good picture of one kid. Try three at the same time. I tried to get a cute picture of all three girls. By the time we were finished, I was sweating and all three babies were crying. I felt like a slave driver. They would take turns crying and when they would stop I couldn't help myself-so I would make them pose for a few more. We ended up with 86 pictures... Not one perfect! Here are some for your enjoyment. They are precious to me even if they aren't picture-perfect!!!

Better than cookies and milk

2007-12-09T20:59:00.000-06:00

Many of you know the story of my pregnancy. Most of you probably don't know the details. All of you know what miracles my baby girls are... The day I found out that the twins were going to be girls I also found out there were complications. I tried that day to celebrate the fact that we were getting to have two more little Mollys-even though I was worried sick. So I do what I do best in a crisis-shop. I went by myself and found these onesies and had to have them. That day-even though I didn't know what we were in store for- I dreamed of what my two little identical twins would look like in these silly little t-shirts. These onesies ended up being the ONLY baby things that I bought during the entire pregnancy. The futher the pregnancy went along, the more I would tell myself that maybe there was a chance that I could use the onesies. But I kept them in the closet and sometimes tried to pretend that they weren't there. I would think of them and wish they were already out of my house so that in the event something happened to one or both babies, I wouldn't have to get rid of them. They stayed in the bag with the tags on them until yesterday. I have never had so much fun cutting a tag off of clothing! No one will ever know the joy I feel seeing Lanie and Lindy wearing them. They mean so much more to me than a cute phrase worn by precious babies. To me they mean that God heard me, answered my prayers and blessed my life with two miracles. Those onesies are a reminder to me to hold on, let God do His work, and trust that He's in control. And I am proud to report that yes, they are about to outgrow them already!!!

My baby wants a BARBIE!

2007-12-09T20:40:00.000-06:00

Okay-we've officially crossed over from babyhood... Molly is asking Santa for some Barbies this year. I am having a hard time with it. Mostly because I have SEEN the Barbies they are producing! Let's hope Santa can find some with LOTS of clothes on! Yes, I am THAT mother :) I just can't believe how big she is. It seems like just yesterday she was a tiny baby and now she wants a bike and a pink helmet and BARBIES!!! I would give anything for the bricks I could use to put on her head to stop her from getting big.

Here she is visiting with Santa-she loves him SO much!!

All dressed up and no where to go!

2007-12-07T23:52:00.000-06:00

Here are some new pictures of Lanie and Lindy. I didn't get any of them together because they bathed/napped/posed in shifts... This is what we do most of the day-get dressed up to sit around the house and take pictures. Anyway-here they are at 4 months! Lindy was getting a little bored and she doesn't like a bow. We've got to work on that!

Molly's 50's Day

2007-12-07T23:37:00.000-06:00

She looked so adorable in her little poodle skirt!!

New Pictures

2007-11-27T13:36:00.000-06:00

For the past few days I have tried to take some new pictures of the babies so you can see how they are growing!

Who says we aren't identical?

2007-11-14T22:24:00.001-06:00

Lindy is on top...Lanie on bottom!

29 and holding!

2007-11-14T22:15:00.000-06:00

My birthday was last week... Just thought I would share with you the icing on MY cake!! Here are my precious girls!

Happy Halloween!

2007-11-04T22:19:00.002-06:00

This is a few days late! But I DID figure out how to make a slide show!

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-11-04T22:19:00.001-06:00

Lindy's home!

2007-11-04T21:33:00.000-06:00

Lindy has been home for about a week now! We have been so busy and tired. My mom has been staying with us and has tried to help me establish a routine. Although we haven't gotten much sleep, we are so excited that both babies are here and doing great! Here are some recent pictures. Enjoy!

My sweet babies

2007-10-18T10:16:00.000-05:00

Wow! I don't realize how often I don't post blogs until I do it! Life is a little crazy right now. In fact, if you are reading this and I owe you a thank you note--I am trying my HARDEST!! Know that I haven't forgotten. I have a little notebook full of all of the sweet gifts and meals that everyone has brought to us. My goal is to get all notes finished by the time Lindy gets home! I don't know when she'll be coming home. She is still having some feeding issues. They took another look at her swallow and saw that it is getting better--maturing. They have decided to take her off the breastmilk for her bottle feedings because the milk is thin and she loses a lot of it. So...they put her on formula for those feedings. The formula was working okay but they still wanted to thicken it up so they added rice cereal to it. I told Lindy that I would be bringing her a Happy Meal next time I come! She is getting so big! She was 6 pounds 5.3 ounces yesterday! I am trying to be patient. I do want her home really bad. They apparently have figured out the right consistency for the bottle and now they are building her up to taking all of her feedings by bottle. When that happens-she can come home!! Her eye condition that is due to prematurity is improving each week! I am just amazed at what God is doing in our lives. We are so blessed. Lanie and Lindy both got RSV vaccines yesterday. The nurse came to our house and weighed Lanie. She is 9 pounds!!! I can not believe it! What a little butterball! I am going to try to load some pictures today. I know I said that last time. Sorry!

Proof

2007-10-03T13:22:00.000-05:00

Lindy,

This picture reminds me of how grateful I am that you are here. You are such a tiny, sweet miracle. You are proof that God exists and evidence of His love and tenderness. When I look at your precious face, I am reminded of how very blessed I am. Please always remember that you are living proof that prayer works and that God is faithful. This picture is my favorite today for many reasons. Maybe it's because there were days that I didn't even know if I would ever hold you. Or because even the best doctors had doubts... But your little life has taught me not to rely on man's wisdom, but on God's power! I am so thankful for that. What a wonderful testimony you are of God's sweet surprises!

He answered our prayer-with you, Lindy Claire!

2007-10-03T09:42:00.000-05:00

It has been so long since I posted a blog... I guess that shows how busy things are around here! Lanie is doing great at home. She is such a good baby. I guess I can thank the NICU for getting her on a great schedule! Lindy still isn't home. We were going to bring her home after her eye exam on Monday but then she started having some feeding issues. They ended up examining her swallow and found that it is still really immature. They watched her as she drank a bottle and saw that the milk came super close to getting into her lungs. So...Dr. Whitton decided to put the feeding tube back in for a week and then do the swallow study again to see if she's more mature. If she is, they will reintroduce the bottle and we'll go from there. I really think it will be at least two more weeks until she's here. I was disappointed, but I know that she's getting the best care possible. I would be nervous about these issues at home anyway. So I guess it's best to keep her there until she's really ready to come home. She is weighing 5 pounds 4.9 ounces now!!! I just can not believe how much she's grown. It's hard to believe that she was only 1 pound 15 ounces when she was born. What a miracle!

Please continue to pray for us-life is really hectic with having a new baby at home and one across town! We are being pulled in so many directions. Kyle is getting up in the middle of the night and feeding Lanie so I can sleep and he's working all day. We try to give Molly as much time as we can in the evenings because we know what a big adjustment this is for her. She is going to get to hold Lindy today. I will take some pictures and post some new pictures tonight!

I'd forgotten!

2007-09-19T20:52:00.000-05:00

I have quickly remembered what it is like to have a newborn in the house!! No one sleeps... Lanie being at home has been wonderful. I love having her right there to cuddle and look at-all night and day! She's such a sweet baby. Molly is having so much fun being a big sister. She LOVES holding Lanie and helping me change diapers and give baths. Dr. Whitton says that Lindy will be home sometime next week-Tuesday at the earliest! I'll be so excited to finally have everyone home! What will TWO newborns and a three year old at home be like?! :)

NICU photos

2007-09-19T20:46:00.001-05:00

Here are some pictures that Kristin Mosura took of Lanie and Lindy last Friday. They are absolutely wonderful pictures and really show what our precious babies look like! Enjoy!

TV Stars!!!

2007-09-17T21:44:00.000-05:00

Okay...the NICU segment will air tomorrow morning (September 18th) at 6:20 in the morning. So all you early birds check it out!

Lights, Camera, Action!

2007-09-14T22:02:00.000-05:00

I am happy to report that Lindy and Lanie will be making their first television debut next week!! Channel 3 is doing a report on the new NICU unit at Willis Knighton South and my precious babies were nominated to be featured! We will tape the segment Monday morning and I don't know when it will air. I will update when I get more information. No autographs, please! :)

Photo shoot

2007-09-14T21:56:00.001-05:00

Today Lanie and Lindy had their first photo shoot. Kristin Mosura came to their room and took pictures of them together! I know they are going to be great. Here is a sneak peek... Of course, if my digital camera can take a precious picture like this, imagine what an incredible photographer's look like!!! I can't wait to see them! Thank you, Kristin-you're awesome!

Big Sister

2007-09-14T21:47:00.000-05:00

Today Molly got to hold Lanie. She was so excited and so very sweet to her little sister!

Update!!

2007-09-11T23:10:00.000-05:00

First of all, we found out yesterday that it looks like Lanie will be coming home at the end of this week!! Dr. Whitton says it looks like we will have to split them for a couple of weeks because Lindy is still just too small to go home. He is saying that Lanie will probably come home Friday unless they can find any reason to keep her. I have told him that I want him to keep them together as long as he can!

They are doing well. Lanie is taking a bottle every time she eats and sucks it down in about 7 minutes! Lindy is getting a bottle twice in a row and then they feed her through the feeding tube once. She is doing well with the bottle too. Lindy will probably be in a crib by the end of the week when she is 4 lbs!! I can't believe how fast they are growing...they even have a few teeny fat rolls!

So far, all of the "issues" (which aren't very many), are due just to prematurity. Hopefully they will grow out of them. Please keep praying for their progress. They have done remarkably well considering how early they were. We are thrilled with the way things have turned out and hope that each new milestone in their development checks out okay! Thank you for thinking about them and us and for keeping these two precious girls in your prayers. Our family is so grateful!

Lindy Lou

2007-09-11T23:07:00.001-05:00

Kyle Jr.

2007-09-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

She looks just like her Daddy to me!

The Lucky One

2007-09-11T22:21:00.000-05:00

Today Lanie and Lindy are 6 weeks old! I am amazed that they have been in the NICU that long. I have been going to meetings with other mothers of babies in the NICU and have often giggled to myself when they are really impatient because their babies have been there for a week. When they ask me how long my twins have been in I can see the frantic looks on their faces. I can tell they are worried that their babies will have to stay as long as mine! There have been days when I have thought that they would never get out. I have also been really sad some days because babies are supposed to be with their mommies. (And mommies are supposed to be up all night with their new babies!)

With all of the crazy emotions that come along with having babies in the hospital, I have continually reminded myself what precious miracles Lanie and Lindy are. One day I was up at the hospital for about 3 hours just looking at them. Of course, they are starting to look more like full term newborn babies now-but really they should still be in my tummy growing and developing. I had a day of feeling sorry for them and myself because they didn't get all the time that they needed inside of me and I didn't get to have them to myself longer! I just kept thinking that mothers who get to carry their twins (or any baby) to term are so lucky. But then I realized that I AM the lucky one! I have gotten to see more miracles from God in these two baby girls than most people ever see in their lives.

It's been amazing to me how fast they grow and change. Having them in the NICU has forced me to slow down, sit still, and see each miracle as it happens. I have held each of them and studied their little eyelashes and fingernails. I've been able to watch their sweet smiles and really think about what it is they are smiling about! I got to see my baby girls when their palms were the size of quarters and their big toes were the size of tic tacs. I knew what they looked like before they had little booties and belly buttons. I have gotten to watch the way they move and how each day they have new facial expressions. It's been so awesome to see how small but very much developed they were even at just 30 weeks. It puts God's promise into perspective. He said that before we were born He KNEW us. He knew how many hairs were on Lanie's head before I even saw them. He knew the color of Lindy's eyes before she ever even opened them! He knew their little personalities-how Lanie is laid back like her Daddy and how Lindy is a "wildcat" (that's her nickname from the nurses-she screeches!). I knew when I was pregnant that somewhere in all of the difficulties that there would be a miracle. I didn't know what it would be or when it would happen. The first one happened on July 31st at 2:01 and the second was at 2:03. After that-God has spoiled me by letting each milestone and each day bring tons of miracles that I get to see. It's amazing knowing that while I am watching, He's having so much fun--it's almost like He's saying "Watch This!!". That's why I'm the lucky one!

Why Molly loves the rain!

2007-09-11T22:14:00.000-05:00

Daddy and Lanie

2007-09-01T23:03:00.001-05:00

2007-09-01T22:47:00.000-05:00

Lindy
Lanie

Lindy's turn!

2007-08-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Lindy got to try drinking from a bottle! She will be getting one a day until she gets the hang of it. What a sweet baby!

Every girl needs a smocked dress

2007-08-27T23:04:00.000-05:00

Thank you Mrs. Cherry and Mrs. Faught for making these precious teeny tiny smocked dresses. Lanie and Lindy look absolutely adorable and so girly in them!!

First baths

2007-08-27T22:52:00.001-05:00

Lanie and Lindy did not like their first tubs baths as you can see!

Big Day for Lanie

2007-08-23T17:23:00.001-05:00

Today Lanie tried her first attempt at drinking from a bottle! She did really well and will now get to practice once a day until she gets the hang of it! They are changing and growing so fast!

Pretty in PINK!!!

2007-08-23T17:16:00.000-05:00

Lanie Marie
Lindy Claire

New pictures of our three little girls...

2007-08-22T10:38:00.001-05:00

I think that Lanie is smiling!!!

I am working on getting some new pictures up of Lanie and Lindy in their new clothes. They have been wearing the most adorable pink t-shirts and today we are going to be trying on their teeny tiny smocked dresses. Check back for pictures!!!

Best Day EVER!!

2007-08-17T16:37:00.000-05:00

Today I got to hold BOTH babies at the same time! It was neat to get to see them up close together. They REALLY do look just alike. I am happy to report that Lindy is getting some cheeks on her face and Lanie is getting some cheeks somewhere else! :) They are doing so well. They were hungry when I got to the hospital and Lindy was really fussy and sticking her hands in her mouth. While I was holding her, she sucked on her paci the whole time. Lanie was acting like her usual self...hands and arms all over the place. She was also sucking on her paci pretty hard too! They said it won't be long until they are eating from a bottle if they keep sucking as well as they are! I will have to fight the urge to spend the night at the hospital so I can feed them when that happens!!! They are just precious. The doctors and nurses seem happy with their progress. We are so very thankful everyday for these little ones and pray they continue to do well. Of course, we still covet your prayers. Know that they are working! God has been so amazing and gracious. We are so proud to parent these little miracles and can't wait to see what He has in store for all 3 of our baby girls!

Baby Update

2007-08-14T12:30:00.000-05:00

Lanie and Lindy are doing pretty good! We found out that Lanie has a small heart mur mur but that they aren't even giving her medication to close it. The doctor thinks that it will close on its own. Right now they are just trying to adjust their feedings and amount of milk that they get. They are wanting them to keep gaining weight, so they have to give them as much as they can tolerate. I just got back from the hospital and LOVE seeing my little babies!! They are looking more like little babies. I took some pictures with their isolettes open. Hopefully you can see their little faces better. Lanie still looks just like Kyle! We can't tell about Lindy yet... You would think with identical twins, they would look just the same-and they are starting to! Enjoy seeing my precious little miracles!

Molly's first day of preschool!

2007-08-14T12:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Molly's first day of preschool. She was really excited about it...until we got there!! She seems to have adjusted pretty well..when I picked her up, she was covering up all of the kids who were still sleeping! She's a little momma!!

Lanie and Lindy update from yesterday

2007-08-08T09:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a big day for us! First of all, I got to hold Lanie and Lindy for the very first time!! They aren't as fragile as they look like. I don't have any pictures of it-I was there alone. When the nurse told me that the doctor wanted me to start holding them, I cried and cried. I guess I took for granted the first time I held Molly. You just don't realize what that does for a mommy. They were looking at me and snuggling their tiny little bodies next to mine. It was the most wonderful thing in the world!!!

They had cranial ultrasounds yesterday to check for any brain bleeds and both scans came back PERFECT!!!!!!! They are now regulating their own body temperatures, so they don't have to heat or cool their isolettes anymore. Pretty soon they will be in an isolette together! So sweet. They are both tolerating their food and get more milk every time they are fed. Before too long-we won't recognize them! They change and grow so fast!!! I can't wait. They also had on teeny tiny little t-shirts. ...their first wardrobe. Mommy needs to get shopping. Those baby girls need some pink. I am going to get them some bows too because they both have a ton of hair. I really think that Lanie looks just like Kyle right now. It's really funny! I can't tell about Lindy yet-when she fills out a bit we'll be able to tell. Anyway, just wanted to update you on my precious little miracle babies. To God be the glory.....
L

Happy Birthday Lanie and Lindy!

2007-08-07T11:54:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Lanie and Lindy... they were born last Tuesday, July 31st. Lanie arrived at 2:01 p.m. and Lindy followed at 2:03 p.m. We feel so fortunate that our baby girls are here and seem to be doing well. They are still in NICU and probably will be for some time. I am just amazed at all of the miracles we have seen so far. God has blessed us beyond imagination...
We pray, and hope that you continue to pray for the health of these precious babies. Everyday there are new challenges and new obstacles to overcome. So far everything seems to be going well. They have removed the IVs from both babies and are increasing their amount of food every other feeding. They are little--but so very strong! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. You will never know what a blessing you have been to our family!