Ch-Ch-Changes...

It seems that in the past two months our life has been changing all over! Seasons changing. Sports changing. My belly changing. Our two littles learning and changing on a DAILY basis. With all the changes, it is HARD to keep up! I am trying to enjoy each moment with Tucker and Adelyn knowing how fast they grow and life moves on. I am trying to soak up this stage of life because the twins are at such a FUN age. They learn new words daily. They love to laugh and play. They both LOVE mommy. They are my joy. Some changes have been harder to adjust to. Derek starting basketball. Not being able to sleep on my stomach (or at all). Time changes and sleep disruptions. But overall, our life is blessed and I am so thankful to the one who provides in all seasons!

Basketball Time!
Derek finished off a SUPER successful cross country season at the beginning of November with a trip to the state cross country meet with two of his runners. Me and the twins tagged along and it was a great trip. Both runners did well and it was a great way to end the season. The meet itself was a little hectic with the twins, but we all survived and they crashed in the car on the way home.

The end of cross country brought on the beginning on basketball, even though Derek had been doing double duty for a few weeks. Basketball is literally the craziest time of the year. During cross country, Derek always practiced in the morning and was able to be home at a decent hour every day, except for trip days. Basketball means late nights, most nights, with the majority of the time Mommy being alone for dinner, bath, and bed-time.

It is a HARD time for this Mama...especially as this belly keeps growing and growing! But one thing I have learned through being a coach's kid and wife is that coaching is my husband's calling. It is his mission field. When my days are long, his days are too. While I have two littles to take care of, he has over 30+ kids that he is reaching on a daily basis. Pouring into their lives. Giving of himself. He works long, hard hours to do what he loves and gives glory to God in all circumstances.

I am SO PROUD of the job that he does. It is hard. For all of us. But it is so rewarding to see God working in his life. One thing that I learned from my mother and my experiences, is that as a wife, I need to be supportive of his calling. That means keeping the fires going at home and going to support him every chance I get. It is so important to me to show the kids what Daddy does for a living. It has become harder this year, because every morning and night they ask for "da-da". And when I tell them he is at work, they don't quite understand. But they do know that Dada coaches the Bulldogs. So every chance we can, we go and see him and yell "Go Dogs!" They will see their daddy being the hands and feet of Jesus. I know from first hand experience that it doesn't always seem fair that he spends more time with other people's kids, but I know that one day (and that may not be until he retires!) they will understand the work God was doing through his life. And I want Derek to know that the three (and a half) of us are his biggest fans and supporters!

GO DOGS!

Our favorite coach!

My Growing Belly
This pregnancy seems to be SO completely different than last one in SO many ways, that for awhile, I would forget that I was even pregnant! Around week 20 or so, I stopped being able to forget because my belly was TOO big to ignore. I am ALMOST to the 26 week mark and so far this has been a smooth-sailing pregnancy. What a change from last pregnancy which was super high risk! Last time I was monitored pretty much 24-7 throughout with sonograms, appointments, blood-draws, etc. This time, I'm just kinda normal. Which I take as a HUGE blessing!

I had a check-up at 22 weeks and a check-up at 26 weeks and both were super fast and easy. Our 20 week sonogram was completely normal, although our little monkey is SUPER major active! This baby kicks CONSTANTLY...day and night. He/she kicks Tucker and Adelyn anytime they are close and has started rolling around where I can feel it move over my belly. It is DEFINITELY a mover! Heart-rates have been anywhere from the 140's to the 160's, depending on the day. We still do not know if it is a HE or a SHE and we LOVE not knowing. It's been a fun change this time around!

Time seems to have gone super quick! I rarely have time to stop and think about the pregnancy, because I am usually preoccupied with chasing the twins! Last time, all I did was think about my pregnancy, my babies, my health, etc. I feel like I was a little selfish through it all, but I know it was just a different experience and God's timing. I am thankful for that pregnancy and all of the joy that I felt throughout. It was physically harder. I was much more uncomfortable much earlier on. This time around, I am able to be more active and HAVE to be more active with two busy toddlers. As much as I would love some time to relax, they are helping keep me active and moving. Which is good! They love to check on the baby throughout the day, pretend like they have babies of their own, and give both me and the baby LOTS of kisses. I know that it will be quite an adjustment come March, but PRAISE God for such a wonderful adjustment to have to make!

Things are about to start changing again as far as pregnancy goes. I have about 2 weeks left in this trimester and then at 28 weeks I will start going in every 2 weeks for checks. It's hard to believe we are already at this point, but I am full of excitement at what is to come in our little family. I can't wait to meet this new baby, know if it is a boy or a girl, see who it looks like, and have another baby to love and hold. I'm sure it will be a circus around our house for awhile as we all adjust to being a family of five. But for now, I am thankful and excited. I am also going to enjoy our last precious moments and times as a family of four, especially this holiday season!

*Please pray for me too as this pregnancy progresses and basketball season continues! I am praying for continued health, feeling good and active, and being able to continue to care for my children, work, and support my husband in this last trimester!

20 Weeks

22 Weeks

24 Weeks

26 Weeks
(Ignore the hair and clothes...this was this morning before Derek went to work!)

Growing and Changing

Daddy's seasons have changed, Mommy's body has changed, and oh my have our two crazies been changing! They are growing and developing SO RAPIDLY these days! I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing the world through their eyes! Each day is a new adventure, filled with new words, new capabilities, new loves, and new dislikes. They are both becoming much more verbal, are developing physically, able to run and climb with little assistance, and developing new interests. Our house is quite busy most days, full of music, dancing, reading, and playing. We love to play outside and have LONG days when it is too cold to go outside! Here are a few of their latest developments:

Tucker Boy
Still my soft-hearted mama's boy, but is 100% a BOY! All the way! He loves to throw balls, play outside, dig with sticks, make lots of noise, yell, grunt, and wrestle. He is soft-hearted when he gets in trouble and will cry if he is upset. He hates when sissy is upset or hurt and is quick to say "so sorry". His vocabulary is bigger than Adelyn's and he talks or babbles constantly. He LOVES to read, can sing "Up above the" in the song "Twinkle Twinkle" and loves Elmo and Mickey. He is a big fan of trucks, cars, and anything with wheels. Lately, he is much more willing to go to others, where he used to be more particular. His favorite thing to yell is "GO DOGS" and he loves to watch any type of sports. He is a much pickier eater, but has been doing much better lately. He is still my precious precious boy and holds a special place in Mama's heart!

Has there ever been a cuter little boy???

Adelyn Marie
Oh my sunshine girl. She has had us rolling since day one with her funny personality and she continues to make us laugh throughout each day. Adelyn is super silly, makes goofy faces, smiles, sounds, and dances. She LOVES to read and will continue to bring me books as long as I sit and read. She loves being with Mommy and being my helper. She will follow me throughout the house while I clean up, get ready, and cook. She REALLY likes to dance, swing, play with Baby Lulu, and dress up. She has grown quite a bit lately, and seems to have longer legs than before. She has done such a good job climbing and running, where she used to be much more wobbly. And man does this girl LOVE to eat! She can get down on some pizza, chocolate cake, rice and gravy, or macaroni and cheese (like her mama?). She gives the sweetest kisses, has lots of spunk, and tends to be in trouble more than bubba! We will have lots of fun with this one as she grows!

So much SASS!

Overall, life as we know it continues to grow and change daily. We are SO THANKFUL this season for healthy children, a healthy pregnancy, a Daddy who works SO hard to provide for us, a God whose mercies are NEW every morning, our home, lives, and our HOPE in Jesus Christ. We pray this Thanksgiving that each one of you have a wonderful holiday full of God's blessings and surrounded by the ones you love!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." I Chronicles 16:34



***The GOOD pictures were taken by the AMAZING Miss Ashley Doss! She did such a good job despite it being pouring rain!!!

God gave me two...

I have had this blog in my head for awhile. I usually have several blogs in my head for awhile. Sometimes it just takes time to get them out. And time is a precious commodity these days!

For a long time, the first year, I wondered why God gave me two babies. I prayed and prayed for a baby to love. I even remember being in tears to Derek when I was pregnant with the twins and wondering how on earth I was going to handle two babies! I told him that none of this had been the way that I had dreamed of having kids. I didn't want to have in-vitro. I didn't want to have a c-section. I was scared that I could never loved two babies enough or give them enough time or attention or affection as I could one baby. Looking back to those days, make me laugh at the things I worried about. I am SO THANKFUL that God didn't carry out MY plans for my life. Instead of granting my limited desires...he gave me two!

Two babies to make me laugh, dance, and sing
Two babies to rock, cuddle, snuggle, and nurse
Two babies that put me on my knees, time after time again
Two sweet babies who call me "Mama"
Two babies who light up my entire world with a single hug or kiss
Two babies who need me in two completely different ways
Two babies to bathe, feed, clothe, and diaper
Two babies whose smiles melt every tear and frustration away

Without a doubt, one of the BEST things God ever did was give me TWO!!! Along the way, I have seen the evidence of God's handiwork in this decision. I was in a DARK place before we decided to do in-vitro. I had been hurting for a long, long time. Crying out in frustration. Seeing so many go before me into motherhood. Crying out in anguish for my turn and my time. And God healed me. And changed me. In so many different ways. There is no way to know for sure what God actually was doing in my life. But here are a few things I think God was doing in my life when he gave me two...

God gave me two to show me that He was in control.
Apparently I need lots of reminders in this area! After six years of waiting and wanting, God still wanted me to know that He was in control of my life. Control is an area that I struggle with CONSTANTLY! Those who know me know I like to be in control. I like to be the boss. I like to be in charge. For the most part, I think I'm pretty good at it (ha!) but that doesn't mean that I am God. God is God. He is supreme. He is in charge of our lives. And He is WAY better than we could ever hope or imagine to be!!! And once again...15 months after having the twins...He had to show me that He was still in control with this surprise pregnancy! I was off doing my own thing, planning my life away in my timing and doing things my way and BAM! God decided I needed a little wake-up call on who is in control. And I am SO THANKFUL that He is!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts."       Isaiah 55:8-9

God gave me two so that I would depend on Him
As much as I like to be in control, I am also fiercely independent (just ask Derek and Mom)! When I was little, I would always say "I can do it myself!" And I could...most of the time. I'm good at handling things...most of the time. I can juggle school, work, grad school, husband, family, sports, friends...all of these things pretty much on my own. I used to be proud of how well I handled things. Who needs to ask for help when you can do it all yourself????

And then I had twins...

And life as I knew it was upside down. I couldn't do it all. I couldn't even begin to do it all. I felt inadequate. Exhausted. Fearful. Spent. Unable to lift my head. Unable to meet the needs of those around me. Unable to make it through one more late night feeding. I couldn't do it myself. I couldn't take care of myself. I needed God in such a way that I had never needed him before. I depended on Him to be lifter of my head. I depended on Him to find joy in the hard times. I depended on Him to direct my steps and my path. I turned over so many areas of my life that I had been holding on to for so long.

At the end of the day...just give me Jesus. That is my prayer. In the morning, in the evening, at any time. Just give me Jesus.

"In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears."   2 Samuel 22:7

God gave me two so that I would need others.
This one goes right along with the one before, but I really believe that God wanted me to need help. To cry out for help. To ask Him for help. And to depend on Him. But I also think that God wanted me to need others. To not be able to do things on my own so that I would others could bless me and my babies. So that I would be vulnerable and seek help and guidance. So that I would not struggle through this alone or live in isolation. Sometimes it is a beautiful thing to NOT be able to do something on your own. How much sweeter is my life now that I have allowed others to help and be a part of our family and my life. There are so many that brought us meals, held my babies, cleaned my house, helped me get out of the car, went to basketball games with me, hold my babies at church, teach my children at church, bring them surprises, LOVE them, love me, bless me. I can't even begin to list all the ways our family has been blessed simply because twins were too hard for me to handle on my own!!! Sweet  men from the church coming and helping me out of the car. Sweet ladies coming and rocking babies so that I could nap. Friends at bible study changing diapers and feeding bibles so that I could eat or follow along. We are NOT meant to do this journey alone. We are meant to be in community. And what a blessing a God-filled community is.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."   Hebrews 10:24-25

God gave me two so that I would not be selfish.
I want to be very careful how I word this area and preface it with saying that this is ENTIRELY based on my experience and my heart. But in saying that...I think I would have been really selfish if I had only had one baby. I think I would have struggled to share. After waiting 6 years for a baby of my own...I think I would have held on to that baby so tight that I would not have wanted to let others hold it...maybe even Derek! We joked for a long time that God gave us two babies so that we wouldn't fight over one. I think that may be part of it! I am thankful that God gave me two so that I was able to share quite freely, without ever feeling pangs or selfishness. Perhaps this is an area of my life that God was molding and working on.

And of course, as all moms know, having babies quickly makes your realize that you are not the center of the universe. All of a sudden there are two tiny little beings who need you to put yourself aside in order to meet their needs. It is humbling. It is amazing. But it quickly makes you realize that selfishness has no place in this world. I am thankful that God blessed me with two babies to make me put myself aside. And oh goodness will this lesson be ever more present when there are three little ones vying for my attention!

"Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy." Luke 1:58

I'm sure there are plenty other lessons that I've learned in the past 20 months. Whatever the reasons, whatever the intent, God blessed my life so tremendously when He gave me two. I honestly can't what my life would be like if I only had one! I think it may be a little boring...ha! But thankfully God gave me the best two blessings I could ever ask for!

He gave me a Tucker Bear that...
has loved his mama since day one!
who gives rough kisses and big hugs!
who is ALL boy ALL the time!
who loves to play outside and get dirty!
who is LOUD and vocal!
who is tender towards his sister and likes to pat her back when she cries!
who gets so sad when he gets in trouble and will say "so sorry"
who loves his daddy and loves to wrestle.
who makes me so proud to be his mom!

And he gave me an Ady girl that...
has become a Mama's girl in the past few months!
whose smile can literally light up an entire room!
who is just plain GOOFY most of the time...such a silly girl!
who prances around with her sassy little walk and runs on her tip-toes!
who is independent already...if she could say "I do it myself" she would!
who loves to cook, cuddle, and snuggle.
who likes things in order...like her mama!
who has a sassy streak...also like her mama!
who is my sunshine girl...she fills me with SO MUCH love and joy!

My heart is full with love for these two. My life is so full of JOY! Even on the hardest days, they are the best blessings that I could ever imagine. Praise our God whose plans are SO MUCH bigger and better than our own! And praise God for our little surprise that is on the way!!! What an awesome God we serve!

Halloween 2014

Halloween this year was so much fun...and so much different than last year! Last year the twins were only 7 months and couldn't walk or talk or really get into the holiday. This year was a whole new ball-game! The twins loved seeing all the pumpkins around the neighborhood and loved reading "Five Little Pumpkins" at home. We took a trip to the pumpkin patch and decided on Minnie and Mickey Mouse for our costumes this year. Adelyn was thrilled about her "pretty" dress but Tucker was not too stoked about his Mickey hat. However, when it got down to show time, both babies did really well keeping their costumes on and getting into the holiday.

We had three different opportunities to dress up and celebrate. The first was at Mimi and Papa's house where we went to our first fall festival. The babies loved the duck pond game, fishing, and other games. They had the most fun in the gym playing with the balls and running around. It was a great time.

Our next stop was at church for Trunk of Treats. There were lots of little games and plenty of candy. Tucker wanted to stay and throw beanbags at the pumpkin the whole time. Adelyn really wanted to be held. Both babies thought that eating candy through the wrapper was a great idea! But overall, it was a great time. We got to go with our friend Lyla who was also Minnie Mouse! Tucker was surrounded with a red Minnie and a pink Minnie! Those three were quite a group!

The last Halloween stop was out at Grammy and Grumpy's house. They have a neighborhood hayride for the kids to ride and stop along the way to trick or treat. It was a fun idea, but a little rough on this pregnant mama to get up and down out of the trailer multiple times. Throw in a grumpy Tucker and we only lasted about 45 minutes. But I was super thankful that Dad was there to help out since Derek was at the regional cross country meet!

I can already tell that this holiday season is going to be SO MUCH fun! It is so amazing to watch the world through your children's eyes. They have brought so much JOY to our lives and we cherish each moment with them. Even though this isn't their first holiday season, they are so much more aware and able to interact this year with us and the holiday. We are so thankful for God blessing us with these two little miracles and love each moment we spend growing as a family. I pray that your holiday season is filled with love and joy and lots of precious memories with you and yours!

"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." Romans 15:13