As the Belly Grows...Part 1

 No weeks pregnant.

12 weeks pregnant.

Happy Easter 2013

Thanks Aunt Courtney for the Pez candy and dispensers. 

 A purple basket for a little lady.

 She didn't care about anything in the basket except the CHOCOLATE!!

 He found it!

 CANDY!  And a Catholic ABC books and Mickey Mouse Color Wonder pages.

 Good thing the fire place wasn't going last night - Rex's candy would have melted.

 A St. Padre Pio cross for a happy boy!

 A basket hiding where this boy usually hides...hummm.

 He found a St. Michael the Archangel dog tag in his basket.

BOOKS Stephen?? 

 Sneaky...sneaky hiding place!

 WHAT?  An icon picture!  He couldn't believe it.

 Ha ha - what a great place to hide Blase's basket.

 A new book and Sea Monkeys.  Too much fun!

 Easter egg hunting - on your mark, get set....GO!

Full run towards Mom.  It's amazing that any of the eggs survived the hunt! 

 The hunters who found the eggs upstairs.

 FOUND it Mom!

The only major causality of the hunt.  Darren's egg suffered a minor bump on one end as well.

Bunch of cute kids! 

 Still cute!

 KIPPING!!!

 Are you gonna win???

NOPE!  I was the kipping champ of the day.  I think that's a first.  

My egg lost on one side, but in the end was victorious.  

We had a great day complete with Mass and company for supper.  The snow is still deep, the wind still blowing, the temperature still cold, but the SUN did SHINE!  We couldn't have asked for a nicer Fargo Easter.  Here's hoping spring comes sooner than later!!

Egg Dying 2013

We gathered around the table to dye some eggs. 

We had two types of dye, regular and tie dye. 

Darren ran the regular dying station while I experimented with the tie dying. 

 Someone was a lot of help.  It's a wonder we didn't have a broken egg (or dozen) thanks to her.

 Waiting....waiting...

Cormac decorated an egg with a crayon.

 Then he picked a color..and waited. 

 He checked it and checked it and checked it.

There are TWO extra special end-of-the-dying day eggs.  

The purple one is all of the tie dye colors mixed together.

The green one is all of the regular dye mixed together.

Just Messing Around

 I kicked the boys outside to take advantage of the first day in the 40's in a long time.

They built the first snowman of the season.

 The snow is still quite drifted here.  It will be awhile before the green grass will peek through.

I grabbed the camera to upload the pictures above.  Gianna says "CHEEEESSSE" so I had to take a picture.  She's sweet at the moment.  Her two year old attitude has started a week early.  She's thrown more fits today than ever.  I am hoping it is because she's still not feeling well.  Gianna, Brech, and Cormac have been battling a cough/runny nose.  She's been grumpy because of that.  The sweetest thing is when she says "Noshh."  That means she wants someone to wipe her nose for her.

Peaceful Happiness

A few nights back....

A beautiful thought entered my mind, calmed my emotions, and filled my heart with love.  It was the idea of holding two newborns on my chest just after birth.  That moment after delivery when all the doctors and nurses have left the room, all is quiet, and its just you and the baby.  This is the moment when the love of the mother is transferred to the baby without interruption.  I pondered this moment I have shared with all my children.  It's a beautiful, precious moment.  This is the time when the father should feel envious.  As I imagined TWO babies to love and cuddle at that moment the overwhelming feeling of love put every fear to rest.

Then I thought about the birth, the nursing, the 18 years of child rearing - and the fear somewhat returned.

Fast forward to today - 

The fear is gone once again.

All it took was an ultrasound showing me two sweet babies, two sweet, beating hearts, and TWO sacs.  God did indeed bless us.  God is indeed taking care of us.

My potential higher than high risk pregnancy just became high risk only because it's twins.

for reference purposes - Baby A is who is lined up to be born first.

 Baby A - measured 11 weeks, heartbeat 168

 Baby B - measured 10 weeks 6 days, heartbeat 168

 (you can see the top of Baby A's head right next to Baby B)

Our two blessings together.  

Since they are not in the same sac they are not identical as was thought with the first ultrasound.  This means they could be both girls, both boys, one girl and one boy.  That really complicates the naming process.

So far they look great and were moving around like little 11 week babies should.  Garsh, I sure love these little ones!

Lesson Learned

So I tells da lady helpin' clean our house and takin' care of the kids that Darren makes a mess when he cooks.  She spent a bit of time cleaning our stove today.

Then.....I cooked us up some grub....

Well played pot of potatoes, well played.

I get the point.

February's Joys (a bit late)

February's Joys, Gifts, Blessings

2-1-2013 - 3 gifts red
1. my red-head siblings
2. apples
3. St. Valentine's hearts all over the house

2-2-2013 - 3 gifts on paper
1. copywork of my children
2. picture of "Mickey Mouse" Brech drew
3. a recipe copied down by Grandma Ingalls

2-3-2013 - 3 gifts in writing
1. Grandma Bestgen's writing in the books I received from her and Papa
2. Mark's signature in his missal
3. letters in the mail, though rare

2-4-2013 - 3 gifts found when bent over
1. missing socks under beds
2. the scent of a newly opened rose
3. the moment when I come down to their level to give comfort

2-5-2013
a gift stitched - pillow from Goddaughter
a gift hammered - rosary holder from Blase
a gift woven - baskets to help me stay organized

2-6-2013 - 3 gifts found outside
1. birds to watch
2. plants, especially flowers
3. nature's noises

2-7-2013
a gift at 11:30 - kids working on school
a gift at 2:30 - chiropractor appointment
a gift at 6:30 - inspiration from Patrick Madrid

2-8-2013
a gift broken - statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
a gift fixed - supper made by Darren
a gift thrifted - bunk beds for Brech Earl

2-9-2013 - 3 surprise gifts - unexpected grace!
1. Paul coming to South Dakota
2. Darren saying we can go visit Paul
3. catching up history with Blase and Stephen

2-10-2013 - 3 times you heard laughter today
1. Brech and Gianna playing
2. kids watching a movie
3. boys laughing at each other's farts, sigh

2-11-2013 - 3 gifts in working
1. clean laundry
2. full tummies
3. peaceful atmosphere of a clean house

2-12-2013 - 3 hard eucharisteos
1. being so close to family, yet still too far
2. our house in North Dakota, didn't fulfill my expectations
3. lack of direction for our future

2-13-2013 - 3 gifts behind a door
1. the Blessed Sacrament behind the tabernacle door
2. my own space behind the laundry room door
3. my family welcome anytime behind my parents' door

2-14-2013 - 3 ways you feel the love of God
1. clear, beautiful morning
2. prayer time during a hard moment
3. blessing on my forehead by the kids

2-15-2013
a gift in losing - bad habits limited during Lent
a gift in finding - support from those around me
a gift in making something - a smile from a boy who took possession of a homemade blanket (Rex)

2-16-2013 - 3 gifts in shadows
1. the massive shadow of all of my family together
2. moon reflecting down on the walls
3. watching the boys make shadow puppets

2-17-2013 - 3 gifts found giving or serving
1. gratitude from others
2. appreciation for the gifts God gave me
3. patience

2-18-2013 - 3 gifts on paper
1. a note from Grandma Bestgen
2. letter from Mrs. Burdsall
3. valentines from the nieces and nephews

2-19-2013 - 3 gifts that were "Plan B's"
1. staying at Mom & Dad's for awhile
2. moving with CAT and meeting new friends
3. Dr. Elkins delivering Gianna

2-20-2013
a gift at breakfast - keeping toast down
a gift at lunch - help from my family
a gift at dinner - feeling well enough to wash the dishes

2-21-2013 - 3 gifts white
1. nausea medication
2. warm blankets in the ER
3. peppermint candy

2-22-2013 - 3 gifts that changed today
1. first morning waking up knowing I'm having twins
2. encouraging words
3. smiles from the kids

2-23-2013
a gift of tin - colorful one formally filled with caramel popcorn
a gift of glass - pitcher for my essential oil water
a gift of wood - shelves Dad made me

2-24-2013 - 3 gifts before 11 AM
1. morning offering with the family
2. breakfast that doesn't upset my stomach
3. warm sunshine to sit in

2-25-2013
a gift worn out - my favorite childhood stuffed animal
a gift new - a book for Lent
a gift made-do - skirts I sew myself

2-26-2013 - 3 gifts seen as reflections
1. Stephen who is a mirror image of my dad
2. Gianna's looks and behaviors similar to Brech's
3. rainbows - how I miss them in the winter

2-27-2013 - 3 ugly-beautiful gifts
1. morning sickness
2. the Crucifixion
3. the world around us

2-28-2013 - 3 gifts from the past- that help you trust the future
1. visit to the Blessed Sacrament after Mark's death
2. the words of Our Lord
3. confession

Blessings to the New Pope

 We were just in time to see the new pope, Francis I, on the internet.  I must admit - I kind of teared up.  What a happy day for all Catholics.  He seems like such a humble man.

Kneeling for his first blessing.  How wonderful for the boys to see this and be part of the excitement.  Gianna (you can see her under the table) had just gotten in trouble for pushing her brothers out of the way.  She was pouting instead of being holy and trying to make a Sign of the Cross.  

A Tearful Moment

Last week I was chatting with a friend on Facebook.  She asked if there were rocking chairs in heaven.  I told her I thought every good mom and grandma had a rocking chair and they were rocking all the babies that were lost to miscarriage or abortion.

Later that night I thought about my Grandma Bestgen.  She would be sitting up in heaven with her rocking chair, crocheting blankets, and talking to her mother (who would also be crocheting).  Grandma would have put down her hook and yarn to rock all the babies that have been lost in our family.  Somehow the thought of my little lost babies being rocked by Grandma made me feel better.

I cried a tear of happiness to think of such a place is waiting for me.

I thought how Grandma would have been beyond tickled to hear about the twins.  She would have made them matching blankets and suggested names.  She would have checked up on me often and prayed every day.

I cried a tear of loneliness because for the first time I had something to share with Grandma and I couldn't.

I pondered the advice Grandma had shared with me about the things she thought she did wrong when it came to raising her own children.  She suggested I play more with the kids, worry less about the condition of the house, and hold those babies close while they are still little.

I cried a tear of thankfulness for such wise words, especially now.

Then I just cried because pregnancy does that to a woman.

When I had cried the last tear I could muster (I was dehydrated) - I smiled because my grandma is watching out for me.  She's on my side and asking God to send me graces to get through this.  That matters more than anything.  I would like to think she was the first to know, along with Mark, about these sweet babies.

I am blessed.

More South Dakota Fun

 Grandpa hurt his toe.  Gianna was offering her support.

She even held his hand.  She's such a sweetheart. 

 My brother, Andrew, bought a new dirt bike while we were there.  I owned 13.3% for one day.  That's the most I have ever owned of a dirt bike.

 We played at the park a couple of times.

 It was windy - big surprise...

 Someone LOVED her chocolate pudding.

 Gianna and Bella were checking out the white stuff on the ground.  This storm blew in quick.  It took Mauri and Peter 45 minutes to get 7 miles.  We were just grateful they made it home safe.

Gianna was trying out Juliana's boots.  Silly girl.