Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Update

OK, so the boys were born and we didn't even blog about it. Sorry. As you can imagine we have barely had time to take a shower let alone update the blog. But today, I've found a crease in the middle of the day that gives me a few minutes to write out some thoughts and update you on what's going on.
Owen and Amos were born on October 30, 2011. Owen was born at 7:54 AM,  7lbs 3 oz 20 inches long. Amos was born at 8:25 AM,  6lbs 3oz and also 20 inches. They are both healthy and have a great set of lungs. Especially Amos. 
When people were scaring us into parenthood, I tried my best to take everything in with a grain of salt. Yes, I did say scare. The last two months of the pregnancy all people did was tell us horror stories of their experiences of the first 2 or 3 months with their child. If you ever get pregnant, I promise to never tell you a horror story right before your baby is born, it's just not nice. And by horror story I mean stuff like how they never slept again, or how they had some scares with abnormal behavior of sorts. These stories can set up a new parent to be with quite a bit of stress and anxiety. 
But I will say this. The no sleep thing is legit. But I don't think that people warn others accurately. It's not that you never sleep again. It's more like the day has no end. It used to be that when a day was over, you would go to bed and get 6-7 hours of sleep to set you up for the next day. Now it's more like one long continuous day ever since the boys were born. When you sleep for 2 hours at a time through the night, it no longer feels like a day has ended. It just feels like you're taking a nap until they finally sleep through the night. 
We would love for any of you to come and see us. Actually, our goal is to have company over as often as possible in the evenings because we know how much help we are going to need and we are open to any takers. The only catch is that we ask you to help us when you arrive. How can you help, you ask? Bring a meal, do the laundry, do the dishes, hold one when he cries, help feed, change a diaper, vacuum the carpet, dust the furniture, play music with Matt, give Sam a break so she can write for her Grad-School, bring a movie (or snacks), etc. I mean it's pretty endless on how you can help us. The reward is being in the presence of two awesome little dudes. All we ask is that you let us know beforehand that you want to come. Drop by visits must absolutely involve a full course meal. 
We have tons more to share but we thought that we would at least start here. So who's coming over?

-Matt

Here are some pic's of the boys!






Monday, September 26, 2011

I remember when...

So we haven't been here in a while. Life has been crazy (I know a big surprise with twins coming huh?!). The thing that is the hardest to believe is that this weekend October is officially here...super exciting...and not just because it's my birthday weeked...but because October is baby month. I keep having moments of sporadic panic...the house isn't clean enough for new babies, we don't have mattresses, I've never had babies before so how do you do it, when will I get all of my notes for my sub together, how in the world will I keep up with my master's classes....you know the drill. But I won't bog you down with my panic and stress (that strangely, or maybe not so strangely since it is way out of character for him, Matt doesn't seem to feel!). Instead I will enlighten you, hopefully even make you laugh a little, with a short list of not so long ago memories...

I Remember When:
·         I didn’t have to wear flip flops to school because my feet fit in actual shoes all day, not just in the morning.
·         I could use any stall in the restroom, not just the handicap stall because my belly is too big to close the others’ doors.
·         People didn’t just come up to me and rub my belly like they were making a wish on a magic lamp.
·         I didn’t have to wear a fake, bronzing, wedding ring so people didn’t think I was just some knocked up girl.
·         It wasn’t a requirement to eat between every bell at school to keep from starving.
·         I could go longer than an hour at a time without having to pee.
·         Heartburn was just something my mom complained about.
·         I could read more than a paragraph out loud at a time without getting winded.
·         I didn’t waddle when I walked.
·         Our bed was a place that I spooned with Matt, not had thoughts about punching him in the face because he is sleeping peacefully.

And that's just the beginning :) But really, I haven't hated pregnancy though I must admit it gets more exhausting by the day. I do love the people who tell me that I look great for carrying twins, and I take that as a compliment...even though that could just be a backwards way of saying "man she is huge...but I guess since it's twins it's not that bad!" We have a doctor's appointment on Friday at which I am fully expecting to hear that I have two 5 pound babies...they are growing so fast!! It won't be long until we are updating from the other side...so stay tuned! :)

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Time flies...

On Friday I will hit 30 weeks in my pregnancy; it's unbelievable really. Actually, today at our doctor's visit Dr. Bartlett walked in and said something along the lines of not being able to believe we were already 30 weeks..."wasn't it just yesterday we found out you were having twins?" she asked with a chuckle. It really does feel that way though.

You know the saying, "time flies when you're having fun?" Well it should be "time flies when you are pregnant." Not that pregnancy hasn't been fun...because it has been super fun.

A week or two ago Matt and I were talking about how August was ending and then it would be September which means the next month would be October and that means babies!! When it hit us we started laughing and a little bit freaking out...Matt yelled "Oh no, now I have the nervous poops!" and ran out of the room for the bathroom. I guess realizing that you're going to be a dad in less than 10 weeks causes a man to feel a little sicky!
Back to our appointment...today Dr. Bartlett confirmed that yes we will in fact induce labor at 38 weeks if the babies haven't come before then...but to be ready because with twins we could expect them as early as 35 weeks! WHAT?!?! That is only 5 weeks away...every time we go there they take more weeks away from us...

ready or not here they come!! :)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

What's Your Limit?

I am trying an experiment. I know that it's never OK to call a woman fat. But I want to see how close I can get to being punched in the face with my choice of words describing Sam's belly. So far I've tried: 
1. Tubby. The setup went something like this, " Hey Sam, I have a really cute nickname for you". Her reaction was pretty shocking actually. She laughed and thought it was funny. Now, she sometimes refers to herself as tubby.
2. Elephant. This one came out because she was complaining about how big her stomach looked and how heavy it felt. I just told her that she's in the same category as an elephant. She strongly disagreed.
3. School Bus. We were laying down in bed the other day and like always, she was on 'my side' of the bed. So I told her that it felt like I was sleeping in the bed with a school bus. She almost cried. 
4. Angry Bird Hog. Out of no where I thought it would be funny to tell her how cute she looked to me. Maybe it's because I just got done playing about 2 hours of angry birds or maybe because I am a jerk. But either way, I told her that she looked like one of the Angry Bird hogs. More specifically I told her that she reminded me of the one with the cement helmet. She rolled her eyes and told me to shut up. 

These are actual confrontations that took place. I just want to see where the limit is and to be honest, I don't think I've found it yet. So of course I will continue to look for it. 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Lose Your Life

There is something really sacred about sharing your story with people. I think it's great how God speaks to me through the stories from people's lives. I especially love it when those moments come unexpectedly.
This morning I was talking with a friend that I only get to see two or three times a year. I was telling her about the excitement that has consumed me and Sam about our babies on the way. I often tell stories about my life to people. Most of them are about other people in my life. This week I've been talking an awful lot about my wife and most of which are actually true and accurate stuff. I did say most.
I was telling my friend about how Sam loves organization. She really enjoys it for some reason. Give her a pink labeling machine, some markers and a messy room and prepare to be amazed. She is absolutely gifted at it. 
Since I am out of town, she chooses to make the best of her time to organize anything she can. I called three different times yesterday and each time she was up to something new: organizing. She cleaned out our cupboards and refrigerator, she went to school to clean up her room and get it organized and she cleaned our closet and rearranged our clothes and accessories. She is so crazy! But of course I love it. I love everything about her
So as I'm telling my friend this story and we're laughing she looks at me and says "Wow, I mean I know that I don't know your wife, but from what you say about her she seems to know herself really well". I thought about it for a second and told her that she was right. Sam is a very confident person and does know herself well. 
My friend went on to talk about how she is confident too. But only in the areas she is gifted. She talked about how in her own strength she can do things pretty well. She's an actor who is learning that the more that she gives her life to Christ the more she is realizing that she is becoming someone new. But it's really easy to hold onto who instead of embracing who she is becoming. Jesus told his disciples that if you want to find your life that you must first lose it.
When my friend said those words, I was instantly convicted. Not because I think I'm a terrible person or a bad Christian or whatever. But I just don't ever want to feel that I've arrived. I am learning again and again that following Jesus is a constant adventure of losing your life. Being crucified with Christ. Our weakness becoming strength. It's a constant battle of dying and truly living. 

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

What's the Story?

I'm in my second week of classes at Ashland. I love being here...it forces me to focus on my craft: writing. I live without t.v., chores, responsibilities, and distractions for two weeks. I trade that all in for intense workshops and craft talks, moments of solitude, and mentors and peers all striving to become better writers. But it's Wednesday now...and I can't wait until Friday because I miss home. What has been really difficult for me this summer session is finding focus. I am studying nonfiction, trying to find my voice, my story, and my purpose for telling this story. Over these past two weeks I have realized that I really am lacking direction in my writing...but yesterday I think I nailed down why I am struggling.

I am repeatedly being asked, "what is this story really about?" I am being encouraged to use my imagination to allow my essays to go where they need to go. I have to admit that this hasn't been easy, because the only story that I care about right now is that of my unborn babies and the family that Matt and I have started. In my alone time I sit and tell my boys the funny things that their dad told me on the phone, or place my hand on my belly and let their movements tell the stories that they are wanting to share with me. I can't help but think about what life is going to be like in just a few short months when we welcome these two new lives into our home...who will they be? Will they one day want to go away for two weeks and write? Will they be musicians or athletes or scholars or philanthropists? Who will they look like, will they even look like one another? I know one of them is already way squrimier than his brother...he likes to flip and flop...will his brother take after him or will he after his brother?

Mom told me how she was telling her dental assistant about the twins not too long ago when she went to get her teeth cleaned. The woman told her that Amos Frye sounded like a foootball player's name. Maybe. I hope not. I told mom and Christin (sister) that Matt and I didn't want football players. Not that we won't allow football players...we just won't encourage it. Matt says he is determined to have golfers! Christin was very disappointed at the thought of her nephews not playing football...and to that I say that if she trys to make my boys into football players then Cami's (her daughter) Uncle Matt will for sure be buying her a drum set and teaching her to play as loud as possible!! ha!

Kidding aside...I can't help but realize that as much as I try to focus on my story, the truth is my story is about to hit a pretty incredible shift in plot. Who are these babies? I guess I have time to worry about that later. Matt I am sure will mold them into little clowns! Right now I will settle for healthy boys. We have an appointment on August 15 for an ultrasound and I am dying to see the little guys that have been growing and moving inside of me. I can't wait to see thier individual stories, as well as our family's story reveal itself.

Monday, July 25, 2011

On Their Own Time

One thing that I have learned being pregnant is that everyone, woman or not, parent or not, is eager to share her story, her friend's story, her co-worker's story, or her friend's of a cousin of another friend of a neighbor's story of childbirth. It is insane really, the sheer volume of "advice," "words of wisdom," or my favorite "horror stories" that bombard you as an expecting mother. At times I want to scream, "you or your friend or that one girl you sorta know had your time...this is mine." At the same time, I have come to understand that pregnancy is the most beautiful time in a woman's life and, like with weddings, you want to relive those moments as often as possible. They are so precious.

Though I have tried to listen with an open ear and simultaneously filter out the junk (for lack of a better word), it isn't always easy. Sometimes the littlest words cling to me like the cat hair on our corduroy sofa. Those words wedge themselves uncomfortably into my mind and no matter how hard I try to clean them out, there are reminants left behind (picture spilled glitter if you will). This has happened to me most recently with the thought of our baby boys moving in the womb. And for those of you who aren't caught up yet, yes I did say boys, there are two...Amos and Owen...not double trouble please but twice as nice! Anyway, I am currently just over 24 weeks and the boys have started having a constant dance party...but only two weeks ago this was not the case. Person after person was asking me if I could feel them, and so naturally I began to panic because though I liked to think my stomach growls and shifting gas bubbles were my boys, I knew in my heart (and gut) that they weren't. I have been blessed with a patient and easy going husband who calms my every nerve and settles my fears, but still, I called the doctor. She too temporarily eased my mind reminding me that every woman's experience was different, but the concerned looks on people's faces when I told them that no the boys weren't doing much moving still caused my skin to tighten.

At our last doctor's appointment, July 19, we heard both heart beats and they were strong. One was intertwined with mine so I know there is a mamma's boy in there! My heart and mind were settled because as time would have it the little guys started moving more shortly afterward. Right now I am away from home at Ashland University for two weeks working on my MFA in creative writing. It is heart wrenching to be away from Matt (and the dog and cat)...but I feel like I have taken our sons away from their papa and it kills me. Before I left, Matt held me next to the open car door (of our new Dodge Journey...a real mom and dad car!) as I sobbed in his arms and told him I didn't want to go. Then he rubbed my belly and told the boys that they better start moving lots and lots because their mom is a little crazy and was going to need comforted every day! Well they listened, and now only two days in they have started taking turns punching and tumbling. It's cute really, I like to think they are in there saying to each other, "Listen there isn't enough room for both of us to move so you go crazy now and I will next." They're sharing, they're best friends, and they listen to their papa...all good things, and all on their own time, not the timeline of some girl somewhere that someone I know is related to who happens to be also be pregnant. It's funny how my unborn babies have taught me such an important lesson in patience, one day I will return the favor.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Welcome to Our Journey

The other day Sam insisted that we start a blog about our life together. I thought it was a cheezy idea to be honest. I thought to myself, "are we going to be 'that' couple?". And after thinking it over, I realized that it's actually a wonderful idea. Mainly because Sam is a great writer. Everything I read of hers I think could honestly be published and why not share that with the world?! My contributions will have more typos than a 9th graders critical critique of "Romeo and Juliet" and honestly, she'll probably edit everything I write because that's what high school teachers do. We hope you enjoy our thoughts, stories, mishaps and blunders as we journey through this new area of life called "parenthood". Thanks for journeying with us.
Cheers,
Matt