Truly Blessed

I have reached 37 weeks and the doctor decided that tomorrow is the day! I go in at 11 for a C-Section. God has truly blessed me in so many ways. I prayed for years that I would find a Godly husband, and Matt and I both decided to go to FC at the last moment where we fell in love. Matt and I prayed and tried for a baby, and now God has blessed us with TWO babies. As I look forward to tomorrow, I am amazed at how God has perfect timing.

Matt and I have spent this last week looking back at pictures and can't believe we are going to add 2 sons to our family. Matt is the love of my life and he has done an amazing job taking care of me these past weeks. I could not have done it without him. He is going to be an excellent Daddy and wonderful example to our boys. He is a Godly man and I'm so glad Shepherd and Spencer will have him to look up too! I thank Matt for 5 1/2 amazing years as a couple, and as tomorrow begins we will double our family to 4 and start a new adventure.

Please keep us in your prayers tomorrow!

Coming soon...Shepherd Mark and Spencer Matthew

36 WEEKS

We reached 36 weeks yesterday and it came with a punch! I woke up thinking "This is it". I could barely walk due to the immense pressure. I automatically got in the bath tub to get some relief...and there was none. For the next couple of hours there was nothing I could do to feel better. We talked to the on call doctor and unless I was having regular contractions he said to just stay in bed. He said since I was 36 weeks with twins, the boys are getting big so there wasn't much we could do to make me more comfortable. So, for the past 2 days I have not left my bedroom except twice to try and eat with Matt and his mom who is visiting. I had to hurry and eat because sitting up was NO FUN! I am not having contractions if I stay in the bed, but the pressure is still here. If they go away, it means they aren't doing anything. =(

TUESDAY, TUESDAY, TUESDAY- I go for an ultrasound and HOPEFULLY we will talk about inducing in the next week. We are hoping for Saturday, Jan 9 because my doctor is on call and I will be 37 weeks. Won't it be wonderful if they come and are not considered preemies!?!? I can't wait to see their faces, and now we are so anxious to see how much they will weigh! I feel so blessed to have been able to carry them this far,but I continue to pray for their health daily!

Time is getting very near! Maybe the next post will be hospital pictures!

Fun Weekend

Matt and I had a great weekend! I am 34 weeks now and feeling really good! I have had a burst of energy. Some say that means they will come soon, but I don't want to get my hopes up too high. We are so excited that I have reached this point. I go back to the doctor today and hopefully he can give us an idea of when these sweeties will come!

We went to the police department on Saturday to get our car seats put in. The officer was so helpful! He told us a lot about safety that we would not have known if we hadn't gone. As we drove away, we looked back in the car and then at each other and just laughed! Seeing the seats, make it so real! It was a fun moment!

Matt putting in the 2nd car seat

Wow! This is it!

Wishing I was putting a baby in...

34 weeks

Since I reached 34 weeks, we decided I could go to church services again. This might be the last Sunday. I have really missed my church family and it was wonderful to sing praises with everyone!

33 Week Update and Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is next week. It is so exciting! I went to the doctor yesterday and got a good report, no change. I am so glad the boys have stayed in this long, but I am really getting ready! I wish I could just know when they would come. Waiting and worrying is the hardest! I thought they would be here before Christmas, but now I am not sure. The doctors told me I was the poster child for carrying twins, because I have done so well. I guess that is a compliment, but I am ready to HOLD MY BABIES!

We had to do a non stress test yesterday at the doctor. They put the heart monitors on and need a consistent heart rate for each baby. Well, I was on the table in one position for an hour! Spencer kept moving and they would have to start over to get his heart rate. The doctor came in and it took him 15 minutes to get the heart beat and keep it. I wasn't nervous because we heard the heart beat and knew it was there. Maintaining the rate was the hard part. Spencer has done this from the beginning. We got Shepherd's heart rate quickly and then we got to take off that monitor. I can't wait to see their little personalities once they are out and see if it is like what they are inside.

Hiccup, Hiccup, Hiccup! We are experiencing an overload of the hiccups! Shepherd has the hiccups ALL the time! Last Thursday, he had them 8 times! Spencer doesn't have them as much, maybe once or twice a week. Although yesterday he had them twice. Wonder if Shepherd will have the hiccups all the time once he is here?!

Next week is going to be hard this year, because this is the 1st time ever that I have not gone home during the Christmas season. During the holidays, I become like a little girl again and just want to be at my parent's house. There is something about walking in my parent's house when it is all decorated that makes me feel so happy! This is the 2nd year in a row that I won't be there on Christmas morning for Santa and it is so hard! (Maybe Santa will bring me babies this year, and everyone will come to me!) My family came down on Saturday for us to have a big meal and switch presents, because who knows what the next 2 weeks will be like. It was so much fun! Jackson and Caroline make everything so much more enjoyable! Their personalities CRACK me up! I made Christmas cookies and Caroline and I decorated them. Then her and I played the Monkeys Jumping on the Bed game that we got her. She loves to play, and I could spend all day with her! Jackson is a HAM! He walked in my house and kept saying, "Wow!" at all my Christmas lights. He has the sweetest voice!! He kept us entertained all day! I love these kids! I can't wait to see Shepherd and Spencer in the mix next year! Christmas is so much more fun with kids!

Here are a few pictures from Saturday...

Caroline making icing for our cookies!

Jackson before he went to take a nap in Shep's bed.

Caroline handing out presents. What a sweet smile!

He is very intent on opening the presents!

Look Uncle Matt! Nana and Papa gave me a monkey!!

Caroline LOVES her chocolate from Nana and Papa!

She finally composed herself to show us! Papa and Caroline have the love of goodies in common!

Jackson loves his truck from us!

....or maybe its the box he loves!

Here is Nana sporting her snuggie! Since Nana will be staying with us so much in our cold house we thought it would be funny to get her a Snuggie! ( Me in the backgroud is the only belly picture you will get! )

Nursery is finished!

Well we finally got the picture frames up and our nursery is now ready for 2 sweet boys! I love the way it turned out. My mom really helped it all come together. She made the curtain, bed skirts, and added a TON of fabric bows to the bumper pads. It is so special to me that she made so much of it! I can't wait to see my sweet little ones in their beds!

As you walk in the room this is the view you have. I will have the boys' pictures in the cream photo frames on each side of the window.

Shepherd's bed

Spencer's bed

Changing table

Sheri Mauck painted this canvas for the boys! She did a GREAT job! I love it!

30 WEEKS!

20 weeks vs 30 weeks

I am so glad 30 weeks finally got here! I thought I was in the 20's forever!! A lot of people have been asking for belly pictures so here they are... I have grown a lot since 20 weeks.

We are busy getting ready for the holidays! I can't believe they are here, because that means the time is getting closer and closer for Shepherd and Spencer to be here. The boys are really moving a lot lately. Spencer's movements are actually becoming uncomfortable...I don't think he sleeps a lot anymore because he is moving ALL the time. Shepherd does not have as much room, so his movements are so different. I went to the doctor today and everything looks good. No dilation. YEA! I am still having contractions, but they aren't doing anything right now so that is great! Back contractions are the worse! Lets hope those don't continue the rest of the time.

I can't wait for them to get here. I am hoping I at least get to 34 weeks, which will be the week before Christmas. My house is already decorated for Christmas, so I won't have to worry about that.

Nursery pictures will be posted as soon as Matt hangs the final picture frame. =) Hopefully that will be today! Who knows how much longer before I am posting pictures of my sweet little ones. For now, I want them to stay right where they are!

Wow..Ive gotten big!

Am I as big as the tree?

This time next year, we will only have ornaments on the top half of the tree!

Birmingham Shower

Last Tuesday I had a shower with people I grew up going to church with. It was at Shelly Cavender's house and it was beautiful! They did so much to make it very special. As you can tell from the pictures, we had a great time! All the people there watched me as I grew up, and now they will have a chance to watch me bring up my boys!

Here is the beautiful table..there were two of everything! Double chocolate cupcakes, two layered dip, 2 pigs in a blanket, etc. Adorable idea!

My family

Sharon Moore got me the CUTEST hats with the boys' nicknames on them. I love them!!

Sweet outfits that Shep and Spence will wear next summer

Basket full of goodies from Maw Maw

Yea! My other car seat! We are ready now!

Uncle Kyle and Aunt Kelli wanted to get Shep and Spence something "Texas".

Each group had to see who could pair up the baby socks the quickest. I got to keep all the cute socks!

See how big Jana is! =) Everyone had to cut a piece of string to see how big my belly is. My Maw Maw won, she was within a half of inch!! I would like to say that everyone else was WAY too big! (Except Ann who is trying to be nice) Thanks Ann!

We had a great time! Mom stayed with me the next day and we put everything away in the nursery! Matt and I are finishing organizing this week and then we are just waiting. We hope we will be waiting for a while! Contractions are occurring every day, but I am staying at home to ensure I am doing everything I can to make it as long as I can!

Nursery pictures to follow....