Surprised

After yesterday's doctor appointment I am definitely surprised! After last weeks news that we were needing to keep a close watch on the babies' blood flow by monitoring the umbilical cords all I wanted out of my appointment was minimal to no change. If the blood flow was decreased I just wanted it to be slightly. If I could get out of there with having had no change at all I was going to be pretty excited. 

Nope, I had another first. Positive News! Both babies blood flow and heart rates are right in the normal range for any twins!! We actually had IMPROVEMENT! I honestly didn't even think that was an option. I didn't think it was possible to reverse what we had already seen. Apparently the power of prayer still amazes me. And YES, I greatly attribute this positive change to the great number of prayers that I feel have been prayed on our behalf. Thank you for those. 

For the last 6 weeks I have had Baby A with his head down and Baby B in a breech position. Over the last week Baby A has done quite a few somersaults it's felt like. I credit him because yesterday he was also turned breech. From my understanding-- or at least my experience with my other 2 boys, once the baby gets his head down it's pretty typical for them to stay in that position. They are usually done with the somersaults I thought. Thank goodness this little boy had another roll in him. With both boys now in the breech position, side by side, they have a little more room for movement without pulling so much on their cords.

I couldn't have left the doctors office yesterday with a bigger grin on my face. I was completely surprised that this happened, and I am over the moon with gratitude to my Heavenly Father for blessing us in this manner.

20 weeks and feeling pretty huge. I feel like I've grown a lot in the last week. But in the last 2 weeks I have FINALLY started gaining some weight! I'm now up 5lbs from where I started 5 months ago, but it's coming fast now that I am enjoying food again!

Earlier on, when my complications first started I received Priesthood blessings from some amazing people within my church. The had one blessing before going to the emergency room when I first started bleeding, and my second blessing the day after we officially found out that the babies were Mono-Mono. Both blessings, given by different priesthood holders, essentially mentioned me being able to keep these babies inside of me so that I will be able to deliver them successfully. I'm paraphrasing what was said as well as what I interpreted from these blessings. When I stop and remember the peace that I had when I was told these babes would grow sufficiently I am humbled. 

It is so easy to forget that peace and just focus on all the possibilities. Really, I could deliver the babies at 24 weeks, and they could have lasting mental or physical disabilities. Really, since I will be delivering so early no matter what, there is a fair chance of that happening anyway. The blessings didn't proclaim that my babies would be without hardships. But we continue to pray and to hope that these babies will be given the best opportunities possible. I don't know what the Lord has in store for these babies, but I DO know that He is watching over them, protecting them, and letting me grow in my faith. 

Before Zed left, and a lot since too, we've heard about the "Deployment Gremlins", "If it CAN go wrong, it WILL go wrong" theory for the families at home while their soldier is away. We could have looked at so many things with this pregnancy in that light, but we haven't. We have always been able to look at my complications through rose colored glasses I suppose. We strive to see what we are learning, how this is bringing Zed and I closer together as a couple, and closer together with our families and our community. We continue to count our blessings because it has become so apparent of how numerous our blessings are. I personally know that in recent years I haven't been giving myself enough opportunities to let my faith and my testimony grow stronger. This experience has truly let me. I've been so blessed to partake of the sacrament every single week, to teach my kids about it. Now as I am home bound and don't get that opportunity weekly I am more grateful for it. I have always felt that teaching my children about the importance of going to church starts with being an example of someone who values going to church. Yes, they mope about going some weeks, but it's where I've known I'm supposed to be and they are learning that as well. Now they see mom laying in bed on Sunday morning and fight going to church even more because they want to stay at home and do what mom is doing. I am so grateful for parents to take our children to church while I can't. The power of a parents example in all things is a building block for our children.

I know this last bit of today's blog is a little preachy, but it is really what has been on my mind for days to blog about. If anyone has more questions about the Priesthood Power and the blessings that are available ask me, another LDS church member, or visit our church website LDS.org to learn more. Basically, it is amazing. 

Thank you everyone for your continued support for our family and for your prayers on our behalf.