For starters, how many women do you know who would give anything to be pregnant, especially with the delight of twins, if their only cost was to be on bedrest for a few months?

And how many women whose babies have died in utero or whose babies have had major health issues would weep with joy as they see the perfect babies I get to admire during my sonograms?

And how can I ignore the obvious benefits to the children as I hand over to them the responsibilities they should be learning anyway?  They have grown greatly in their capabilities and confidence as I am forced to let them do the very things I should have been teaching them to do independently long before now.

On top of everything else, I am actually sitting still in one place, and my two youngest children can climb into my lap and spend extended amounts of time with me, which would never happen if I were allowed to dash from one interest and duty to the next.  Reading books, playing with little toys, and giggling over silly comments are just a few ways I find myself enjoying my babies as we wait for their little sisters to grow a bit more.

So, next time I am tempted to dwell on the frustrating parts of being confined, I hope you will delight with me over the many blessings I am experiencing.  Perhaps it isn’t even a trial at all, but a gift from my loving Heavenly Father who knew exactly what I needed at this point in my life.

While I am still very eager to meet these baby girls, and the idea of twins still delights me, I have lost some of my zest thanks to all of the complications that keep popping up.  Last night I had my fifth episode of spotting / bleeding, and for the second time (during this pregnancy) I spent the night in the hospital for observation.  Fortunately we again received a good report that the babies are fine and healthy and growing wonderfully and developing as they should.  During the extensive sonogram last night, the technician delighted in showing us the little hands and feet, the beautiful little faces, and she even exclaimed in joy at the kidneys and bladder.  What a great reminder of why we are doing this!

The not-so-good news is that my bleeding condition appears to remain very fragile and delicate, and now instead of only “restricted activity”, I have officially been put on “bed rest”.  I’m hoping that sitting in the easy chair in my room counts as “bed rest”, too.

While I was reading a book given to me about twins, I found the following sidebar written by Dr. Connie Agnew.  Her comments were particularly encouraging to me since I used to think “bed rest” sounded simply divine.  Here is what she said:

To the casual reader, the idea of bed rest might sound great…Write a few letters, plow through the teetering pile of books next to your bed, watch a bunch of movies.  But it is actually very hard.  Most of us are highly functioning individuals, used to accomplishing a lot each day.  And bed rest can go on for anywhere from several days to several months.  So recognize that you are making a huge investment in your babies.  Every day you gain is another day they might not have to be in the neonatal intensive care unit at your hospital.

I thought we had made it through the most tenuous part of this pregnancy, and I received permission to slowly do a few more things, which I eagerly embraced.  Several weeks went by with no negative side effects, and I rejoiced in my newly-regained freedom.  We attended the home-school conference, I attended church, and I sang in the choir.  I drove the children to piano lessons and occasionally popped into Walmart for a quick stop.

But alas, thanks to a rough week, with an especially scary amount of blood loss yesterday afternoon, I am now facing even more restrictions than before.  The encouraging part about this next stage is that it will be over soon.  I just need to make it to the middle of June (the end of June would be even better) and then we are “home free”.  The babies will likely live if born before then, as we have passed the critical “age of viability” stage.  (I’m currently at 25 weeks gestation.)  But they would probably have to spend many weeks in Peoria at the Children’s Hospital, and that’s an experience we’d like to avoid if given the choice.

This morning my doctor stood by my hospital bed and sternly told me that if I could not manage to rest at home, he would insist that I stay at the hospital.  I told him that I would pass this information on to Michael, because then it would for sure happen that I rest, since Michael would far rather have me at home in bed than in the hospital in bed.  The doctor smiled a little and said, “I’m sure.”

On that note, I think I will go take a nap.  Sounds like a good idea.

It's a Bumbo!

Levi is 9 weeks old, and is more interesting and interactive every day.

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We bought a house! There are a few more details to work out, but if all goes well, the house is ours.

I’m so excited.  The children are excited too.  Michael is trying to keep up with all the excitement around here.  I think he sees more of the reality of what it will take to move and sell our current house and maintain the new house.  So he’s keeping the rest of us from completely losing our minds over it all.