To My Four Boys Turning 6 {Your Birth Story Part 3}
On December 29th, we reached the incredible milestone of 28 weeks. Aside from complications due to the risk of a cord accident with Brooks or Clark (the mono-amniotic twins), your probability of survival rose significantly. We were elated, yet with the celebration came the packing of bags to move into the hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy.
It was extremely difficult to leave our home behind not knowing what to expect or how long this pregnancy could continue. However, it was quite a relief for Daddy to have me under the roof of the hospital and in the hands of great medical care, especially while he worked just minutes down the road from my new home at St. Vincent Women’s.
Daddy printed off a huge calendar to help us count down each milestone, your BPP stats, and to keep track of visitors who stopped by to encourage us. This picture was taken the night we checked into the hospital.
Daddy and I tried to make the best of our last few weeks as just the two of us. I read some books to pass the time, took naps occasionally, took my painful but always anticipated daily shower, listened to you all kicking the sensors during monitoring sessions, and visited with some of my favorite nurses/techs/residents/cleaning staff while daddy was at work. When he came “home” we would eat together and sometimes play a game or watch a movie until my nightly monitoring.
Did you know your Daddy slept on a deflated air mattress on the hard cold hospital floor every night? He didn’t leave my side even for one night.
Every week we continued to celebrate that I was STILL pregnant and growing, and that we had another week with all four of you. To take our minds off the seriousness of the situation, we were able to cheer on the Colts as they progressed in the playoffs. The residents even had fun marking my belly with horseshoes for each position of where you were laying inside me.
The days got longer and more painful with every move. {No more smiling pictures. I’ll show you the ugly ones later.} Your poor daddy was so worried for us all, and it hurt him to see me suffer. It took a group effort just to roll me over on my other side without tearing my round ligament.
I couldn’t imagine getting through this without the encouragement we had from friends and family, and knowing that God was sovereign over all of our lives. There wasn’t a hiccup, a contraction, or a movement beyond His control. People were praying for you all across the country.
On Sunday, January 28th, we were celebrating the 31st week of pregnancy – further than I imagined my 5’2 frame ever making it. Dr. Sumner’s granted me 2 hours out of the hospital to celebrate, and gain back a little of my sanity that I had been missing from living inside the walls of my hospital room for over 3 weeks. {I was much brighter back then, before I gave you my best brain cells.}
Would you believe I inhaled 8 blueberry pancakes that day at The Original Pancake House? {Never mind that I had to sit diagonally to fit in the booth.} And after seeing we had a few minutes to spare, I asked your daddy if he would get me a smoothie from Smoothie King to wash it down.
Little did I know that I was packing away those calories for you and your upcoming grand exit…
This post almost brought tears to my eyes, because I know how painful it was for me with the round-ligament stuff with just one baby!
I’m just loving this story, and it probably helps that I know it has a very happy ending.
You are amazing! And making me look at my 31-week, easy-as-pie pregnancy with new eyes. My admiration level for you has skyrocketed.
ahhhh, i’m loving each installment.
Jen, this is such a wonderful story. I remember talking to your mom when she was worried about you carrying three. Then it was four and I couldn’t imagine how your tiny framed body would be able to support four children. So I prayed for you. I remember picking green beans in my garden praying over you, and I just had this peace that God was going to bring all of you through this. I remember thinking that God was going to use this situation to bring glory to Himself. And He has, He is. Through you, Brad, & your precious sons, so many more people know of God’s grace, mercy, & undying love for His children. What an honor that He chose to use your family in this way. Thank you for sharing your story with us honestly. May the Lord bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Love it! Can’t wait for the next part!!
My singleton came at 26 weeks, so I know how exciting it must have been to make it to 28 (and then 31!) weeks. Each day in the womb makes a difference!
Totally sitting here in tears … what an incredible story.
Love this series, but only because I know the outcome. It still makes me nervous, but I can breathe remembering that photo of them playing with trains. : )
OH Jenn!! I’m loving this letter. Thinking of our much you did to bring those little guys into the world – and Brad being such a trooper … sleeping on an air mattress that whole time!
So thankful you had a family (and church family) taking good care of you!!
What an awesome story to read! Thanks for sharing it with the world. Yours boys will treasure this.
I can so happy I saw this on our bloggin sis page. You are so funny and I just love this idea of sharing the story of your pregnancy and their birth with your boys like this! What a treasure for them and a blessing for you as well as your readers! I’m going to go back thru and catch up on what I’ve missed. So glad to get to know you better through reading about this important part of your life! Many blessings, Kelly 🙂
I loved the way you said..there wasn’t a hiccup, a contraction, a movement beyond His control.
Wat a testimony!