{Almost} Eight…
Eight years ago I looked like this…
No, this is not a Biggest Loser “Where Are They Now” Segment.
That’s me with 3 placentas inside of me taking up every bit of rib cavity and pelvic floor space possible. YEOW. {My final days pictures are unpublishable. Just picture anguish, swelling, and a whale all mixed together in one hot mess.}
It’s one week from the Fantastic Four’s 8 year old birthday. It seems like both a lifetime and just a breath ago. The week leading up to their birthday I’m always struck by a variety of emotions. Excitement to celebrate their mega-holiday with them, a little sadness over another year older and the less they need of me, an anticipation of things to come, but mostly I get very nostalgic of reliving those last pregnant days.
I can still smell the bleach of my sheets after they had been changed during my 10 minute allowed daily shower.
I can still hear their heartbeats and shuffling on the monitors.
I can still remember the homesickness I had for my own bed and just being in the comforts of my own home for over a month.
I can still hear Dr. Sumner’s dress shoes walking into my room in the early mornings and wondering if that would be delivery day.
I can still taste the blueberry pancakes I ate as my last full meal before delivery (when I could no longer fit my belly in a booth).
I can still remember how much I hated not sleeping with Brad and how he slept on the floor for over 30 nights so he didn’t have to leave me.
I can still see the evidence of my body that was recked and put back together from the war I fought to get them here.
I can still see the calendar that hung in my hospital room marking off each milestone and day completed.
Most of all I’m still in AWE of how the Lord spared all of our lives and has continued to allow us to enjoy their lives here on earth. There’s just no way to describe the gratitude we have for these past 8 years of our journey.
If you’ve never read our Birth Story series, perhaps you’ll feel nostalgic along with me this week and go back and take a read. So thankful for those of you who have joined us somewhere in this 8 year blog chronicles. Sharing our story and God’s grace with you all has been a pleasure.
I live in Phoenix Arizona, am Christian, and have two much older children, ages 21 and 16. I love following your blog and watching the boys grow. I am a little fascinated by how someone manages with that many kids the same age but also just love your faith and writing. I have been following your blog since the boys were about six months old. I wish I could remember what brought me to your blog but your blog has led me to follow several other blogs of Christian families with multiples (or many children similar in age). One of my favorites these days (besides yours of course) is Jones’ Clips, a family with 2-year old quintuplets (and one older boy) who are living in Papua New Guinea as missionaries. Happy eighth birthday to Henry, Isaac, Brooks, and Clark!
I started following your blog about a year and a half ago. I think I found yours in following Myra from My Blessed Life. I don’t have lots of extra time to read and I’m not a blogger but your families story blessed me and has continued to do so. God is so good and I have enjoyed getting to “know” you all.
I started following your blog last year after witnessing your family pray together at Chick-fil-A. I posted something on facebook and a friend refered me to your blog.
As Jen’s Mom, I would like to say how much we appreciated the blog. At the time she and Brad started the blog, we d
idn’t even know what a blog was! (we are still behind in computer knowledge) but it was so exciting to read comments of encouragement and commitments of praying for them as they went on this difficult journey. How blessed we are by these healthy, bright, and personable grandsons. Thank you to all of you out there who prayed and responded with your thoughts. I can’t omit the blessing of having Jen recover from such a high risk pregnancy.
I started reading your blog about 6 months after your boys were born. Went back to before you found out you were expecting. Read and cried and read and rejoiced with God’s blessing of a wonderful family.
Hi Jen- I believe I started following your blog about four years ago. I had given birth to twins (boy/girl) and wanted to gain knowledge from others with multiples. I cannot remember how I came upon your blog, but could it have been Money Saving Mom?? I was following her blog daily around that time. But again, maybe not.
I really enjoyed the fact that you (and your husband) were honest about your life and that not everything has been roses and daisies. But it’s definitely not all bad either! 🙂 But it’s real.
Sharing your faith in the highs and lows…and asking for prayer when needed. This shows humbleness on your part and I look up to that. You are a very blessed family and I am so glad that I get to “peek in” on you from time to time. 8 years….how the time flies! Thank you for sharing that with all of us!
I can’t remember when I started following your blog? Your children are a blessing and you are an inspiration.
I found you on the Mono site. I have mono twin girls. I have followed your journey since they were born. Love to see your boys. my girls will be 9 in May and were born at 32 weeks.
So happy to see your boys so healthy and full of life.
Honestly, I can’t remember how I found you! But I’m glad I did. 🙂
I have been reading your blog for many years – I think maybe since your boys were 2 or 3? I occasionally stumble across blogs and read back to the beginning and know I’m hooked. Pretty sure that’s what happened with you!
I’m not sure how I found you but it could have been through Three Times the Giggles or possibly even Angus and the Triplets (not around these days I don’t think?). I have always found multiple blogs really fascinating, which is quite amusing as we have such different lives! I live in England (UK), I’m a childless twenty (nearly thirty) something, live slap bang in the middle of a busy city and have very different religious views!
I find comfort and familiarity in reading your blog and have had you in my thoughts during the difficult times you have shared with us.
Happy birthday to your four sweet boys!
I started reading in December of 2008 after I found out that i was pregnant with triplets. I did a massive google search of multiple groups in Indiana, best multiple blogs in Indiana, parents of multiples in Indiana…you name it I googled it. Yours kept popping up. Been a loyal follower ever since! Happy Birthday to your boys!!!!!
I know I first met you IRL at Barnes & Noble in Greenwood but had been following the blog before that, maybe the boys were 2 or 3? It feels like I’ve always known you.
PS – I can still smell the soap from my hospital from both girls. I totally get this! Except for the four at once part. 😉
I am a first-year medical student wanting to become a neonatologist. I first found your blog probably four or five years ago. I love reading NICU stories, and one day I realized that by reading the blogs of families with multiples, I get three, four, five stories in one! I went back and read your blog from the beginning, and here were are now!
Not sure when or how I came about reading your blog but have for a number of years. For some reason I got hooked on following a number of other multiple births blog sites around the same time and I don’t even have multiples. As a matter of fact, I’m a Nana to 3 beautiful grandchildren, 12, 13, & 9 and have been so blessed reading about “the good, the bad and the ugly” happenings in your life. Also I was one of the lucky recipients of one of your contests a few years ago and received the Panini sandwich maker. Have really enjoyed it. So that will tell you I’ve been enjoying your families story for quite sometime. I just want to wish the boys a very happy birthday and will continually pray for your sweet family. May God continue to bless your family each day!!
To be completely honest I’m not even sure how many years now I have been reading the blog or how I found you. I’m thinking that I have been reading since the boys were 2 or 3 and I found you when I looking for new blogs to read. I found your sweet family and feel like I know you even though I’ve seen you through the blog. Happy birthday to your boys!!
I started following your blog when the boys were about 2. I had seen an article in the Brownsburg Newspaper when we were there for the U.S. National Drag Races. I looked your blog up and have been a fan ever since. We go to Brownsburg every year for the races, and I swear one day I will see you at some fast food place with all your handsome boys. If and when that happens I will be that crazy lady that is like “Oh my, it is the boys from 4tunate blog”. Hard to believe they are 8 years old already, the time goes by so fast. Sherri
I started following about 7 years ago your boys were just little then. I came here via another Quad blog. I got there from searching for infertility blogs…
Over the last years we have had our shares of ups & downs after dealing with infertility. We now have 2 1/2 year old twin boys. Who are such a blessing.
I can only imagine the awesomeness that is 4x cuteness…we have 2x…but for that must be amazing!
I can only imagine that like it was for us the infant stages for the boys is such a blur…it’s awesome that you have your blog to go back to a read your accounts…
Which all a Happy Birthday!
I have been following you since day 1 and will continue to follow you til you aren’t blogging
It didn’t post it all lol the rest said “and I adore your boys and can’t belu they’ll be 8?!!” 🙂 love ?Yall!
Do you remember when Target made that mistake with gerber babyfood coupons? I believe you were featured on babycheapskate with all this babyfood!! I saw that post and was inspired to do the same because our firstborn was born May 2007. I went back and read all the stories from thr beginning right after finding your blog. I have enjoyed seeing what my son would be ‘about’ to start doing stage-wise. I also admit It put things in perspective a little laterwhen we had one Two year old (not four) and I. Ws stressing with our newborn. Your blog led me to follow Suz’s and Gen’s blogs too! Thank you for all the life stories and support you didnt realize you were offering sharing your moments with us! Happy birthday
Boys! I can’t believe 8 either!!!
I can’t remember how I found you, some kind of multiples blog probably. I have twin boys who are almost 12 now and have loved watching all of you quad mamas do double the work I do, and you do it so well!
We wave every time we go through Indy (we’ll be going through again this week so we’ll wave again) on our way from MI to Cincinnati to my sister’s.
Hope the boys had a wonderful birthday!!
I think you were featured in the Indy Star as a blog winner of some sort over 6 years aog. I have a son who will be 8 on 2/12 who was born at St. Vincent’s. I occasionally read your blog and like the posts about activities, books etc. for the ages of the boys. I have seen you out and about a few times as we live nearby. : )
I found your blog through a friend who was having triplets and her blog had links to a whole world of mommies with multiples blogs. I loved it and would check in on quite a few blogs for awhile but over the years I’ve stuck with your family and one other family. I love your faith and the joy and learning you discover in the everyday moments.
I don’t remember how old the boys were when I found the blog but it was before the Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Halloween (which I LOVED btw.) Thank you for sharing your journey!