A little story from my Garden

I know it seems a little off to show produce from my garden in December, but I have to start the story from the beginning.

These are just a couple of samples from my garden this summer. Not that strange. I have had several "twin" vegetables in my garden before, but this year was a little different. This year I had a LOT of twin vegetables in my garden--noteworthy enough that I snapped a couple of pictures because I thought it was so funny that it kept happening (too much fertilizer?!?)

Little did I know in July, when I took these pictures that less than two months later, my garden anomaly would become a very poignant memory to me.

Colonel Mustard and I have made it quite loud and clear that Ava was our last child. After that awful pregnancy, I was certainly done and Colonel Mustard could not wrap his mind around any more kids given the never ending doctor and hospital bills she has brought to our plate. I prayed for a year and a half to make sure we were making the right decision, and when I didn't receive an answer, I assumed that meant we were done. Not 100% sure, but confident enough that Colonel Mustard and I decided to make a trip to Goodwill with all our baby stuff-- yep everything--except Ava's baby clothes (it hadn't been long enough and I was overly emotional giving away the boys' stuff).

The day before my baby's (Ava) 3rd Birthday, I had a very rough day. I went to church feeling not well and my heart seemed to be pounding out of my chest. On top of that, I had several "I'm going to throw up" moments the few days before--and to top it off, I knew some one expected-- had not arrived yet. That evening I stopped the denial and headed out to get the test to convince myself of what I already knew. I wish I could say I was happy, but few things are more terrifying to me than a positive pregnancy test.

I became the sickest I've ever been it the following 3 weeks--and an ER doctor insisted that medication wasn't enough, my HCG levels were "sky high" and I needed to be seen by my doctor right away. At 7 weeks I saw my doctor and informed him that this child must not be human because I was pretty sure I couldn't get sicker than I was with Ava--and yet I was. Less than two minutes later he confirmed what has always been one of my worst fears--I was not carrying a human--I was carrying two. It was a very surreal moment lying on the table shaking and crying-- I shall never forget the instant when he deleted "single" and typed in "twin A."

Long story short-- a lot of medication, a lot of weight loss (and huge gains), a lot of crying, a couple of Moms to pick up the pieces when I couldn't hardly get myself to the shower-- here we are, still sick 99% of the time (but thankfully functioning as long as I'm drugged), 21 weeks in and 5 ultrasounds later--we are expecting twin girls!-- Very hard for me to say out loud!

And I guess I should thank my Heavenly Father for these two little miracles (although I must admit for the last 5 months it seems like the worst practical joke ever). I'm certain in 5 years time I will never be able to imagine my life any different--and I will always laugh at the twin vegetables in my garden and remember a time when they were simply, a funny coincidence.