Maternity

My husband and I abandoned the empty nest and moved from the US to Canada where we are working as church planters along side the Canadian Baptist Mission Board in joint effort with the North American Mission Board and International Mission Board.  When we left the US we had 3 Grandchildren and expected some day our daughter might have another child, but our son and his wife said they were finished and happy with two.  This past summer our daughter who had been trying for several years and lost one baby in its first trimester about a year ago announced she was pregnant with twins!

My first reaction was almost shock and horror. I know this is a blessing and have thanked God since then, but the initial reaction was to question why God had blessed our daughter so abundantly when we were not going to be in the area to help.  I was sure He knew all that, but I didn’t. As a mother myself in 1977 and 1980, having carried two babies full term and having 2 C section, I can not even imagine carrying two babies even to 33 weeks which is where our daughter is now.

She had her shower at 29 week, and then a week later went to the hospital for a pain in her side she thought was her kidney but it turned out she was in labor?  They gave her meds to stop her labor and kept her over night and she received the injection for the babies’ lungs to develop in case she went back into labor and then sent her home and told her to try to wait another 2 or 3 weeks. Is that the power of suggestion?

That was two weeks ago, every day now she calls on the phone sending me running to the phone wondering if this is it!  She calls with questions like: I am getting so big with babies I have trouble turning over at night.  I am a problem solver so I think of things like, maybe use a sheet around your middle and pull your belly over when you turn, or sit up and then just lay back down with your head at the bottom of your bed.  I think I have prayed every day for her health as well as the health of her unborn boys. Yes, I said boys – the rarest form for twins.

They are both in their own sack so we thought they were fraternal twins but her doctor said if they are the same sex, they wont know until they are born if they are identical or fraternal because if the egg separates at just the right time identical twins can be in their own sacks!  Wow, we did not know that, so the mystery is on! I will be sure to let you know when we find out.  Her due date at the beginning was March 12.  After we found out they were twins, the doctors told us that if they are 4 to 5 weeks early it is no problem, especially with twins.  Full gestation for twins is 38 weeks and she is approaching her 38-week near the end of February.

Whenever they arrive I will be making my way back to the US to help her, and then have to tear myself away to come back home.  Well at least spring will be approaching by then.  I will be sure to keep you posted.

Roslyn