So Much to Report

Happy 18 weeks of gestation, little ones!! You're approximately 9 inches from head to toe and weigh 9 oz. Good job, babies!! Keep up the good work!!

So, I've been out of the house two times since the last time I posted, but the last week has actually flown by! We have been blown away by the kindness you all have shown to us and are so, SO overwhelmed and grateful. So many of you have donated to our YouCaring account (which is so very helpful and incredibly generous of you anyway, but especially now that the clock is officially ticking for my time of employment), sent care packages, brought meals, sent flowers and kind messages, have volunteered to take me to appointments, offered to take Jeremiah on play dates, etc. Truly. There are no words for our gratitude. 

Jeremiah's class made me this amazing "we're thinking of you" poster that he was so proud of and couldn't wait to hang in my room "so you can see it all the days, mommy." Seriously? I can't even.

A couple of other fun things that have made the time pass is a weekend visit from my mom, sister in law, and nieces as well as a beautiful in-home shower hosted by my other sister in law and mother in law for Nick's family. It was so fun to have so many aunts, cousins, etc. in our home, but being horizontal on the couch for the duration of it was so super weird. Do you know how hard it is to open presents from your back?! :) I did get to sit up to eat and take pictures, but other than that - flat on my back. But look at all these beautiful faces from the bed rest company I've been getting. Wouldn't you want to sit up too?!

Hallie and Jeremiah taking selfies like teenagers. Ah. I die a little.

Sweet baby Lydia. Nick's sister's baby girl who also came to help her

mommy and Gma throw such a lovely shower.

Bed rest is the best rest when you've got snuggle buddies like this.

While Sara (my SIL) and my mom were here, we got quite a bit done on the nursery. Nick's family showered us with so many wonderful gifts and important things that we needed that we were able to get a good jump on the babies' room while my incredibly talented seamstress sister in law was here to help. 

Sara made those wall hangings while she was here. Seriously. So talented, right?

She also placed all 36 dots on the wall while I laid on the floor and told her, "left a little. Up a little. No, maybe back down a little. Woah, perfect." 36 times. Basically she saved my marriage before it even got in trouble by not making this be a

 project Nick had to do for me. :)

Kristi and Debbie bought the paper lanterns and lights for the shower and then for us to use in the nursery. Perfect, right?!?

Nick's cousin, Allison, made these adorable clipboards that look perfect between 

the closet and the door.

My parents are bringing Hallie and Natalie's old changing table back with them when they come this weekend, and Sara also made valances for both of the windows that Papa Steve will hang while he's here, and then we'll be almost done. Just need to get a glider to put in that corner where the chair is now and then wait for some babies to snuggle in it. Seriously, babies. We'll wait. Don't you rush. Keep on cookin'. That nursery will be ready for you in the fall.

Speaking of the babies rushing to get out, we got some sad news again at the doctor this morning. The trap door (I just really can't bring myself to put the technical term on the internet, so if you don't know what I'm talking about, maybe ask a friend? Or your mom? Or just imagine it to mean whatever you want it to?) is getting shorter and is actually about 10mm shorter than it needs to be. They measure it over the course of a few minutes, and the longest it was today was shorter than the shortest it was two weeks ago when he put me on bed rest. And at that point it was contracting and relaxing, so it was 38mm at some points and 28mm at some points. Today it was consistently 28mm or shorter, which isn't good. Dr. Grant has increased the two medicines I'm taking at home and also added an injection that I'll get every week when I go see him (wohoo! A shot in the buns! My favorite!). He was very honest that this was the last line of defense and after this, there are no other drugs he could offer me. So, I'm upping my bed rest game. It's been really hard to stay flat when physically I'm feeling so good. But, the image of sweet Mavis pushing on and bumping up against the trap door for 5 minutes today is burned in my mind, and the reality that 28mm is all that's separating her from the safety of my uterus and the outside world where she cannot survive is scary enough to keep me planted. 

Bed rest has been a lesson in humility for sure, but it's obviously time to swallow my pride and not get up to greet everyone who brings a meal, drops by with lunch, or comes to say hello. Which is so counter-intuitive and goes against every ounce of hospitality in my bones, but these babies' lives very literally depend on it, so I will do it (and will ask that you remember that a fist bump is now the equivalent of a hug in this house, so please know how loved you are when you come over and receive one.). :)

As always, please know how very honored and humbled we are by the love we have received. Even knowing that you are reading this post, following along on our journey, and praying for us has meant the world to us and we often find ourselves saying, "how did we get so lucky? How do we even begin to properly thank the people who have gone out of their way to care for and bless us?!?" and the answer is that we can't. There is no possible way we can thank you enough, but please know that when these babies get here safely, you all will have played a HUGE part in being God's hands and feet to make it happen. We love you. We're grateful for you. And we praise God for the gift of your friendship.