22 Weeks/Back to The Beginning

Sarah is 22 weeks now. The sonogram revealed all four hearts beating away. The babies are getting so cute. Quad D remains quiet and private, while Quad C is always moving. Her head was moving and her mouth was opening and closing--already talking, I guess. Quad A is not shy at all. He stretches out for the world to see. Quad B is somewhat a mystery because of his location, but he appears to be active. It may be that he just reacts to being kicked by Quad C, the active one. I am surprised at the strength of their kicks on the outside! I can't imagine what it feels like on the inside.

The nurse made a comment that Sarah's cervix length is excellent--almost 6 cm-- and unheard of with multiples. They prefer at least 2.5 cm. We know that God is answering prayer and are so thankful for everyone who is remembering us.

On the other hand, the growing babies are posing new difficulties. Sarah has trouble standing up straight from the weight. Her ligaments in her back and pelvic area are being pushed beyond what they are able to tolerate. We are looking into a suspender-type belly harness. Please pray that it will help.

While going through some boxes, I found a journal that I kept when Tom and I had been married about a year. It contained a letter to Sarah that was written before she was born. It was fun to remember all of those crazy mixed feelings that come with pregnancy. Here is what I wrote:

(To my beautiful daughter, Sarah, in hopes that you will read this someday and realize that I was young and frightened once, too. I do everything out of boundless love for you. I never knew that I could love so much until I saw your new and perfect little face. You looked up at me with complete trust. Now I understand more about God's love for me. It is so wonderful!)

We're pregnant!

I wanted to let you know about your beginning, so I guess I should start when we found out your were coming. It was a beautiful day in May, and your dad and I were in Gatlinburg to celebrate our first anniversary. It was early in the morning, the sun was shining, and we could hear the creek rushing down the mountain outside our cabin. I took an early home pregnancy test. Then we looked together to check the result. Positive! We climbed back into bed and smiled at each other. I felt kind of shy and embarrassed and excited at the same time. I was afraid, too. I feel like a kid myself, and I'm going to be a mother! I must admit that I cried a little while from all of the mixed emotions (and the hormones), but Tom held me and assured me that everything would be fine. We went into town. He surprised me with a little two-inch doll. We figured it was about your size. So cute!

The vacation flew by. It was time to go home. I went back to teaching and Tom went back to work. We told our families the good news. They were very excited. Tom went to the store and came home with $25 worth of baby stuff for you, which was a fortune for us back then. He bought toys, bibs, booties (blue), pacifiers, books (I told him it would be awhile before you can read), and washcloths. He kept smiling and talking about you.

I, on the other hand, was thinking about how frightened I was, how I would give up teaching, and how everything--from now on--would be different. I was having mixed emotions again. There was no turning back!

I made an appointment at the doctor's office. They gave me a blood test and said they would let me know. Around 4:00 that afternoon I got a call. The doctor said the test was negative, that I was NOT pregnant. I couldn't believe it. I looked at all the baby stuff that Tom had collected and started to cry and cry and CRY! Suddenly I realized how much I really wanted you. So I started praying and begging God to let there be some mistake, that I was really pregnant.

Tom came home from work very tired. I told him the news. He just looked at me. We held each other for a very long time, and were quiet.

I called my long-time family doctor the next day, and he told me to go to a nearby lab for a more sophisticated test. My principal let me leave school early, so I rushed to the lab and got there at 3:30. The nice older gentleman who owned the lab told me that it would take two hours for the test, but the lab closes at 5:00, so I was too late. I must have looked completely pitiful when he told me, because he offered to administer the test, stay late, and wait for the results. I thanked him profusely, took the test, and rushed home to wait for the results. I prayed by the phone, and jumped up when it rang at 4:30. I answered, wondering why were they calling so early. "I'm sorry about the mix-up, honey," said the lab owner's wife, "but you are VERY pregnant! We had the results fifteen minutes ago!" I hung up the phone and thanked the Lord, crying again! I sat by the door and waited for Tom to get home. I could not wait to tell him the good news.

And that was the beginning of you.

Love, Mom


I should write another letter to her while she goes through this difficult pregnancy. If I do, I will tell her to never forget that God is in charge of this pregancy. I will aslo include this passage of Scripture that I love so much:

"Unless the Lord builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.
Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! "
(Psalm 127)