Our Dream is Coming True!!!!

Wow – it’s almost here. Thursday February 6, 2014 will be the birthday of our babies. Unless they throw us a curve ball 🙂 The birthday of OUR babies. Sometimes I pinch myself….this is really happening….this dream is coming true. And SOON! AHHHH how exciting!!!!!

I have been out of work since January 15th. It just became too much trying to work – the only real problem I was having was my feet were swelling ridiculously. My Dr and I decided in order to keep these boys in as long as possible, it would be best if I got off my feet. And here I am. 37 weeks pregnant – and still growing our miracles. The boys are doing great! I’ve been to the Dr twice a week for the past 3 weeks and they continue to look fantastic! We will have our final Dr’s appointment in the morning and then head over to the hospital for our Pre-Op appointment before coming home to wait on the excitement to begin 🙂 The Dr (and me too) are highly impressed when they find out how well I’ve done. Making it this far with twins is truly a miracle. But then again, I’m reminded of a verse “Nothing is impossible with God” Luke 1:37. Man am I not a firm believer in that these days. One of the Dr’s told me the other day – making it to 32 weeks with twins is good, making it to 36 is great and anything over is fantastic. But nothing is impossible with God.

I just want to take a minute to thank you. Thank you SO much for all of the prayers, texts, calls, emails, etc that you all have shown us. The amount of love and prayers that Justin, me and the boys have felt for the past 9 months is overwhelming. The love and support has been what has carried us through. From getting pregnant in the first place, to finding out it’s twins, to being worried about Baby B and praying for both of them. We truly appreciate it. We know that everything will be great on Thursday. Partly because we know and feel already the amount of love and prayers that we will have at 10AM on Thursday – and partly because “Nothing is impossible with God”.

As we wait out our final 40 hours until our boys arrive know that we love you! We are excited, we’re ready but most importantly we know that God has truly blessed us with the most perfect miracles alive! My parents are coming tomorrow and the excitement will begin quickly 🙂 My prayer now changes dramatically. Now I pray to be the best Mom I can be – and I know I’m not going to be perfect – but I’m going to do the best I can. And I’ll have to always remember especially when I get overwhelmed – “Nothing is impossible with God”

Can’t wait to share the boys with all of you on Thursday!!

Love,
Justin and Laura

Sometimes all you need is a little faith…and one little reminder :)

2013 is almost over…..and what a year it’s been….I started thinking back at this time last year and am truly amazed at how far I’ve come as a person, how much I’ve grown in my faith, and how much stronger my relationships are because of all of the above. OH and I get to be a Mommy too 🙂

I’m not much on New Years Resolutions…I tend to keep them about as long as it takes me to get them out of my mouth 🙂 It’s just not my thing. But this year there are things that I do want to try to do or continue to do as I move into a new year and a new and exciting chapter in mine and Justin’s life. When I think back about years – and monumental years – 2013 is going to stand out for sure. I’ve learned so much about myself and so much about my faith that I’m excited to see what comes next! I’ve never been sad on New Years Eve, I’m always hopeful. Hopeful that the following year is going to be everything I dream of and more. And 2013 definitely proved that fact to be true!

We started the year wishing, hoping and praying that we would be blessed with a child. We made a decision for me to have surgery in February and I just KNEW that was going to be the answer to our prayers. I remember waking up in recovery and asking my Dr “Can I have a baby?” and he said “Yes sweetheart – you can have a baby” and I just cried…some of which I’m sure was all of the wonderful drugs I was on 🙂 And some was just pure relief. I had surgery because he just KNEW my tubes were blocked. So at my follow-up appointment, he told me they in fact were not blocked. I remember leaving that appointment feeling defeated. NOT blocked? You mean to tell me I went through that surgery for NOTHING? Then came the shots….and for those of you who haven’t experienced fertility shots – understand how blessed you are. My emotions were all OVER the place….not to mention they didn’t work and were incredibly expensive. The 2nd time they didn’t work was by far my lowest point of the entire fertility journey. I had chalked up 2013 to a loss and it was only April. I’m sure part of it was the hormones and drugs, but I was in a low place. Then one night Justin and I sat down and made 2 key decisions. 1 – we were joining a pool over the summer. I was going to relax, enjoy the sun and friends and just forget about this journey as much as possible. And 2 – we were going back to the clomid. Forget the expensive drugs, forget all of this – I had met my deductible so we kept seeing the Dr, but I did it as more of a formality then I did with hope. I gave up – I was convinced that we were going to have to move to IVF or adoption. Both of which were not in our budget. So I just gave up. I remember driving to work one morning and out loud just saying “God I quit – I can’t do this anymore by myself. I just can’t.” That’s also when I started this blog. I never EVER in a million years knew the amount of peace and love I would feel from the support of starting this blog. And 7 months later, that very first blog post would turn out to sum up my 2013 perfectly.

I was looking back at some of my old blogs yesterday and found a comment from my Aunt Agnes that literally made me stop in my tracks and cry. It summed up 2013 for me. It was on my very first blog post and she said “I believe I will receive a message from you & Justin in the next 45 days saying your prayers (and everyone else’s) have been answered”. Now that was on May 1st. I found out I was pregnant June 14th. 45 days later….Now you have to understand the amount of faith that my Aunt Agnes has. It’s indescribable. She is my Grandma’s sister (on my Dads side). Grandma had a faith like that too – unbreakable, unwavering, and oh SO strong. My Grandma died 18 years ago in May. She was the only grandma I was lucky enough to know – and Agnes was always my favorite Great Aunt on that side! I just loved everything about her from the time I was little until now. And her faith and Grandma’s faith is still helping to guide me…Literally 45 days later I was pregnant. God works in mysterious ways. But I had to give up and totally give up to get where I am today. And just have a little faith 🙂

I say all of that to say in 2014 I pray that I can have faith like my Grandma and my Aunt Agnes. I know it will take LOTS of practice to get to where they are 🙂 There are SO many people who have helped shape my life and who I know will help shape my boy’s lives and for that I am grateful. Agnes and Grandma are just 2 people who have helped show me how important it is just to have faith. 🙂 God always takes care of his people – just in his time…which I’m realizing slowly but surely is indeed perfect timing!

A little update on the boys 🙂 They are doing FANTASTIC! I had been going to the Dr every week because she was still concerned about the size difference between Baby A and Baby B. On my last appointment, last Monday she said that the boys and I were doing so great we could skip a week! YAAAAY!!!! Baby A is HUGE for twins weighing 4 lbs 3 ozs and Baby B is big for twins weighing 3 lbs 9ozs…Justin says apparently I’m growing offensive linemen 🙂 Either way I have 2 incredibly healthy, growing boys! We had a decision to make a few weeks ago about how I was going to deliver. Baby A is head down and Baby B is transverse. After lots of prayers, thoughts and discussions we decided to go ahead and schedule a C-Section. Justin and I just feel it’s safest for the boys and will help ease our minds 🙂 The date is TBD – but she wants to wait until I’m 38 weeks which is the 2nd week of February 🙂 I’m so incredibly thankful for all of the prayers that have gotten us this far. To be still up, working and moving around at 32 weeks pregnant with twins is one thing, to be talking about keeping them in there for another 6 weeks is another. I am so thankful to have such healthy growing boys! 🙂

What do I want 2014 to bring? It’s really not up to me. I know that my house will be filled with love – and lots of it! Quickly 🙂 I know that there are going to be tough times….I’m sure there will be times where I question if I’m really cut out to be a parent, much less a parent to twins! I’m sure it’s going to be a constant reminder that God has the perfect plan and I just need to keep the faith. I know there are going to be struggles, but looking back at how 2013 started – I would go through those struggles 100 times over to get to the joy I feel at this moment with the boys both kicking away 🙂 It’s these little moments that remind me – God will take care of us. All 4 of us are going to be JUST fine 🙂 I’m thankful for 2013 and all of the lessons it taught me. I’m thankful for family and friends and for my Aunt Agnes and her faith 🙂 OH and for the most perfect blessings of all that will make their grand entrance soon!!!

Happy New Year! ~ Love, The Garlands

Thankful…..for Dirty Dishes….

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” ~Psalm 107:1

I have so much to be thankful for this holiday season, I don’t even know where to start. Lately I’ve had a new thought about thankfulness that I’m going to try out in the upcoming year and years to come.  For those of you who know my husband, one of the things that I love about Justin is his genuine gratitude that he shows everyone on a daily basis.  I can remember when we were first dating, and my Mom mentioning how many times he would tell her Thank You.  Thank you for dinner, Thank you for letting me come stay, Thank you for cookies, or whatever it may have been at the time.  Then I began to notice it.  He truly is thankful for everything. And it’s 110% genuine. He is one of the most grateful people that I know.  That attitude that he has, has changed me – I try my best to say Thank You as much as possible.  I’m not on “Justin level” yet 🙂  But thank you Justin for being an inspiration to me and a daily reminder to show appreciation and gratitude for the awesome blessings around me.

So what am I thankful for?  For starters, my faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.  I have wondered several times over the past couple of years as we struggled with our infertility and now are rejoicing with 2 boys, how do people get through tough times and good times without a relationship with God?  My faith and Justin’s faith is the reason we are still standing on two feet today.  I firmly belive that.  We are living, walking proof that God always has a plan and that his plan far exceeds our expectations 🙂  Without my faith, I would be lost.

I’m thankful for Justin.  I remember after just a few short months of dating, I knew he was the man I was going to marry.  And I remember the day I realized it….we were around our niece Darian and I noticed how he looked at her.  The love that he had for that child was indescribable.  He loved her as if she were his own.  I knew at that moment, he was the one. I knew with him working with children, he had to be amazing with them – but until I noticed the way he looked at her, I didn’t 100% get it.  I had always dreamed of having a family and having children, but knew I wanted a strong Christian man to raise them with and I found that in Justin.  He is so much more than I ever dreamed of.  When we’re hanging out with our friends, a lot of times Justin is missing because he is with the kids playing dolls, dress up, football, army men or whatever else they’re asking for at that time.  Seeing how amazing he is and how much he loves other children just reinforces what I already know – our boys are the luckiest boys in the world.  They have one fantastic Dad 🙂  Thank you Justin for being such an amazing role model to all kids and especially to our own.

My parents.  There isn’t enough time in the day to describe how grateful I am to my parents.  They have loved, supported and always been there for me since Day 1.  They have shown me what it is to be Christian parents and raise children in a Christian home.  Justin and I couldn’t have gotten through the last couple of years without their unwavering love and support.  I never got to know my Mom’s Mom…..she passed away before I was born.  And there isn’t a day that goes by, that I don’t Thank God that my Mom is going to be around to help with these boys, to love these boys and be a part of this entire process.  I know how incredibly lucky I am 🙂  I think part of the reason that I am having boys is so that I don’t have to share my Daddy – I’ll always be Daddy’s little girl no matter how old I get 🙂  I’m so grateful for my relationship with them and for everything they’ve taught me.

John is quite possibly the best brother in the world.  To say we are close is a drastic understatement.  I talk to him basically everyday.  We share lots of things with each other.  I know how amazing of an uncle that he is going to be to these boys 🙂  He already wants to start hitting and pitching lessons at 3 months to get the ball rolling 🙂  I’m thankful that our parents instilled in us how important it was to have a relationship, and I’m thankful that John and I have only grown closer as we get older.

In-laws.  I have an amazing family that I “married” into.  Randy and Debbie did a more than fantastic job raising their 3 boys and it shows.  It’s so nice to have family up here that I consider my own.  Justin and I love how close we are to Bo, Carrie and the kids.  Since we got married, I’ve said to Justin how much fun it would be to have babies near Carrie so the cousins could grow up together – and here we are…..due with boys 4 weeks apart 🙂  I’m beyond thankful to have her to share this experience with and for our boys to be “best friends” already.  Nick and Bo are going to be amazing Uncles to these boys 🙂 

Friends….i’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  I am blessed to have some of the best friends in the entire world.  From Stoneville to Pittsboro to Wingate to Charlotte to Roanoke.  I have friends that have touched and continue to touch my life.  These friendships with these girls are unbreakable.  For all of the laughs, cries, hugs, tears and great times we’ve had I’m thankful.  And now a lot of us are having babies.  It’s so exciting to share this new chapter with people that I’ve known for such a long time!  Our group of friends in Roanoke is more than anything i could have ever dreamed of. I know that there are several people that Justin and I can call and they will be there for us at the drop of a hat.  The love and support that this group has shown us over the last few years is amazing.  As Ella James (who’s 6) said this fall “we sure have a big family – and it’s only getting bigger”.  She’s so right!! These friends are like family to us and we are beyond grateful for these friendships.

I have a prayer moving forward…..I want to be thankful in everything I do.  I know just how lucky I am to not only be having one baby, but to be having 2!!!  I know the road isn’t going to be easy.  I understand there are going to be sleepless nights, crying babies,  stinky diapers and much much more.  However I’m thankful for that. I’m an American Idol watcher and Scotty McCreery sings a song that’s called “Dirty Dishes”.  The chorus makes me cry – and makes me pray that I can have that attitude as the next chapter in my life continues.  Here are the words:

“I want to Thank you Lord for noisy children and slamming doors….and clothes scattered all over the floor.  My husband workin all the time, dragging in dead tired at night….my never ending messy kitchen and dirty dishes”

I pray I keep that attitude.  I’m so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to be up at 2, 3 and 4 in the morning with 2 perfect boys.  I’m blessed to have toys and baseballs, basketballs and footballs eventually all over my house.  I’m sure at some point there will be a broken bone, or window or something and I’m thankful for that.  Because that means we live.  I understand how lucky I am, partly because of what I went through to get here.  The road to getting pregnant isn’t easy for everyone.  I still have close friends that haven’t been as lucky as me….yet 🙂  And I pray for them daily….I hope that feeling never leaves me.  It truly reminds me to be thankful for everything that God has given me.  His love truly does endure forever.

And no matter what I’ll always be thankful for dirty dishes…..

“For this child (these children) I have prayed….”

And prayed and prayed! I can’t believe it’s November…..and I REALLY can’t believe that I’m almost 26 weeks pregnant! Time is truly flying by. I know the saying “Time flies when you’re having fun” and I am living proof that it’s true.

I love being pregnant. I know that sounds crazy – but I have been extremely lucky! I have felt fantastic the entire time and pray that I continue to feel great! All of my numbers have been great every time (which has been A LOT) we go to the Dr. I have 2 extremely active boys 🙂 They are moving all around. They are already developing a love for music. It’s so fun to sit back and watch them kick and kick and kick to music – the drum solos are their favorite by far! 🙂 It’s still sinking in that we are having 2 boys…..Justin and I couldn’t be more excited!!!

We decided to name them Jordan Thomas and Tyler Kevin. Lots of people have asked if they were intentionally named after Michael Jordan and Tyler Hansborough. WELLLLL not quite 🙂 Jordan is from Michael Jordan and we have loved that name for a girl or a boy since we got married. Tyler is also a name we have loved for a long time and decided that they sounded great together. After we FINALLY decided what their first names were going to be, I started laughing one night. I realized the UNC connection and just laughed. It works for us and we love it! 🙂 Now the middle names were a little tougher. Thomas is my Papa’s (My Mom’s Dad) middle name and also Justin’s grandfather’s name. My Papa was so special to me. I never knew my Mom’s Mom and Papa tried his best to make up for that. He loved me and spoiled me and I always knew how special I was to him. Kevin Humphries was a childhood friend of Justin’s and once Justin and I started dating, became a friend of mine. Justin was in Kevin and Kristen’s wedding and then Kevin was in ours. He passed away a few years ago unexpectedly from a stroke. Justin and I from that moment always talked about using Kevin as a name one day for our boys in honor of Kevin. He was such a fantastic person and a great friend, and we knew wanted to use his name with one of our boys. We called and spoke to Kristen (his wife) and got her blessing and knew it was the right thing to do. Personally, I think we have the best names around….they fit our boys perfect!

I had my first baby shower in Hickory this past weekend. When you give my wonderful Mama a theme – she realllllllly runs with it 🙂 Her and my aunt Barbara threw a fantastic baseball “twins” shower. Everything was absouletly perfect!! I know that I pray for these boys every day – but what I truly didn’t realize was how many other people prayed for them every day as well. It was humbling to see how many people came out to shower the boys with love and gifts. Thank you SO much to everyone that made it. People traveled across North Carolina to be there for us and it meant the world to me. We are so lucky to have so many people who love us and pray for us. Jordan and Tyler are 2 of the luckiest little boys, and spoiled already 🙂 and they haven’t even made their grand entrance yet.

Speaking of people who’ve prayed…..Thank you. I know several of you keep us in your prayers on a daily basis. People are reaching out to check on me, the boys and Justin on a regular basis. I have several friends who have twins and they have each reached out to check on me at different points in my pregnancy. And it’s always been at a time when I really needed someone the most. The reassurance they provide me is just amazing. I’m grateful to Facebook for me to be able to keep in contact with these amazing Mom’s and to have them as a resource for now and moving forward. 🙂

We saw the High Risk Dr several times for Baby B. She was never concerned about him or his growth and after several visits the boys cooperated enough for her to see everything she needed/wanted to see. I went in to see my OB last Friday and they did an ultrasound. Baby A weighed 1 lb 13 oz and Baby B weighed 1 lb 5 oz. While that doesn’t seem like a big difference, it’s more than the 20% they want. So now I am going to the Dr for an ultrasound every week to watch Baby B’s growth. My Dr reassured me that she isn’t overly concerned, she just wants to watch him. But my worry and fear tried to kick in. I know these babies are in God’s hands. And they have been from the beginning and will be forever….I have a peace that Baby B is going to be ok. I just have a Dr who wants to go above and beyond to make sure we’re ok 🙂

I can’t tell you how many times I used to cry and get so upset when we were trying to get pregnant about having children later than everyone else. When you’re going through infertility you feel as if everyone around you is pregnant and you’re going to be the last one to get there….if you ever get there. I used to get SO upset thinking our children wouldn’t have any of our friends children to grow up with because they would all be done by the time we got started. BOY was I wrong 🙂 There are going to be SEVERAL babies born within the next few months. A friend had a precious little boy in October, and then there are 5 of us due within 8 weeks of each other during the first of the year. 7 babies – 7 that will be within 6 months of our boys!! And I used to cry about the boys not having friends. Now that just makes me laugh. God totally has a sense of humor! I couldn’t be more thrilled and excited for all of my friends that are having babies!!!! My sister-in-law is one of them and recently found out she is having a BOY too!!! 🙂 SO there are going to be 3 Garland boys due within a month of each other. PRAY FOR OUR SANITY!! haha! I’m SO excited for our boys to have the opporunity to grow up with not only all of our great friends’ children but with their cousin as well. God is SO good! He knew my prayers and concerns LONG before I did and had a plan the whole time!

Sorry for such the long post! We have been super busy getting the nursery ready and enjoying being pregnant and getting as MUCH sleep as humanly possible 🙂 We continue to pray for these boys and it brings me great peace knowing you will too! Pray for them to stay in and grow for MANY weeks to come! I know we are going to have perfect little boys when the time is right! And God has the perfect time 🙂 So for now we will continue to pray 🙂

Thank Heaven for Little Boys!!! And what’s prepared me for them….

BOYS! PLURAL!!!! OH the excitement that is going on in our house! 🙂 We are extremely blessed and excited to be having 2 precious boys!

We ended up finding out at our 14 week appointment. That was the day that we were going in to check on the size of Baby B – so obviously that was our main concern. As the ultrasound tech was going over the anatomy of the babies, she said OH BOY! Then we moved to Baby A and OH BOY again! I don’t think anything or anyone could have wiped the smile off of my husbands face! To say Justin is excited (and me too) is an understatement.

It immediately started to sink in that we were having BOYS. Growing up, I was always really close with my brother. John and I have been extremely blessed to have grown up playing well together, getting along and truly enjoying each other’s company. John was involved in baseball and basketball since he was really young and has now moved into coaching. Now I’m not the athletic type 🙂 but enjoyed going to his games as much as I can. I remember being in college and after and traveling a couple of hours just to watch him play either baseball or basketball. Looking back I know that I was being prepared to be a Mom to boys. Loving being at the ball field all day or all weekend is something that I have enjoyed for years. I choose to watch SportsCenter and football on TV with or without Justin. Now I know that there will be LOTS of ball fields in my future, LOTS of SportsCenter and LOTS of fun!! I just wanted to take a minute to thank John…..for always being so close to me, always including me and wanting me to be a part of your life. It has always meant the world to me – but now it means even more! And I know these boys are going to love their Uncle John and that relationship is going to be so special! I can’t wait to watch it develop!

Thank you to all of our friends and family that came to our gender reveal this past weekend! I am a HORRIBLE secret keeper, so being able to keep this secret was extremely impressive for me!! We truly had a great time sharing that experience with you.

We got good news about Baby B that day – we could breathe a little easier, but our Dr was still concerned. So she made an appointment with a High Risk for a couple of weeks later. That appointment was today. I was so nervous this morning before going to the appointment…I think the term “High Risk” just made me nervous. We had a 50 minute ultrasound and were able to see lots of things. Technology is amazing! Spines, kidneys, brains, stomachs, fingers, hands, feet, it was all there and all in tact! We met with the Dr and she immediately made me feel at ease. She told me that there was nothing to worry about with Baby B. I’m measuring 16 weeks and 1 day pregnant. Baby A is measuring 16 weeks and 5 days pregnant and Baby B is measuring 15 weeks and 6 days. So not only is Baby B doing well – Baby A is just bigger. Which the Dr reassured us that is completely and totally normal. PRAISE GOD! I am still high risk because we are having twins….but the Dr said for twins, I’m more on the “low-risk” side of twins! SUCH great news and a HUGE relief today!!

“Every good and perfect gift comes from above….” ~James 1:17

We are so blessed – and we have felt blessed this entire time. The love and support and prayers that we receive is truly humbling. Thank you – Know they are felt and much appreciated!! We talk all the time about how blessed we are to have the most fantastic friends and family imaginable. Thank you for the bottom of our hearts! These boys are SO loved and prayed for already – and trust me they (and their parents) feel it!!

Learning not to worry….

I know it’s been a while but wanted to catch you up on a couple of things that have been going on!

Our babies are a growing miracle!! We love them more and more each day and are amazed at their growth every time we see them. Since we had an ultrasound at 5 weeks, it is truly fascinating to see how God takes what we had at 5 weeks, and turns them into tiny humans as they are starting to look like 🙂 We have had such a fantastic summer! We always knew how much we were loved and prayed for, but the response from our pregnancy is truly been overwhelming. And trust me, we have needed and continue to need every prayer so keep them coming!! We feel them every day and know that you all are why we can have such a peace about things.

We had our first scare last week. I was told that the twins journey was a rollercoaster and to hang on by a friend with twins. Boy was she right! I thought our roller coaster rides were over once we got pregnant, but I truly think they are just beginning. We went in for our 12 week appointment and had our ultra sound first. We had invited my parents to come to the ultrasound that day and I can’t explain how amazing that was for me. My parents have been such fantastic role models for me and to share that moment with them was truly special. I’m partial to think I have the best Mom and Dad in the whole world, so I’ve told Justin, if I can be half the parents they are, then our kids will truly be blessed! So for them to be with us as we saw our precious babies move around (and DO I mean MOVE around:)) was surreal. Thanks Mom and Dad for sharing that moment with us! We can’t wait to take Justin’s Mom to experience the same thing soon!

After that amazing ultrasound experience with my parents, Justin and I went back and saw the Dr. She was concerned about Baby B. Baby B has always been a tad bit smaller, and it continues to be smaller. Our Dr expressed concerns that Baby B had something wrong with it genetically and might not make it. Hearing those words were beyond devastating. I somehow held it together until we got to the waiting room and I saw my parents. I can’t express how difficult that day was. Justin and I over the next couple of days prepared to only have 1 baby. The good news in all of this was that Baby A looked great!! He or She was moving around ALL over the place which truly was a fantastic site to see 🙂

I personally didn’t understand. Why? Why us? Why after everything we have been through were we being tested again? God gave us two precious babies, and why was he now possibly going to take one away? It truly made no sense to me at all. But then a couple of things happened….

We immediately sent out text messages to our closest friends and family asking them to pray. And pray for God’s will to be done, not what we wanted but what was best for our babies. And immediately that night I felt prayers. As much as I was hurting, I knew people were praying for me, Justin and these precious babies right then and there. The comfort that provided is truly overwhelming. Then on Thursday night/Friday I started cramping. Of course I panicked — and called the Dr. They saw me Friday morning and we had 2 babies and 2 heartbeats. Justin noticed the Dr looked surprised that there were still 2 babies. I know that God was totally involved in showing both Justin and I right there that our babies were ok. Dr. Arliss did a blood test on Tuesday to decide if there was something genetically wrong with Baby B. We knew we were going to have to wait 7-10 business days to get the results. Now those of you who know me and know me well know patience is NOT one of my strongest assets. So I knew it was going to be a very long week!

I made the decision to go by myself to my parents house for the weekend. Those 6 hours in the car going and coming were the best medicine for me. God reminded me that he is in control of the entire situation as he always has been and that the babies and I will be taken care of. I needed that reminder. God has always been in control….he knows what he’s doing. These babies are going to totally and completely change my life. But the awesome thing is, they already have. They have taught me already that trusting God is the only way to get through this. And life in general.

“Do not be anxious in anything, but in every situation, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” ~Philippians 4:6

Were Justin and I anxious to get those test results? Abosuletly! But that verse popped into my head driving to Hickory Friday night and I immediately stopped and thanked God for the healthy baby we have. I knew at that moment, whether we have one or two, it was part of God’s beautiful plan for our lives and it would be ok either way. Hard? Sure….Confusing? Absolutely. But after a few short days, I had a peace about me that I just can’t explain. Of course I was still worried and anxious, but every time I started to worry, I prayed that verse.

Today the Dr called. Immediately I could tell in her voice it was good news. Both babies are healthy! There was nothing genetically wrong with either one and the chances of there being something genetically wrong was so miniscule we don’t have to worry. PRAISE GOD! Talk about answer to prayers….our God takes care of us. All the time, and I’m learning more this year than ever that he has the PERFECT plan!

Now Baby B is still not out of the woods. The Dr is concerned about the growth and development, but this was definitely GREAT news! She said once I got to 20 weeks with both babies, she would rest easier. I will be 14 weeks Monday. 6 more weeks of waiting and worrying — ahhhh….but then VERY quickly I was reminded….”Do not be anxious about anything….” I have said and will say again, God is still in the miracles business and he is bigger than medicine. I have a fantastic Dr – I love her and am so grateful she was suggested to us (Thanks Carrie :)). But she isn’t the ultimate physician. I understand she is doing her job, warning me of what could happen and the risks associated with that and I appreciate her for that. But my God is bigger than any of that. And that is the most encouraging thing that I can think of!

So if you’re a praying person — please remember Justin and I and our babies in your prayers. We need Baby B to grow baby grow 🙂 I personally am using this for an excuse to eat extra ice cream 🙂 Justin and I go back to the Dr Tuesday and will be told more then. Our Dr has mentioned sending us to a high-risk OB just to get a 2nd opinion so I’m not sure what is ahead of us on this incredible journey. I know we are blessed to have these babies, I know some of my friends who are struggling to have 1. So I am thankful, and am not anxious as we wait and see what unfolds! Today we are on top of the roller coaster…..and am so thankful to be!

Thank you for all of the prayers and support and love. You all mean the world to us. These babies are SO lucky (and so are we) to have so many people pulling for us, loving us and praying for us!

Sorry for such the long post, we just wanted to update everyone on what’s been going on! We will keep you posted!

Love,

Justin, Laura and Babies 🙂

If One is Good…..Two is better!!!

Pregnant…..I got a positive pregnancy test. I will never forget that moment. It was late on Thursday June 13th, 4 days before the Dr had told me to test. But I’m impatient so I decided hey, why not. Then there it was…..that faint line of hope. Immediately I called my Mom (because what else was I supposed to do) and talked to her and Dad. I know I did not sleep well that night and I don’t think Justin or my parents did either. The next morning I went to the Dr to get my HCG levels tested. Waiting for that phone call was PURE torture. Once he called back he confirmed, PREGNANT! Now I can only explain this by knowing the peace that God had and has instilled in me, but I knew I was pregnant. And I knew it would all be ok. The following Monday on the way to work I heard the song, “Your Love never fails.” and the words really sunk in to me. “Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me” At that moment I knew, his love hadn’t run out on me, I was just waiting on his time. Little did I know, there was more in store for us!

We went several times to get my blood levels checked and each time the numbers went up and up. Justin and I were ecstatic! Finally, our dreams were going to come true! So we had an ultrasound scheduled for July 1st at 9:30 in the morning. Justin and I went out to breakfast, and I ate but it wasn’t easy. I was unbelievably nervous/excited/scared all at the same time. We got to the Dr and in the room the nurse looked at the screen that neither Justin or I could see. Her mouth dropped. And so did my heart. I immediately said, “What? What’s going on? Is that a bad face?”. At that moment the Dr turned to Justin with a HUGE smile on his face and said, “Maybe you’ll want to get a 2nd job”. TWINS. WHAT??? TWINS!!!!!!! Not only did God bless us with a healthy baby, but we have 2!! At first we were obviously in shock, and overwhelmed but then the pure joy set in. TWINS! Holy smokes! We immediately called and told family the great news! I know that Nana went shopping that day and I am pretty sure Aunt Carrie did too 🙂

We have seen the heartbeats twice, and go to the OB Tuesday to hopefully hear them. We wanted to share with the world earlier than normal because of several reasons. 1. We are HORRIBLE secret keepers! Justin and I both have been SO excited that we have shared with friends and family. 2. Because you prayed, loved, called, texted, reached out. There is no way we would have made it through this entire process (And will continue to make it) without the love, support and prayers of our friends and family. I know without a shadow of a doubt, your prayers are what helped get us to this place. 3. As a reminder, that God is still in the business of answering prayers. His love never fails, it never gives up and it never runs out on us! What an amazing feeling. Even when you are at the bottom of the bottom (and trust me I was there…..and I stayed there for a while) his love never fails. There were times that Justin and I felt so alone, and now look….blessed times TWO!! 🙂

For my friends that are still struggling with infertility….my heart breaks for you. And I know it sounds cliché, but it is TRULY worth the wait. Know that I still pray for you daily, and hope one day SOON that we can celebrate together at our pregnancies and births of our children! There were times that I dreamed of having one baby, just one and now I have 2. God works in mysterious ways and has a plan bigger than we can imagine. Hang in there!

My Mom has a famous phrase when shopping, “If one is good, then two is better”. Because of that phrase, my brother and husband have lots of the same clothes, shoes, movies, etc. I mean when it’s a good deal, it’s a good deal. If they are giving it away then 2 is always better! Who knew how right she was…..1 is good – and 2 is TOTALLY better! I’m so excited for double the fun, double the love, double the hugs, and yes even double the diapers 🙂 Luckily I have several friends who have twins and have already reached out. And THANK YOU for that! Trust me you all will be on speed dial I’m sure for questions that I will have!

Thank you! Thank you for all of your kind words, encouraging comments and congratulations throughout this process! Somedays Justin and I still pinch ourselves….is this REALLY happening? to US? YES! It is! And we thank God every day for giving us BOTH of these amazing little blessings! We love each and every one of you and are so grateful that you are in our lives. I have enjoyed blogging, so I plan to still blog as I know our life is going to be super exciting and fun from here on out! Never a dull moment! 🙂

Love,
Laura

Love makes it easy…..

I came across this quote today and it capitalizes on how I’ve been feeling lately, “Faith makes all things possible. Love makes them easy.”

The amount of love and support I have felt since starting this blog is absolutely unbelievable. The countless texts, Facebook messages, emails, hugs have meant more than you can imagine. For the first time in this journey I feel at peace. I know without a shadow of a doubt, it’s because of all of your prayers and love that you keep sending our way. I’ve said it before, but we truly have the best friends and family anyone could ever ask for. Sure, I still have bad days….bad moments…..when I want to have a pity party but then I will get a text or a message from a friend just saying they love us and are praying for us. I know it’s the constant love and prayers that you all have sent and continue to send that has enabled us to have some pretty amazing couple of weeks. I haven’t been this relaxed and happy in months! So THANK YOU!!! Your prayers are felt!!

Our summer has started off so nice and relaxing! We joined a pool for the summer and I can already tell it is the best decision we’ve made in a while!!! Justin is now an official Elk and we are members of the pool. Several of our friends and family go there, so it’s nice to sit by the pool and relax on the weekends! Memorial Day weekend my brother and one of my best friends came to visit! We had a great time hanging out and enjoying each other’s company 🙂 John even took the doors off of his Jeep for the first time, so we really enjoyed riding in that all weekend!! One of my best friends Jess, is coming in a couple of weeks for a long weekend!! And I have several concerts, a wedding and a vacation all to look forward to! Bring on Summer of 2013!! It’s going to be a blast!

As far as fertility goes, we actually had something happen that hasn’t ever happened before. On our first time to check and see how well I was growing and moving we were ready to do an IUI. Normally I have to go back at least twice to check the sizes but this time we were ready to go. (Once again, thanks for the prayers :)). So we did our 9th IUI today…..now we wait 🙂 I normally dread this part of the month….those of you who know me and know me well understand that patience is NOT my best asset! However this time I feel different. I can’t explain the peace that I have regardless of the outcome. It’s a peace like I’ve never felt before.

“Where there is love, there is life”. Thank you for giving me life. Thank you for putting a smile back on my face. I know this journey isn’t over….and it’s still hard. There will be tough days I’m sure, however your love and prayers and support have helped those tough days be fewer and farther between! I have always heard how starting a blog can help you feel better….I had no idea how much better I would feel and what a weight would be lifted off of my shoulders! If you’re thinking of starting a blog, about anything — do it! That’s the best advice I have. Trust me — it helps more than I ever knew! Your love makes it easy…

Worth Waiting For…

Four Years ago today — I was getting ready to marry my best friend. 4 years….It seems like just yesterday all of my closest girl friends (who I love and adore greatly!!) were all coming to Hickory to celebrate our wedding. It seems like just yesterday we were at the church getting ready and I was as calm as I had ever been in my entire life. It seems like just yesterday my Daddy was walking me down the aisle to meet my husband. Husband — wow….what an incredible feeling!! Every year on our anniversary we watch our wedding video. We laugh and I normally always cry, tears of joy of course! The pure joy and happiness that I felt that day comes back to me every time I watch that video. I really had an absolute blast beginning to end! My wedding day was everything I dreamed of and more (THANKS MOM AND DAD!!!) It was an incredible day!

I’m not exactly the most patient person in the world — shocking to most of you I know :). I can vividly remember countless conversations with my Mom and my girlfriends (thank you by the way for always listening to the same things over and over and over and over :)) about when will I meet “the one”. The one I was going to marry. I had this plan for my life from the time I was little. I would graduate High School, attend a college, meet the love of my life, get married after college and then have children. So once my senior year of college hit, I knew that my husband was NOT at Wingate University. Little did I know he was in Roanoke, VA. So after graduation friends began getting engaged. Wedding season happened! I was in and attended several weddings over the course of the next few years. During those weddings, I kept thinking “Maybe my future husband is at one of these weddings….” — haha – NOPE 🙂 My husband was still in Roanoke, VA. And if it wasn’t for me working at the Bobcats, and meeting Brad McFarland, I don’t know if I ever would have met my husband. See Brad was Justin’s best friend, and worked with me one summer at the Bobcats. The next year he came back to Charlotte to visit and had friends with him — Justin being one of them. We met, hung out, and the rest is history! Literally! I walked away the night I met him and knew something was different. He was different. I finally had those butterflies that I had always wanted. I quickly realized that he was “the one”. After years of waiting. Well what FELT like years (I was 23 when we met so I realize now that’s silly :)) – I realized that God has bigger plans for me than I even have for myself. Justin was made for me! In our wedding we had friends of ours sing the song “When God Made You”. Some of the lyrics that spoke to me when I first heard the song were, “When God made you, he must have been thinking about me”. I know in my heart Justin was made for me….and God knew it since before I was born. We balance each other PERFECTLY :). He truly is my soul mate and my best friend. I thank God every day that he made him thinking about me 🙂

Funny as I was driving to work this morning, all I could think about were those countless conversations I had with my Mom and friends over the years about getting married and my strong desire to fall in love and get married. And once it happened I got several (deserved) “I told you so’s” 🙂 When I graduated from college my Mom gave me a card that I still carry in my wallet today. The message is simple, “In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths” And it’s taken me 29 years to realize, that his paths are SO much better than my paths – you just have to have a little faith. And now here I am again…..in waiting mode. This time, I have the love of my life, but I’m waiting for a child. I already admitted that patience is NOT my strong suit. But this morning, on the way to work I realized that I’ve been here before and I came out in the end SO much better than I had ever dreamed I would. And suddenly I had a peace about the infertility that I haven’t had before. I know that the perfect baby (babies) are out there waiting for me — just like my perfect husband was waiting for me. God knows exactly who my children will be and is already loving them until it’s time for Justin and I to love them! My time will come, it’s just on God’s schedule not mine. I should have already realized that God’s schedule brings big things! Bigger than I imagine! Justin is so much more than I ever dreamed of and I know God has bigger plans for me and my children then I can fathom.

I wish I could go back and tell that girl from college, or right after to hang on and enjoy the ride because “Good things come to those who wait”. There will be good days, and there will be bad days. There will be days where you feel on top of the world, and days where you feel at the bottom of the valley. But in the end it’s worth it. Ohhhh — I CAN tell that girl, because here she is waiting again! Today is a special day. It’s a day that I can celebrate my love for Justin — but this anniversary is extra special….because I was reminded that sometimes – life is worth waiting for!

A Mother’s Love

First of all Happy Mother’s Day to all of the fantastic Mom’s that I know! I hope you all had a special day with your children and loved ones.

I never realized that Mother’s Day had the potential to be a hard day for me. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about the fact that I’m not a mother, so I didn’t think today would be any different. Luckily for me it wasn’t. I woke up to a Facebook message from a friend telling me they were praying for me today, another friend that texted me just to tell me she loved me, more Facebook messages…..I felt so loved and prayed for especially today. I have a fantastic mother (we’ll get there in a minute….) and I know that one day I WILL be a Mother and will able to celebrate this special day as well as every other day/holiday that comes our way. Our family will come – in God’s time, and today I’m at peace with that fact and it’s because of the love and support of my friends and family.

There is nothing better than a Mother’s love. Or Mama as I like to say. 🙂 I have been beyond blessed with 2 of the best parents anyone could ever ask for. The unconditional love and support that they give Justin and I is incredible. From the moment Justin was a part of my life, he was immediately treated as if he were and always had been my parent’s child. I treasure every moment that we get to spend with them!! I was so lucky this year to be able to be with my Mama on Mother’s Day. We had a great weekend honestly doing nothing. Yesterday, John’s (my brother) baseball team that he coaches was playing the state playoffs in Erwin, NC. I was so excited to be able to go to support him in his first year as a head coach. The team lost, but I have to take a second to make this statement. I have never been more proud of my brother than I was yesterday. Seeing the respect and love that the players had for him, literally brought tears to my eyes. He has found his calling — he is meant to coach. And hopefully one day our kids will have fantastic coaches just like my brother who will influence them in a positive way! Even though the team lost, I had a fantastic day. Being in a car for 7 hours total spending time with my parents was just what I needed. Just normal, everyday conversation and maybe even a little singing. 🙂 The love of a Mama (and a Daddy too) is something you just can’t describe. We didn’t do anything special, but being with them this weekend I know is part of why today wasn’t hard for me.

My Mama has taught me so much in my short life, and I can’t wait to keep learning from her as one day I do become a mother. Mama loves me, prays for me, supports me, and is always there for me. She’s the first person I call when I have great news, bad news, or just want to talk. Her mother, my grandmother that I never got the chance to meet passed away 30 years ago this past April. When we realized that today, I realized that I’m so lucky to have my Mama around and to have such a special relationship with her. I just hope and pray that one day, I can be half the mother to my child that my Mama has been and is to me. I thank God every day that I have such fantastic role models in my life who have shown me the definition of amazing parents!

I have had all of my infertility sisters on my mind and in my heart today. And yes we’re all sisters…it’s impossible for anyone to understand how we feel without being there. I know for some of you, today was unbearable…a day filed with tears, frustrations and anger. I’m honestly shocked that I didn’t experience some of those feelings. However, with the love and support of friends and family I was able to make it through. Someone said to me today “Our babies are gonna have some awesome Mamas” 🙂 Yes, Yes they are!! I’ve always been told, that the longer you wait for something the more you’ll appreciate it. I believe that with all of my heart. Mother’s Day will be even MORE special to us because we were given the opportunity to BE Mother’s. All of the days now when everything seems so hopeless, that the black cloud will never be lifted will be worth it. Because in our arms, will be our bundle of joy…..we will get breakfast in bed, special home-made cards, the love, hugs and all of the other fun things that go along with Mother’s Day. And for us, it will mean the world! One Day….we will finally get to experience a mother’s love…and it will be the best feeling ever!