8

Last weekend the boys turned eight years old. I know 8 is not usually a monumental birthday but this year it sure felt like 8 was a HUGE deal. Maybe because we live in Spokane now, maybe because it's the boys' first year in school, maybe because they used to be so TINY and now they are so BIG. Whatever the reason, I can't believe they are eight!

If you already know the story of their birth, you can skip this part -- but for my own sanity, I must relive this story at least once a year, to remind myself that it happened. To remind myself that my boys are fighters. To remind myself that Ben and I were created for the adventure of twins. To remind Caleb and Nathan that they are special. To remind Alena and now Titus that their big brothers were specially placed in our family to be their BIG brothers. To remind the boys that God created them and they are HIS first, then ours.

March 4th. Who knew that would be the day my life changed forever?

The boys were supposed to be born on April 17th. That was the due date and no one really told me that due dates are never right...especially with twins. So I worked right up to February 26th. We were pretty surprised the night of March 1st (in the wee-early hours of March 2nd) when I woke up with labor pain. Odd, I thought. So I called the nurse, drank lots of water and took a bath. But it didn't stop anything so we went to the ER at St. Joe's hospital in Tacoma, WA. When I got there I was IN labor...but no one really wanted that to happen just yet.... My mid-wife was about to go on vacation, I hadn't called my mom, Ben hadn't taken work off, and Caleb was breech. So we went to all lengths to get the labor to stop. Finally, magnesium sulfate worked. But that stuff SUCKS...look up the side effects, I had them all. It did give us time to get two rounds of steroids in to strengthen the boys' lungs. In fact, we were so convinced that things had slowed down, as I laid there for two days, that we called our parents and said, don't come. And we planned for Ben to return to work. And Jocelyn came and watched TV with me (did we watch Oprah?) while Ben went home to shower and prepare for work the next day.
When he came back, things started to roll....in a much different direction....
All I wanted was a sponge bath so Ben started to help me. Then suddenly he says, I think we need a nurse, next thing I know the nurse says, "Yep, you're at a six and I will be right back." Not 10 minutes later my mid-wife walks through the door and says, "Hey, Crystal, you are actually at a ten and we need to do an ultra-sound. These babies will be here in the next hour." Since Caleb was doing somersaults in the womb, they did a quick check and decided that an emergency C-section was going to be the way to go. At that point neither Ben or I cared, only that they were out healthy. This all happened at 6ish. We called our parents, called Jocelyn, and started to pray and prepare our hearts.

Today was the day.

Caleb Jeremiah was born at 6:45pm; 4lbs 14oz.

Nathan Jesse was born at 6:47pm; 3lbs 15oz.

They were both healthy and small. They were taken to the NICU where Ben would stay with them and briefly come to see me and update me. The first night, around 9:45, I wanted to see the boys so bad. The nurses were very hesitant and I found out why once I was in the NICU (in a wheelchair) and was throwing up right next to Caleb's bed. It was worth it to see my little buddies though.

They were in the NICU for exactly two weeks. This was a crazy experience in and of itself, but they were fighters and it felt like we were outta there in no time.

The most important lesson Ben and I learned at the very beginning was this: God gave us a great gift in Caleb and Nathan, but He also established with us, from the start, that they are HIS first. As we sat eating lunch at the hospital cafeteria one afternoon, I was crying, wanting to hurry and eat to go and see the boys again...as Ben and I bowed our heads to pray we both had a revelation of the Lord saying, "Nathan and Caleb are in my hands. I have them. You will love them and take care of them, but they are mine first. I love them deeply and will watch over them." There was great peace, still an anticipation to go see them, but a peace that the Creator God was holding them and they would be fine.

So this morning, almost exactly eight years later....I let them walk to school. All by themselves. They have been asking for weeks and finally, being eight and all....I let them go. So crazy, yet so right. I mean they are EIGHT.

I love you Caleb Jeremiah. I love you Nathan Jesse. ~Your mama