Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Girls!

On this day two years ago, two of the most gorgeous girls I have ever laid eyes on came into this world to fill our life with joy and love like I never knew existed!

It was an ordinary Monday morning, the first day back to work after Thanksgiving. The office was preparing for our regular Monday morning staff meeting, and I was skipping out to take my very large self to my 36 week appointment with my OB.

I arrived right on time at 10am and was taken back for the usual checks before you see the dr. The nurse asked me how Thanksgiving was. I told her it was great! I had even had a chance to get the Christmas tree up! Quite amazed by that, she asked me how I had been feeling. I told her just fine, but noticed a few little changes over the weekend. She made note of those for the Dr. and said he would be in shortly. Not long after he was in. He checked the babies heart beats, measured me (I was measuring 43 weeks -- told you I was large!). After looking at the notes the nurse made, he looked at me and with a concerned look said, "How have you been feeling?" "Just fine." I replied. "Well, I think we should check to see if you are dialated." Oh great. Just what I wanted to hear. "Hmm, well you are 3 centimeters dialated, and I can feel a hand or a foot. Have you had any contractions or anything?" "No, nothing at all." "Hmmm...." was all I heard in reply. "I am going to send you over to Labor and Delivery and have them hook you up to a monitor, but I think you are in labor." "What?!" I asked totally not taking that last comment seriously at all.

So, at 10:45 I called work to tell them I would be a little longer than I thought, but should be back by lunch. I walked thru the concourse to the hospital and up to the 4th floor where I checked in with the nurse who was also checking in a lady who said she had a scheduled C-section at noon. By 11:13 I was in a hospital bed when the nurse came in to say she was going to check me again before they hooked up the monitors. At 11:16 am she declared that I was now 6cm dialated and she could definitely feel a foot. The babies had to be delivered within the hour before Baby A's water broke and there were legs in the birth canal. "You better call your husband now!" she directed me. "But I haven't even had any contractions?!" I said. "Honey, you are one of the luck ones!" she stated with an air of experience. Shock overwhelmed me.

I called Fred who was working in the garage, and in a panic, shouted at him to get there fast. He calmly replied that he hadn't taken a shower yet. I told him that I didn't think the babies would care.

Then I called into work to tell them to scratch that whole "by lunch" idea. "Just mark me down for Maternity leave. We're having babies!"

Then I called my parents. My Dad answered the phone. "Hi Dad! Happy Anniversary!" (it was their 30th). "Oh, thank you!" he replied. "Do you have any plans for the day?" "Well, I think we are going to go out to diner tongiht." "How about hospital food?" "Hospital food? Why would we want that?" "Well Dad, I am in the hospital right now, and they are going to deliver the babies in about 40 minutes." Silence. "Dad?...Dad???" In the background I hear, "Sugar, it's Sarah Jane. She says she's in the hospital and the babies are coming." my mom says, "Well, get off the phone, we have to leave!" He finally starts talking to me again, "Can we come?" "OF COURSE, Dad! That's why I was calling!"

At 11:58 still terrified and all alone they wheeled me into the OR. About the time the nurse is giving me the epidural I hear the familiar voices of my co-workers Pat and Donna outside the door of the OR. I wanted so badly for one of them to come in with me, but unfortunately I had already told one of the nurses they were co-workers and so they wouldn't let them in. (I was later to find out they had already told the nurse up front they were family so they could get back there. They have never let me get over that one!).

With literally one minute to spare Fred made it to the OR. At 12:31pm, the dr. held up a little purplish baby for me to see, declaring it was indeed a girl! "That's Rachel!" I told Fred. After what seemed like forever (I swear it had to be more than one minute even if the birth certificate says 12:32pm) he held up another little purlplish baby, confirming what we already knew, "Another girl!" By this time the anestesia was really taking over and I was struggling to keep my eyes open. I heard Fred tell the nurse, "This one is Rebekah." They took the girls to the NICU to check them out and I told Fred to go with them.

It turned out that the girls were just fine! They did have to stay in the hospital for a few days just to prove they could gain weight properly, but that in a nut shell is the story of how my life changed forever.

I continue to be amazed at the Awesome God who has created life and it's wonders. I love those two little girls more everyday, and I am so thankfull that I have been given the priveledge of being a Mother.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL and REBEKAH!

Oh, and Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! :)