First of all, Courtney and I called it the night they told us. We KNEW they were having twins. They didn't believe it. We found out for sure one day while we were at Centrifuge when they called to let us know. Also, the entire state of North Carolina found out that day as well from the shear volume of my squeals.
A few weeks later I got a call that I will never forget. My dad called to tell me that they had been to the Dr. and that the twins had a rare condition called "twin to twin transfusion syndrome." The likelihood of survival was less than stellar for one baby and very low for the other. I remember being in constant prayer. By constant prayer I mean, "Please Lord, I love you so much, please let my sisters be okay. Please let them be okay, Lord I love you so much. " I heard myself repeat it so many times that it's still ingrained in my head today. I was terrified. I'm sure Melanie was too, but she's not one to show things like that to her kids. She's always so strong.
In the weeks following the diagnosis, Melanie (in true form) started scouring the Internet for specialists. God brought her an amazing doctor, and friend, that would help her through the remainder of her pregnancy and ensure that the health of both babies was up to par. A few things Melanie had to do (for MONTHS): drink terrible horrible protein shakes, lay on her left side (ALL DAY LONG,) and do very little strenuous activity. By the end of her pregnancy, she was DONE with daytime television and completely knowledgeable about all sports in the summer Olympics. Poor thing. She was certainly a fighter, and doesn't take "No" for an answer very easily.
The weeks and months went by and the health of the babies seemed to be moving right along when one night as they were laying in bed watching TV(during hurricane Ivan,) the labor began. Way too early, it seemed at the time. This happens a lot of times to women in late term pregnancy because the barometric pressure drops. When the babies were born it was revealed to us just how perfect God's timing is. Caroline wasn't getting enough nutrients and wouldn't have survived too much longer in the womb. Both babies weighed in at less than two pounds and were in the hospital for months. My dad was so precious when he would call the hospital "just checkin' on his angels." That's exactly what they were (are.) Angels. God knows exactly what He is doing. 100% of the time.
Of course Melanie, being the researcher that she is, had chosen an amazing hospital with a NICU that was state of the art. I remember my dad coming to watch me dance and bringing one of the small diapers like they wore (WHICH WERE TINY) and then showing me a picture of how they looked on the girls. The pictures really put into perspective just how tiny their little lives were. But they had their Memaw's spirit. Boy did they fight.
They came home months later with all sorts of cables hooked to them to a crib that dad and Melanie had rigged up to look almost like the side of Mount Everest (for their acid reflux.) Tiny little girls that made life so very different. What an adjustment it was. What a wonderful, taxing, beautiful adjustment.
Now, eight years later, they are PERFECTLY fine. Most premature babies suffer developmental issues such as issues with eye sight, learning disabilities, etc. I'm so happy to say that these sweet girls have perfect eye sight, they're smart as a whip, and growing like weeds. Melanie told me not long ago that she still keeps up with the Dr. that was so helpful to her during her pregnancy and sends them pictures. What a blessing that has to be to that team?!? God is definitely working through them in more ways than they know.
Hopefully I didn't tear the story to threads, and hopefully it blesses your heart to know just how big God is and just how PERFECT His timing is. I was riding with my dad one afternoon discussing with him just how many of my professors were atheists and explaining to him how much it concerned me. He understood that in my field (biology) that wasn't a rare stance, but then he said something to me that I carry with me daily. "The proof of God is in those two little girls in the back seat." And OH how right he was. God is SO big. And MAN is He good?
So today I thank Him. For saving their precious lives. For helping my dad and Melanie and Courtney and the rest of my family through the biggest adjustment they had ever been through. For giving them the personalities that they have. For giving them each other to play with, entertain, challenge, laugh with, grow with and for their sweet big sister that is closest to them in age for caring about them so much. (She walked them to their kindergarden classroom when they started school, hung up their back packs for them, and made sure that they were ready for the day before she ever went to her class room. Nobody asked her to do it ... she just did. She's two years older than them. She has one of the most tender hearts.) This family, Lord, is one for the record books, and YOU are the reason for that. I love you so much for surrounding me with these amazing people.
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