Twin pregnancy: week 19 in review

How far along: 20 weeks today! Halfway to term milestone (although I'll deliver before 40 weeks).

Weight gain: I'm up to 159 lbs. Since we were traveling last week, I didn't weight myself but I'm up 4 lbs from two weeks ago making my total gain 21 lbs. Super happy with that! I'm hoping my babies are getting nice and big and ready for the outside world.

How are you feeling? Mostly pretty great! My energy level is much improved as is evidenced by my staying awake until midnight ring in the New Year. Could not have imagined doing that a few weeks ago! My nausea is 95% gone. I have heartburn now, unfortunately, but it's not as bad as the nausea was and I know I can take something if I get super uncomfortable. Overall I feel great and I'm super happy to be able to be cooking in my kitchen again without wanting to puke!

Noteworthy moments: Two big ones:

1) John felt the babies move on New Year's Day! Finally! Their movements have been sporadic so I haven't been able to get him to feel my belly right when they move, but we had a serendipitous moment of good timing on Friday and he felt one solid kick.

Arie hasn't been able to feel them yet, but he does comment frequently on how big my belly is. Usually he has a bewildered tone and tells me I look "kinda weird." Ha! Just wait, buddy. It's only getting bigger.

2) We started preparing the nursery! Well, actually preparing the nursery is a two step process that first involves moving our current guest room (future nursery) to our current playroom (future guest room/playroom combo) and then starting on the future nursery. We painted the walls and tore out the carpet in the playroom so we can refinished the hardwood floors. Painting did not go smoothly. Something went wrong with our paint and despite having it shaken at the store AND stirred at home, it wasn't mixed. Halfway through the gallon the color changed! John brought it back to the store and they apologetically replaced it (and shook it twice for good measure). Their best guess was that they base paint had frozen during delivery.

So a job that should have taken a couple hours took much longer, but it is now done and looks great! Once we refinish the floors later this month we can move the guest room and start on the nursery. It's so exciting to be preparing for our two little boys!

Get a little spiritual: I've cycled back to a spiritual awareness that I've written about in my updates before: my never-ending dependency on the Father. Through the years that we suffered from infertility I spend so much time petitioning before the throne. I asked for everything from pregnancy to strength to wisdom to courage. I felt vulnerable and needy all the time.

I don't think I every consciously named it, but I had a certain expectation that when I finally became pregnant and my prayers for pregnancy were answered, I wouldn't be so needy anymore.

That could not be farther from the truth! It makes me laugh to imagine it now: did I think I would stand up before the throne, thank the Father, and go on my merry way?? Ha. Nope. I'm still on my knees before him. My prayers have changed to be sure- filled with more gratitude- but there are still so many things I need from him. I need provisions of grace everyday. I'm realizing that this position on my knees before my God is not a temporary location. This is where I live and will always live, forever.

What better place can there be, though? To bow before the one who is Love and Light, day after day? This is a place of joy. Though I have spent years here, I have subconsciously considered it a temporary location. Now I am learning that it is actually my home. I am learning to lean into the peace and pleasure here.

"You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Psalm 16:11

Bump shot: 

PS: I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions, but this year I'm hoping to get back into listening to audio books. I've gotten a little heavy-handed with podcasts lately! Podcasts are great but I'm wanting a longer story. There is something about going on a long journey with a book that you can't get from a podcast.

I'm mostly into nonfiction and I love memoir. Last year my favorite read "listen" (maybe one of my favorite reads of all time) was It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell. Just loved it. Please leave me some book recommendations for 2016!

If it's really good story and doesn't come in audio book format I might get into it, but the last time I read a whole book it took me three months to finish. I love audio books because I can listen while I drive, fold laundry, cook, etc. :-) Also I'd love to have a list on deck for the many hours I will soon spend feeding babies!

xo