A Lifetime of Love

Tomorrow is the first day of preschool. Typically this day is marked by excitement from all; this year, however, it's filled with a mixture of emotions. I am excited, but I am also very nervous. I have planned and prepared for this day all summer. I have met the kids and their parents, yet for some reason I am still nervous. I know I am adequately prepared. My awesome mentor teacher and friend Martha has helped me tremendously by providing tips and suggestions. She has encouraged me and supported my ideas since I was first offered the job back in February. I suppose a case of the "nerves" is normal for any first-year teacher. I just know how hard I have worked to make the classroom "mine", and I pray the Lord will bless my efforts. Something new this year is bible story, which I am happy about. I love to share about the Lord and this provides a scheduled time each day to do so. Pray for me this week as the kids and I get used to a new schedule and routine, both ...

Found this today and I just love it because it's so true. . . A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for. ~ Anonymous

My appointment went well and all looks good. I don't have to go back until the end of September, at which time I will have another u/s to count the number of placentas. The goal is for each baby to have his/her own and not a shared placenta. If they do share, then typically one baby gets more nutrients and grows at a more normal rate than the other. The delayed growth in the smaller baby is cause for concern, but we'll cross that bridge if/when we get there (doc's words, not mine). My goal (well, the doc's actually) for today's appointment was 2 separate egg sacks, which I have. At my next appointment, I will also schedule a level 2 u/s in Charlotte to ensure the babies are still looking good and to do some checking for genetic anomalies. I guess the risk is a little higher than with a "singleton" and it would not matter to TJ or I, but we'd rather know ahead of time for planning purposes. TJ and I sat and talked with the doc for a long time today (...

Open House day 1 at the preschool was today. I say day 1 because it's tomorrow, too. I had 1 parent stop by today but the rest will come tomorrow, which is my scheduled day. I was nervous but it went fine. I hope tomorrow goes as well. Thankfully I know some of the parents, and one of my good friend's daughter will be in my class. Plus, I sent out an introductory email last week and I've had a very positive response from them. Of the parents I don't already know, most have said how excited their child is and offered their support in various ways. That's a great sign of involved parents and I definitely want that! Very tired today and Teagan wasn't feeling her best so she and I stayed home from church tonight. Ta was very excited about church because he gets to join our church's 'Patch the Pirate' club. The kids memorize Scripture, sing songs, and learn Bible lessons related to everyday living. This is Th's 4 th year and Ta has always wanted to ...

Well, I hate to admit it, but I had to do it. I had to make the switch from regular to maternity clothes. Compared to the other children this is really early, but already I have begun to show (as TJ so kindly pointed out to me today!) and feel HUGE for the babies’ gestational age (9 weeks today). I tried to wear my regular clothes but each day it became harder and harder to squeeze my belly into restrictive waistbands. It was nice to be able to breathe today! I guess I am a little upset because I worked really hard to lose weight for our cruise (which I did). As a reward, I bought some new outfits just before we left. I literally only wore them 2-3 times, some only once. Plus, I usually lose weight the first 3-4 months of pregnancy because of nausea; however, since I’m not feeling sick (for the most part), I have already gained 2 pounds. That’s not a good sign! Oh well, now I’ll have more incentive to lose the baby weight once I deliver so I can fit back into my semi-new clothes. On a ...

I am so cheesy! =) About 15 minutes away from my hometown (in Ohio) is Twinsburg. Every year the town celebrates "Twins Days" the first full weekend in August. It just dawned on me that next year I will get to attend as a participant, not just as a spectator. That is pretty neat as it is a big event and often receives national media coverage. The good thing is it won't cost us much considering we can stay with family and enjoy the festivities all weekend long. I am already excited and looking forward to it!

Well, today unofficially marks the end of summer in our family. Th returns back to school tomorrow. He is excited but apprehensive because he does not know which of his friends will be in his class. The friends we have seen/spoken to this summer were all placed in other classes. He is hoping at least one of his friends from last year will be in his class. The summer passed quickly by. We were busy in June with VBS and a quick beach trip, July the older 3 kids attended a science camp for 3 weeks, and August marked our Bermuda trip. I have also spent many, many, many hours working in my classroom painting, organizing, sewing pillows/other items, cleaning, hanging items, making materials, and too much more to list. Open House is next Wednesday and Thursday and then school begins the following Tuesday. I am excited yet nervous for a new school year, particularly because this will be my first year teaching. But, I had such a wonderful mentor teacher last semester and I have incorporated so ...

The last entry regarding this latest pregnancy was sort of ominous in tone. . . the "not knowing" of what was going to happen had me in a state of fear: am I about to miscarry a baby I wasn't prepared to have, or is everything okay and my dates are just off because of an inconsistent cycle? The Lord provided some answers (and much more) at my doctor's appointment this past Monday. TJ offered to go with me but I declined since I was only meeting with a nurse to handle the insurance paperwork, schedule lab work, and set up my next appointment. However, much to my surprise, the nurse wanted to begin the appointment with an ultrasound to see where I "officially" stood: pregnant or on the verge of a miscarriage. Low and behold, the Lord had much more in store for me because as soon as the image appeared on the screen, I immediately, clearly, and distinctly saw two egg sacs with two "blobs" in the middle of each. I turned to the technician and asked, ...

Greetings from sunny Bermuda! We arrived today (Tuesday) about 2pm. Bermuda is an island under the authority of the British government. It is modern in many ways, but still very traditional. Once the ship entered into the harbor and blew its horn, the Town Crier rang the bell and announced our arrival. He also met us at the pier and announced the time and temperature. So far our trip has been great. The ship is small (compared to others) but offers a vast array of activities. We have enjoyed eating, sunning, eating, playing games, eating, shopping, eating, sunning some more, and eating some more. We are doing our dive tomorrow followed by some shopping and sightseeing in the town of Hamilton. I am really excited. We bought an underwater camera so hopefully we can get some great pictures. TJ, unfortunately, is not feeling very well (neither am I, but he is worse). The kids had a cold and I think they shared it with us before we left. We have been going to bed somewhat early (by 11pm) in...

Bermuda, here we come! TJ and I are leaving today for a 7-day cruise to Bermuda. On the agenda: plenty of fun, sun, and shopping. We also have a reservation on Thursday for a dive to the bottom of the ocean where we will have the chance to see, touch, and hold many tropical fish. I am so excited and can't wait! Please check back for pictures from our trip, hopefully to be uploaded daily. If not (due to connection issues), see you in a week! ~T.C.