What a Difference a Year Makes

Earlier this week we (alissa always goes with me to take gg to dance) were sitting in the waiting area with the other parents while gg took her dance class. I'm usually catching up with emails and returning ones I hadn't answered yet and alissa is usually emailing customers back from printing orders. We occasionally laugh about what the other parents are talking about or whatever we glanced at on Instagram and saw. But during this class we peeked into the blinds a bit to see gg making some friends. One of the other moms and I exchanged a few funny sentiments about how her daughter was playing with gg and we both mentioned how little gg was in comparison to the other older girls. Gianna is roughly 2 years younger than a lot of them and is the baby of the class. In defense of her small size I mentioned that she was born 11 weeks early and was in the NICU for quite sometime{yes I still do this song and dance}.

When we left alissa asked me why I didn't tell them that gg was a triplet- and that's why she was small/born early? To tell the truth I didn't even think about it. I forget most of the time unless we are in public and someone asks if the boys are twins. Sometimes I answer yes just to avoid the pummeling of questions. Sometimes they think she is the older or younger sister and sometimes they think she belongs to whomever is with us. It's funny to me. First, that they don't know that they weighed just over two pounds, second that they don't know that I begged God everyday for those kids and third that less than 12 months ago- these kids couldn't even walk. Yep, they were close to 19 months before everyone was up and moving- 13 months before they could sit unassisted. No one truly knows how hard these kids have worked to beat the odds. 

(2012)

(2012)

Sometimes I like that they aren't one lump sum and sometimes I don't think I give the phenomenon enough credit. Yep, they are triplets. Uh huh, miracles no less. Yes we put in three eggs, no we didn't plan for triplets. Truth be told, if I would have written our story the night before we did the transfer it would have gone something like this:

Dear God,

Please give whit and I a baby. One baby. One little girl... No no a boy.. No, just a healthy happy baby. God if this isn't in your plan- don't- no I don't wanna say that- I don't want to give you any doubt that we want this baby. I promise to love it like none other. I promise to give this baby's life to you. I will make you so proud Lord. 

{if I'm still writing the story ---the next day: we would transfer two grade a embryos, we would go home and on day 10 blood would show I was indead pregnant and an ultrasound would reveal a baby at last}

My real story sounds a lot scarier, a lot crazier bu reveals the true power of the Holy Spirit. He made his point right? He showed me who was in charge. He removed my hands from my hips. This still makes me smile. I think mostly because as most of you know- I wanted three children- it was my magic number when whit and I had the whole "do you want kids talk" I think like most people I never dreamed of having fertility issues and we don't have multiples in our families so a healthy baby was always my wish and three was my overal "plan". God is funny. 

When I think beyond today and how my story will play out I think what a testiment to faith. Sounds simple, even as I type it- but I'm still floored by the miracle of triplets. And how we were chosen. And how they are thriving and healthy and beat that medical miracle. I see and hear of babies being born to soon every single day. The fight is real and the struggle isn't always won. We won and I'm beyond thankful for the triumphs we've made just in one year- much less- two and a half years. 

It's that time of year again where I get all fuzzy inside. I promise not to type too many "how lucky am I" posts but I can't help but feel like I have this bowl of water and I'm filling it and it just keeps pouring over the sides. It's pure bliss.

I've been talking to a friend who is struggling to get pregnant and I admire her charge on, outlook. I didn't have that in me come year four. To be honest i had given up on having three children and given up on myself. I wasn't giving up on God but I was frustrated with Him. At one point I told whit he could go if he couldn't deal with me and the low I had fallen into. He laughed at me and told me " no way." Honestly, I wouldn't have blamed him if he had. But wow, our story would be so different if he had??

We took our pumpkin patch pics on Sunday. Everyone was all over the place. GG has had an attitude that we've been working on and Becker, oh he cried most of the time we were there. Riggs, he was just concerned about holding a lot of pumpkins. 

What a difference a year makes. I wonder what this story will look like in ten years, in twenty or what these three will think of this story God has created for them. I think they will be as equally thankful as I am. 

Squeeze in a pumpkin patch visit. Get some coffee, be thankful- it's October!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18