Beginning the New Normal

The twins prayed the first night home. Or so it seemed. We were able to come home Thursday afternoon, August 7th, after a three-night stay at the hospital. Stef's mom, Shari, was watching the older three kids and decided to stay Thursday night to help Stef with the twins. While getting Sylvia and Sullivan ready for bed and within minutes of each other, the twins both perfectly interlocked their fingers together in front of their chests as if they were saying a prayer. Stef said she never saw a newborn do that. It was as if they were saying, "Hey Mom, we know what this is all about." I guess that only makes sense. The amount of prayers that have been uttered for them and their family these past months have been innumerable. And that's only counting the times people have told us they're praying! We know there have been so many prayers whispered and spoken for us that we don't even know about. Among all the things that have transpired recently in our lives, this fact remains in the forefront.

On Monday, August 18th, the twins will be two weeks old. They are doing great! There was a little bit of concern that Sylvia lost too much weight initially, but she's gained since then and she's been eating very good.

As far as how crazy it is around here with twins, well, there's two of them. That's really the best way to explain it. Sorry to be so obvious, but it's like taking care of two babies at the same time. Stef is amazing (which I already knew.) I mean, that's why I married her and why I'm the luckiest man alive, but she never stops amazing me. She is recovering quickly and figuring out innovative ways to make twin-rearing efficient. She's always loved babies, so she's soaking in every moment and enjoying having newborns around. It's fun to see their personalities come out already. Sullivan is very laid back and just kind of chills. Sylvia is a little more rambunctious and moves a lot. She is the fussier of the two, but she loves snuggling with her mama.

As for me, I returned to work this past Monday. I'm mainly doing office work as I am on lifting restrictions. I'm feeling good. It's been good to get back into work as things get back to normal at home, well, the new normal.

I keep telling people it's good to be on this side of things. We're through the surgeries, the twins are here and healthy, and Reeve has remained healthy. We are continually praising God for his goodness!

 

To Witness A Miracle.

I only peeked over the "beach shield", as they call it, one time. Once was more than enough. The rest of the time, I willingly allowed the blue sheet to block my view of the surgery field while the doctor performed the C-section. As I sat beside my beautiful wife with my left hand holding hers and my right hand gently squeezing her shoulder, we soon heard a cry. Puddles began to form in Stef's eyes. It's impossible to keep tears from coming as new life enters the world. I don't see how anyone can deny the existence of a creator who's ever witnessed the miracle of birth. Not long after the first cry, we heard another. The babies were quickly swept away to an adjoining room and cared for by a team of nurses. I didn't count, but I'm guessing there were 15 people in the operating room. One nurse called it a birthday party. Another nurse quipped "good job on the human-making." I kind of felt like saying "we had nothing to do with it." Stef might feel differently as she just carried these two little beings inside her for 37 weeks, but she would understand what I mean. God has done this! We just witnessed a miracle!

In the Operating Room.

And Praise The Lord! Mama and babies are doing great. We may be able to leave as early as tonight (Wednesday, the 6th).

Sweetness.

Specs:

Sylvia Kay 5lbs. 4oz., 18.25in., born 3:51pm, 8/4/2014

Sullivan Ray 5lbs. 7oz., 19 in., born 3:52pm, 8/4/2014

Sylvia on the left. Sullivan on the right.

Some interesting facts:

My Grandma Nola Wuethrich's birthday is 8/4

Cay is Mom's (Connie's) middle name. (We changed the spelling slightly.)

Ray is Dad's (Steve's) middle name.

My Dad, my two brothers, and I all have the initials S.R.B. Sullivan (the youngest of the Shane and Stefanie clan) will continue this tradition.

Elliott Bahler (Stefanie's sister Marissa's first child) weighed almost as much as the twins combined when he was born! He was 10lbs. 6oz.; the twins combined for 10lbs. 11oz.

"So you were the one kicking me!"

Seven vessels.

Proud big brothers and sister.

The body.

Quick Update:

First of all, we are rejoicing and praising God about the news that the cancer was stage 1 and I will not need chemo. I will get periodic check-ups annually for the next five years to make sure the cancer is not returning. If no more cancer appears during that time, I will get check-ups every five years.

Second, we go to the hospital tomorrow for Stefanie to get a C-section and deliver the babies. We get to meet the twins! Please pray for God's presence to be in the delivery room, and His hands to be on the babies and Stef.

The Body That Works When There's a Body That Doesn't:

Surgery recovery = no shaving :)

Today, August 3rd, is my Birthday. I'm 34. My body is aging. Fortunately, I get to continue to age. This past month has made me reflect often on what it means to have a body. And never has it been made more evident to me that our bodies are vessels. Empty vessels that somehow God fills with "us" (our soul), and then wants to reside there with us and make us His temple. But as any earthly temple, our bodies will eventually decay to the point of destruction and will no longer hold us. This morning, I read John Piper's Solid Joys devotional, entitled Why You Have A Body. Once again, I am reminded of our ultimate purpose. We have bodies so that God may be glorified. We will some day get new bodies because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Never to get cancer, never to get diseases, never to get unexplainable syndromes, never to decay again. And with our new bodies we will forever worship and glorify the Lord!

But for now we live in a fallen word, and bodies do decay. Bodies get cancer, bodies get disease, we get syndromes that even the most intelligent of minds can't explain, chromosomes are missing, hearts fail. We fall apart, our bodies don't work right. Even the very cells within our bodies will sometimes disobey the order that God has put in place and choose to go their own way.

Despite this, there is a Body that does work here on earth... The Body of Christ. What a blessing to get to experience this first hand! And oh, the dreadful thought of going through something like this and not have the Body of Christ to support you.

Our family has been the recipients of such an amazing outpouring of the Body of Christ in action. It is difficult to put into words the gratefulness in our hearts. The cards on our mantle says it all. We've received so many encouragements through cards, notes, handwritten letters, texts, emails, facebook messages, gift cards, and gifts. Some, from people we barely know. And whether it's mowing our yard, changing the oil in our van, bringing us delicious meals, watching the kids, grocery shopping, coordinating help, filling our water softener with salt, getting pizza delivered to us, lining up a cleaning lady for us, etc, etc, it's all been so helpful and so humbling. The brothers and sisters of the Leo
Apostolic Christian Church have been such a presence and an example of Christ's love to us. And family and friends everywhere have been so supportive and encouraging.

But above all, the prayers. The prayers of those we love! The prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ! We know there are congregations across the nation and loved ones across the world that have prayed for us; that have petitioned God on our behalf. We know God is listening. There is no other way to explain the peace we have felt as we have gone through this journey. God is real and He hears our prayers!

We thank you. May God be praised!