Roman

Last week at the babies check up, our pediatrician heard a heart murmur on Roman. As we talked, I told her that we have noticed that he sometimes has a greyish color around his mouth. She sent Roman for an echocardiagram. Today we were notified that he has a Ventricular Septal Defect. This is a small hole in between the 2 chambers of his heart. It should close on its own but they will continue to monitor him. If he would stop eating well, lose weight, have difficulty breathing or have more frequent bluish-grey color by his mouth we will be concerned.

He is a sweet boy and has the MOST kissable cheeks! Please pray that the hole will close on its own.

New Baby Photos

The babies are sleeping a lot. The parents are not. It seems like all of the pictures we have are of sleeping babies. I like how they often sleep in exactly the same position. Miley, our Yorkie likes her new sleepy friends.

What Linnea thinks about the babies

I am so glad to be a big sister. I thought I was being replaced by the babies, but then my mom told me that I will always be their baby. I am so grateful about the decision about the babies that the birthmother made. Just because I have someone to look to me doesn't mean that I won't love everyone in my family. I am having fun. I like to change diapers and feed the babies. My mom trusts me with the babies and that makes me feel good. Linnea

Spencer Speaks

I have never been so happy before. When I first saw the twins, I couldn't help but cry. I told myself I need to be the best brother I can. My mom said that Annie and Mikey don't really remember her living with them. Rya and Roman most likely won't remember living with me. For that reason I want them to know their big brother is there for both of them. I want them to trust me. I hope they can be my best buds. Sterling will always be my bubby and my bud no matter what. I love Hannah. She'll always be the person I look to for "girl advice". I want Linnea to know she will always be the one I can hang with and play sports with. She will always be my baby sister. I want Linnea to know she isn't being replaced. I know that every one of us in the family knows she has claimed the spot as baby in the house. Rya and Roman are going to be a double deluxe bundle of trouble and FUN! I will enjoy watching you grow up. Love, Spencer

One Week Later

The babies are one week old today, and we are all one week older as well. The routine of every three hour feedings, and feeling tired all of the time has a wonderful familiarity to it. I am flooded with memories of bringing Hannah to Gina in Des Moines, Spencer and Sterling to Gina in Kansas City, and Linnea to Gina in Bluffton. I strangely enjoy the pure satisfaction that babies have when fed and changed. There could be no greater contentment in this world. This time and routine are temporary, and we are cherishing all of it. The older kids have been a great help. They are great assistants with feeding (and changing non-number two diapers), during daylight hours. They all have shown great maturity through this process and with the addition of another brother and sister into their lives. We are very proud of them. They will still fight over who gets to hold who when, and Gina has to ask for her babies at times because the help is so abundant. Nothing is more satisfying than being able to meet the needs, no matter how simple, of one of Abba's children. We are all on this journey together, and as we have seen, you never know what is around the next corner.

Thanksgiving day

We had a houseful of family for Thanksgiving and for that we were thankful! Holidays can be so lonely without family. Thanks to the Rolfe family and the Jeremy Lind family for making the trip!

We had ravioli and played games. Everyone signed the "Thanksgiving tablecloth" an annual tradition where anyone who is at our thanskgiving table signs the tablecloth with what they are thankful for and the year. It was fun to look back and see who we have shared this holiday with and to also see the kids as they grow and what they have written. Greta has been known to be thankful for her doodle bear, ironically she hadn't received it yet but wanted to make sure God knew she was already thankful for it. This year she was thankful for God and jesus and the cross. How sweet!

Another Thanksgiving tradition we have is to see a movie while the rest of the world is shopping the day after Thanksgiving. This year we saw "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium", which we highly recommend for those of all ages!

We enjoyed Jeremy, Karen and the kids. We feel honored that the trip to our house was the first big trip as a family. The kids are so sweet and lots of fun. Kevin and Jeremy enjoyed some concentrated brother time in the evening.

Halloween

We had an interesting Halloween at our house. Chantel came over and took Linnea and Spencer trick or treating. One of my expectant moms (who was actually due on Halloween) and a birthmom took Sterling trick or treating. I think they just needed a kid to go with them so they had an excuse to dress up themselves.

Kevin and I were suppose to go out, but there was a fracture in the ER and my pregnant girl didn't want me to go too far away, just in case.

Earlier in the day, Hannah had several of her showchoir friends over and they went out trick or treating before they started showchoir practice. Kevin remarked that we have a neat ministry and how great it is that my girls are so comfortable in our home. I think it is because my family treats them so well. No one seems at all surprised when there is a young pregnant girl in our home. Sterling is a great conversationalist. He can talk to kid and adults. Actually, he can talk to a rock!

Hannah's costume consisted of bunny ears. Spencer wore a Laurel and hardy costme but somehow made it look like he ws a butler. Sterling was a girl. He commented "Oh oh, I'm a lesbian because I like girls!" Linnea was a High School Musical cheerleader.