It has been a while since our last update for two life-changing reasons: our daughters! Lyndsey checked into the hospital during her second week of the first stage of labor. Yes, you read that correctly…she was able to delay progression, allowing the girls to continue developing in the womb. Averie and Everly eagerly made their entrance just before 35 weeks. The moment we heard their cries, we burst into love-filled tears! We were both overjoyed and relieved to hear their mighty little voices for the first time.
As preemie twins, A&E spent their first two weeks in the Neonatal ICU. They were both healthy and strong, but very small. There was some concern about their breathing, and the biggest concern was them learning to eat. Their stay in the hospital was a big challenge for us too, feeling new emotions as parents, hoping/praying for the best, and having to leave them each evening.
We were excited, but very nervous to take them home for the first time. Thankfully, Jonathan’s mom arrived that evening…and we needed the help! The girls each needed to be fed every two to three hours around the clock, which took about 60 minutes of careful and intentional effort! We set up a sleep and meal rotation so that there were always two people on duty and each person was able to get some sleep. It all felt so new and overwhelming at first, but we all eventually got the hang of it and the girls started growing!
We were sad to see Charlene leave but excited to welcome Lyndsey’s parents next. These were their first grandchildren, so they couldn’t wait to meet the girls! It was special to soak in family time and experience many firsts together! A&E had their first photoshoot, and we ventured out with the double stroller quite a bit, even making it to a twin meet-up. We were thankful for the extra hands, as we will be next week in Japan with Rob & Kristen!
Again, their departure was so tough, but Jonathan’s dad came just after the school year wrapped up. We’re thankful for David’s eagerness to run a 5k with all of us and patience on our first trip with A&E! In downtown Bangkok, the guys got custom suits, we did some sightseeing, and of course, ate a lot of good food. We hated to see him leave, but look forward to the next time we can be in-person with family again!
For the rest of the summer, we enjoyed sweet times as a new family unit. Our favorite activity is the beautiful park nearby, but we also love adventures to new experiences/flavors, and of course soaked in as many baby snuggles as possible 😉 The girls grow so much, so by the time we learned a trick, it only worked for a day or two. Thankfully, we like a challenge, and the joy these girls bring makes everything worth it!
Jonathan’s return to work was tough in many ways, but we are so thankful for work we both love, nannies, and friends eager to love on the girls! Jonathan is teaching five courses this semester (one new), which is a heavy administrative load but also a lot of fun. He feels very creatively fulfilled and has been able to make a lot of artwork alongside students. This summer, he challenged himself to focus on small paintings, which led into bigger projects this fall (you can check those out on his Instagram). He has also been resuming work on a long neglected graphic novel project called Pre Industries. You can check that out on its own Instagram page! These last few months have been a new challenge, balancing work, personal projects, and home, but he is taking it one day at a time and treasuring the moments.
Lyndsey is loving her role as Mom and has found new ways to support women in the community. She has been consulting pregnant women 1:1, encouraging them to eat for good health for themselves and their babies. She also had the opportunity to speak to about 70 ladies at a women’s ministry event, encourage them in their journey, offer nutrition education/tips, and answer food-related questions. Next, Lyndsey will write nutrition content for fitness programs supporting women in pregnancy and postpartum and co-lead a free workshop for pregnant women at a local cafe.
…her favorites though, are soaking in the little ones we prayed for, letting them try colorful foods, and watching Jonathan treat them like princesses, teach them, and get them to giggle!
We are in a full and beautiful season of life! We thank you for your support and ask for prayer for continued health, our upcoming travels, and balancing commitments/rest & productivity/presence.
