These Two at Three.

I remember the day well, three years ago (January 25th, to be exact)...my body breathed a sigh of relief and my heart nearly doubled in size when we met our sweet boys.  I can vividly remember being amazed to see that there were two pink little babies...not that I hadn't been aware of the fact that we were expecting twins, but still shocked.  I don't have words to describe how it felt to see those two babies...hard to take it all in.  I can't imagine how mom's of higher order multiples must feel.  gulp.

Bringing them home from the hospital was such an overwhelming experience.  Months of joy, diaper-changing, round-the-clock-feeding, crying (both mine and theirs) and trying to keep our heads above water followed.  Sleep-deprivation left Brad and I in a fog...but, with hearts full of gratitude.  What a gift we'd been given.

Fast forward three years and today things look very different in our home.  We're now the parents of four little boys...not a baby in sight.  Gone are the diapers, we mostly sleep through the night, they are eating non-stop during their waking hours only, and we're coming out of the fog.

Here is what the dynamic duo is up to these days:

Caleb:

• Loves to talk and have conversation.  He loves to make people laugh.
• Eats a tremendous amount of food...yet, still weighs less than Matthew.  
• Some of his favorite foods are: oatmeal, cereal, granola bars, blueberries, bananas, beans, quesadillas, pizza, salad and he always requests a second helping of meat!  Such a carnivore!
• Loves to dance.
• Loves to go to church.  He asks several times a week if we can go.
• Says, "Amen!" with gusto!
• Loves to be tickled.
• Enjoys playing "rough" with his dad and older brothers.
• The library is among his favorite places to visit.
• Has really good manners.
• Screams/squeals loudly when his brothers take things away from him.
• Likes to pretend he is a doggie...and threatens to "slick" (lick) you.
• Almost always identifies himself as Matthew in a picture.
• Loves to ride his scooter and swing on our playground outside when it's warm outside.
• Loves his "Pa" (my dad) and always asks for "my Grace" (his cousin)
• Doesn't like to sit in time out.
• Can recognize nearly every letter in the alphabet (gets b and d confused, struggles with Q), knows his primary colors, can sort things according to size, understands spatial concepts (over, under, beside, etc), can count to 20 (sometimes skipping 16), and sings a ton of songs.
• Melts my heart when he asks to "snuggle up with me" on the couch.
• Weighs in at 31 pounds (80th percentile) and stands at 31 1/4 inches tall (81st percentile).
• Has completely stolen my heart...I'm wacky about that boy!

Matthew:

• Has a quick smile and loves to make people laugh.
• Loves to be tickled.
• Enjoys a good soak/playtime in the tub.
• Likes to pray before our meals.
• Almost always identifies himself as Caleb in pictures.
• Loves to read book and play games.
• Loves to play in the snow and jump on the trampoline in warm weather.
• Shows great remorse when he has hurt someone/broken something.
• Loves to go "bye bye" - anywhere!
• Enjoys fruit, salad, rice, quesadillas, fresh salsa, macaroni and cheese,green beans, and always requests desert.
• Loves to sing and dance.
• Enjoys dressing up and "playing" characters - pirates, buzz lightyear, or a superhero of some kind.
• Loves, loves, loves his daddy.  He is by far the biggest "daddy's boy" in our family.
• Gives the sweetest kisses.
• Recognizes all primary colors, understands spatial concepts, can count to 19,
• Weighs in at 39 3/4 pounds (81st percentile) and stands 35 inches tall (89th percentile).
• Has stolen my heart...I am totally crazy about him.

Happy Birthday Caleb & Matthew! 

To take a peek at their three year old photos, go to : http://stephanielyell.com/blog/2011/02/09/johnson-twins-full-post/

Missing Miss Phyllis

I remember the day all too well...exhausted from lack of sleep, yet deliriously happy with the two new little men in my life. Brad and I determined that we were simply overwhelmed and we needed help. This was not an easy conclusion for us to arrive at. You see, we are proud people from the Midwest - when times get tough, you buck up and get it done. However, the reality of 4 little boys who were 4 and under and a husband who was a student, a full-time employee, and also had a part-time job on the weekend was just too much. We were crying, "Uncle!" God was peeling away another layer in the "self-sufficiency" costume we were wearing...and teaching us once again what it means to live in "community" with other believers. So, we finally gave in and asked for help. We talked and prayed...and then prayed some more...and then posted an e-mail on the seminary's website to hire someone to help us.

Only two people responded to our "want ad" - and I was honestly a little disappointed. I really thought we needed to have a few more options...ha! God knows just what I need and I am so thankful that He doesn't take my opinion into consideration when caring for me. I don't know what I need as well as He does! :) Turns out that we only had one option (the other person was looking for more hours per week)...the God-chosen option for our family. Brad and I invited Phyllis to our home for a conversation...to learn some more about her and to let her see our family "in action" so she could learn some more about us! She came, she saw, and we were shocked when she agreed to take the job! She was exactly who we prayed for...a wise woman who was older than us and had more parenting experience than us, a woman filled with the "joy" of the Lord, and a woman who was "at home" in our madness - nearly impossible to "ruffle her feathers." {grin} God knew just what we needed...and He provided.

The twins were just a few months old, Luke was a baby himself having just turned 2, and Sam was an eager-to-learn 4 year old. It was a madhouse. We were feeding and changing Caleb and Matthew around the clock and getting very little sleep...and trying to keep up with Sam and Luke during the day. Enter Phyllis....she never laughed when I answered the door in my pajama's and my hair uncombed. I loved her immediately. {grin} Over the next year, she would change many diapers, clean my kitchen more times than I can count, love my kids, play CandyLand until Sam didn't want to play anymore, encourage me in my mothering, share God's promises just when I needed it most, pick up toys, encourage me to take a nap, send me out the door to shop for groceries alone while she cared for all 4 of my kids. Phyllis became our "breath of fresh air" during those early months of having 4 kids ages 4 and under. When she arrived - we all sort of breathed a little easier. She was only at our house a few hours a week, but it was just enough to make everything seem better. {grin}

Miss Phyllis graduated with her Masters in Pastoral Counseling a few weeks ago and move back to her home and her family in Georgia. We all knew the day was coming...but, just didn't have the courage to face it. I cried like a baby...you know, the ugly cry where your face gets all twisted up and you have to wipe your nose a lot. I think I was so emotional because I was going to miss my friend...but, even moreso because I was so overwhelmed at God's goodness to me. He saw my need...and sent a gentle, loving friend to help me out. Miss Phyllis will forever have a special place in my heart.