Bed Rest

Bed rest hasn't been so bad for these past three weeks. Friends have been AMAZING at keeping me company, bringing meals, cleaning house, picking up our kids from school, and MORE! For those who know me, you know that I'm a do-it-herself kind of girl (My parents even gave me a tool kit by that name when I went off to college - and I still use it!). When I was on bed rest with our second child, our first was just 15 months old. So my version of bed rest was still pretty active. I was also farther along in the pregnancy - 31-35 weeks.

THIS time, however, my body just won't cooperate and I went on bed rest at 24 weeks. It's scary to have contractions when you know for certain your babies are too small to survive. I also can't take the same meds I took before. They had some pretty rough effects on me, so we're using good ole' hydration and rest. So this do-it-herself girl has to take it easy. I get up more than I should when guests come around, but I'm getting better because my body just won't let me be up for long. Technically I have 15 minutes out of every hour to get up and do what I need to, but the Body just can't do that much.

The babies are moving great, and I love all the quality time that I'm getting with our older sons and my husband. Funny that I was afraid bed rest would interrupt my life with the kids, but it's actually been a great time to slow down and get caught up with everyone. My only heartbreak in this process so far is that I missed my second child's first day of school. I kept a smile on my face to help him make the adjustment better, and everything went smoothly.

Also, I can't end a note about bed rest without mentioning the incredible man that God paired me with. Justin is out the door at 7am and home around 6:30pm. He helps put dinner on the table (thank you to those who are providing our meals!), cleans the kitchen, bathes the boys, helps them pick up, puts them to bed. THEN, he goes to the grocery store, swaps a load of laundry, and crashes out for the evening. These are all tasks that we SHARE when I'm able-bodied. He has carried daily duties and beyond without complaint. He's even gone shopping for stroller, car seats, crib mattress, and baby clothes on his own, even driving from store to store to comparision shop. What a man. He's also rubbed my back, stayed up with me for long nights of contractions, and brought me chocolate. I love him.

So now we pray that these babies stay inside for a bit longer. We'll make it with a little help from our friends. THANK YOU!

In Christ,
Gillian