Two

My dream had come true. I was asked to care for a woman pregnant with twins. A challenge, definitely! Why was this something I so desired? I don't know. I had a previous client pregnant with twins, but she ended up on bedrest for premature labor, and had to deliver in the hospital. So now was my last chance before licensure forbade it. The mom had to travel from another state. She had had previous homebirths, and did not desire to have a highly medicalized birth for her babies. She believed in her body's ability to carry these babies, and she planned to do all in her power to ensure that the pregnancy continued to term. After all, her mother had done this!

We did much consultation over emails and the telephone. She seemed to be the sort of woman who was committed to good health and nutrition. There were a few times that I had to be firm about slowing down, as she was also a woman who was used to hard work.

I had informed C that she would need to move to my state, and that there was no reason to move here prior to 36wks, since if she went into labor before that time, she would require a hospital delivery. So, at 36wks she moved here. On the way, she stopped for one last ultrasound to check the positions of the babies. At one point they were both breech, but she felt as if there had been some major movement going on in her belly, so this was one final check.

Baby A was head down! yippee! but posterior. that's doable... Baby B was transverse with a tendency to breech. Well, that's doable too, as long as B doesn't decide to settle in the transverse position after A is born. The next morning the team of midwives, all four of us, met with the mom and discussed the entire procedure for the birth. Each midwife has a specific responsibility, and we wanted the mom to know. The meeting went well. All was set and ready.

Two days later, at 10:30pm, I get the call. Mom wasn't sure she wanted me there yet, but I suggested that I just sleep on her sofa, so she agreed. I got myself together and headed out the door. I called the team and told them to head on over. They lived further away and needed some time to get there. I quickly stopped for some last minute supplies and arrived at her house a little after 11pm.

Well, baby A decided he was in a hurry, and he arrived about 10min after I did!! Baby B decided that head first was a nice way to be born, and she made her entrance 32 minutes after her brother. Dad was still in the neighboring state and had to miss the birth of his babies. Mom was shocked that it all happened so fast. While I had planned responsibly for a team of midwives to help, God decided that I was to be the only attendant for baby A, and another midwife had arrived by the time baby B came. I remember "arguing" with God while I was watching baby A come into the world. I reminded Him that He was in charge of this birth, and He was causing babies to arrive without my team there to help me, so He had better be watching over this mom and these babies!

And He is good. Always. The babies were born healthy, and their mother did beautifully! and I got to catch two babies! Praise Him!!

Resurrection Sunday 1996

This day reminds me of one many years ago. We had moved to England and attended a small presbyterian church. typical Scottish presbyterian style with no celebratory style of worship. But this particular Sunday, we had decided to attend Resurrection Sunday at Kings College Chapel. There were not that many people, so we were seated way up front, behind the screen. Time came for the service to start and the organ began playing. And we began singing "Christ the Lord has Risen Today" and streams of tears began falling down my cheeks. It was glorious. The music was so loud, blaring through the pipes in the walls. The choirs were processing and singing. We could sing at the top of our lungs, just trying to be heard by the most glorious and generous God whom we worshiped. The liturgy of the entire service was awe inspiring. Scripture readings were meaningful. and then there was a sermon....

Blasphemy. How dare he! Oh, I pray for his soul... the man stood up there and told us that it didn't really matter if Christ had arisen from the grave. We only need to have faith that He did. WHAT? That man had now completely ruined such a wondrous day. But my God is stronger than that.

And we completed the service with more beautiful music and singing, but things were now different. This man had now called down judgment on himself. The men in the choir who did not believe, but who had sung words of praise and adoration and then partaken of the Lords Supper, had also brought down judgment on themselves. Oh, Lord, have mercy on their souls...

Incidentally, as we walked in, the clerk (the man who guards who sits where) had sternly looked at Peter, who was carrying Emma, a not-quite-2yo, and asked "Can she sit through a proper sermon?" To which Peter wanted to say "Why yes, but I doubt I'll hear one here." But being Peter, he restrained himself, and said a mere "yes." and she did.

And so, after the service, we went home and celebrated the most meaningful day in history. The day that Christ conquered death!