Telling Secrets

"We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." -- Romans 5:3-5


...not that we're suffering in the way that Paul is really talking about. Not me, anyway. My wife, on the other hand...well, let's just say that she's ready for labor to begin. But, it is interesting that the process of hope production is so similar in other trying circumstances, such as voluntarily displacing yourself and your family for an unknown period of time to await the birth of 2 people who will greatly change your already crazy life.

So, nope, they aren't here yet.

We are pretty much counting on God to pour his love into us so that we can keep loving each other and loving Malachi through his two-year-oldness and as he tries to cope with missing friends and home. He has been a real trooper, though we have seen some regression in certain behaviors. Nap and bed times have been real trials. Angela spends a good 2 hours most days in battle with either no nap at all or a nap in the car on the way to picking me up from work. Bedtime isn't much better, but he does at least eventually go to sleep. He's been having more "accidents" too. But, from what I understand, these regressions are also fairly normal two year old things too. He still grows sad now and then and has some mood swings, but these are beginning to even out and he is his normal cheerful self more times than not.

Andrei and Brigitte returned to Colorado last Saturday. It was a very sad day. They kept us company and were good playmates for Malachi. Malachi seemed a little lost that day and I felt like I was really beginning the work of actually moving to Utah. I became melancholy and felt like a last tie to home was severing.

Angela's mom arrived the day before to be here for the birth and help drive us home. Her presence has helped ease the loss of Brigitte and Andrei and actually hightens the anticipation we feel toward the imminent arrival of the twins.

Another blessing that came our way was the arrival last night of our Colorado midwife Christie. Her husband Bryce and daughter Olivia came with her. Now our birth team is complete and Malachi has a playmate his age.

Christie came to this morning's midwife appointment with us to meet Suzanne. The babys are still head down and looking good. And bigger. Hopefully this was our last prenatal visit, but we made one more for next week with the anticipation of the pleasure of canceling it.

Well, folks, that's the latest. Here are a few pictures of our double wide, Provo, and our beautiful trip to Strawberry Reservoir: