Happy Tenth Birthday Twins!!!!

Leading up to the twins' birthday I've been super nostalgic.  I pulled out my pregnancy journal and photo album, all their baby books & calendars, and their childhood scrapbooks.  Looking back I am shocked at how young I look.  How young we look.  We were 25 and boy how we've grown & aged in the last decade!

I am also shocked at how humongous my belly got.  37 weeks with two babies in there, and it grew to a ridiculous size.  By the end, it was never smooth and round.  You could always see where one head or leg was sort of sticking out against my thin skin.

I was telling Josh last night, as we fell asleep, that I've always struggled with envisioning the future with our twins.  When they were first born, I couldn't imagine them crawling.  Then when they were crawling, I couldn't imagine them talking.  Once they were talking, I couldn't imagine them reading.  Once they were reading, I couldn't imagine them writing.

I struggle to project my mind into the future.  I can't imagine them at fifteen, eighteen.  Sometimes I feel like I am missing something important- like other people are able to do this and I can't.  

But today I thought maybe it's good I can't jump ahead.  Because it forces me to stay where I am when I'm there.  When the twins were babies, that was where I was.  When they were adorable toddlers, I was fully in it with them, chasing them around, keeping them busy.  Now that they are ten, I am here, enjoying them, soaking up each day where we are.

Yesterday I baked four batches of chocolate chip cookies, two for each of the twins' classrooms, to celebrate their birthdays today.  Logan was so happy to see me & Carly as we strolled up with his class treats.  We passed out his cookies, his classmates sang to him (he was shy as they sang) and then I shared a picture of him and Jack as two year old toddlers. 

This is the photo I shared.
(Logan is in stripes/ Jack is in the dino jammies)

His class guessed who was who, (they guessed about 50/50) and they all thanked me for the cookies.  It was super sweet.  I am always blown away by how gracious Logan is when I show up in his classroom.  He's incredibly happy to see me, grateful that I came, and tender toward Carly.  I love seeing that side of him.

After seeing Logan, I took Jack his treats.  He was a little more outgoing than Logan.  His teacher asked questions about Jack's birth and childhood.  His classmates guessed which twin was which in the toddler picture and about 90% of his classmates guessed correctly.  I was impressed!  Jack passed out cookies and beamed as his class sang to him.  They all thanked me for the cookies and enjoyed watching Carly toddle around the room causing mischief.  Jack was very sweet to her and made sure she was happy, sitting her next to his desk and giving her toys to play with.

Both boys were more than happy to take pictures with me, which I am so grateful for, and I am so thankful that I have spent the last ten years being their mom.  They have shaped me into who I am today and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. 

They are silly, sweet, sassy, fun, kind, sarcastic, caring, energetic, smart, athletic, helpful, non-stop boys who fill my days and keep me on my toes.  They are the best blessing God could give me, and I'm so glad He did.

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