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Stranger Friends near Eiffel Tower

DenaSeptember 22, 2010

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Welcome

Welcome to Live, Love, Simple. This is our little corner of the world. We are so grateful to have you here. We are a blended family of 6! This is our story of family life, faith + grace, heart-centered living, suburban homesteading, and all of the magic + madness that happens in between. Thanks for stopping by.

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{SOUND ON! 🔊} My actual feelings in my third tr

{SOUND ON! 🔊} My actual feelings in my third trimester of twin pregnancy... Wait for it! 😅

One of my favorite photos of Marina of all time, t

One of my favorite photos of Marina of all time, taken by @erinwitkowskiphoto during our first ever shoot together. ⁠
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I've definitely been experiencing so many emotions about our big kids as we await the arrival of the babies. I remember being so terrified when I was pregnant with Marina, afraid that I could never possibly love another child as much as I loved Roman. But then Marina was born and I could honestly feel my heart expanding. I could never have imagined how my love would stretch and swell and grow so deep as to contain such a multitude of love for two children, and eventually for my stepchildren, and soon for our new babies. ⁠
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This is a wildly different experience, too, because they all know & understand what is happening. Little Roman had an idea that he was going to be a big brother, but how much can a 2-year-old truly grasp? This time around they understand completely. They are full of questions and excitement. It is truly magical to get to experience this with all of them. ⁠
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Even though the never-ending list of "what-if's" that run through my mind can be intimidating, that promise of love and growth and expansion wins out every time. I can't believe I am going to become a mother... AGAIN... to TWO new babies. Talk about the twists and turns of life... 💛 ✨

The last couple of weeks have been hard. I put a l

The last couple of weeks have been hard. I put a lot of pressure on myself to stay positive. I still have a healthy desire to stay positive, and I will. But it’s okay to simultaneously acknowledge my discomfort and stay positive at the same time.

To make a long, boring story short, for the last 2 weeks I have had virtually zero energy. It’s all I can do to keep up with the bare minimum (getting the kids to and from school, preparing meals, and cleaning up a little). Beyond that, I can’t do much unless I really, really push myself which isn’t very safe to do toward the end of my third trimester of twin pregnancy.

J. patiently reminds me over and over that I need to take it easy. The other day, we were talking about that and I said that would be my advice to anyone in my position. So why is it so hard for me to extend that grace to myself? It’s simply a matter of how many of us hold ourselves to unreasonable expectations.

This morning I had my routine check-in with my doctor and, by the grace of God, I am 31 weeks along and everything looks great. The one thing that was equal parts relieving and terrifying is that my belly is measuring at 38 weeks in size. In other words, my belly is measuring at 38 weeks in size which was the size it was when I gave birth to Marina. But I have potentially (and frankly hopefully for the baby’s sakes) another 7 weeks to go. So if my belly is already full-term, right now, where do we go from here?

Well the only place we go as I see it is to the supernatural. This is where twin moms become superheroes. We will now stretch past the bounds of anything my body has ever known before into a realm of magic. It isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to look and feel... bizarre... but here I am. Now is the time when I have to dive more deeply into my reserves of self-love and self-care than I have ever done before in my life!

Terrifying, uncomfortable. But I am ready for this. I was made for this.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

—Anaïs Nin 🌹

#twinpregnancy #31weeks #advancedmaternalage #geriatricpregnancy #twinmom #compromisedcervix

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐬.

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐬. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠⁠
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Repressing is when we hold something in to spare ourselves or to spare another from feeling pain. In doing so, we internalize the pain. It sets roots within us and festers there, causing long-term trauma and suffering.⁠
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This is unhealthy and overtime it leads to acceptance of abusive behaviors and to people-pleasing behaviors.⁠
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Refraining is different. Refraining is healthy and can be be very helpful within relationships. Refraining is 𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕞𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 arises. With patience and wisdom, we can learn when to deal with something that needs dealing with. Whether processing ourselves or processing with another, refraining allows us to deal with it when the time is right, rather than dealing with it at the wrong moment and causing more pain and trauma.⁠
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Repressing is dangerous and painful. Refraining is wise. Refraining prevents us from adding fuel to the fire of conflict. If you are having an intense conversation or argument, or if you are having an intense moment alone, you may be tempted to deal with something difficult in that very moment. You may feel "out of control" of your emotions or unable to hold back. ⁠
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However, it is almost never a good idea to add more difficulty and complexity to an already trying situation! Just wait! The better option is to wait until you are calm and have clarity. The outcome will likely be much more favorable. ⁠
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By refraining, you will avoid repressing--you will deal with what needs dealing with--but you will do it at the right time and you will achieve the better result.⁠
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The victim represses. The warrior refrains.

I don't have any good, recent ultrasound pictures

I don't have any good, recent ultrasound pictures to share because baby boy doesn't stop moving & baby girl refuses to face the camera. So in lieu of a snap of my sweet babes, you get a silly snap of me & the big 'ole belly in a hat made of ribbons from my baby shower gifts. ⁠
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I get a lot more scans than I ever did with my previous pregnancies because twins. For the last couple months I have been getting scans every 4-6 weeks. It's a bit overwhelming but it's so nice to see their little selves. They also get measured at each scan because the doctors want to make sure they are regularly growing on target. ⁠
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So far they have each been measuring right around the 50th percentile which was great. But at our last scan they took a big leap, measuring just above the 80th percentile. This was really exciting to see! I am so grateful that they are growing well and I hope they stay put for awhile longer and keep growing beautifully. I would be so grateful if you would keep us in your prayers as we move through this last month & a half of my pregnancy. The longer they stay put, the less likely they are to need to spend anytime in the NICU. Twins are considered full-term at 37 weeks so it is our fervent prayer that we make it that far. 💛🙏🏻✨

How precious are these little bloomers/diaper cove

How precious are these little bloomers/diaper covers from @katequinn_shop? I'm obsessed. Over the weekend we were BUSY around here. We did a bunch of big projects around the house in preparation for the twins arrival. First we had to prep for the steam-cleaner to come and clean all of our carpets. (And if you've ever done this in rooms full of furniture and belongings then you know what a joy that was. 🙄) ⁠
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Then we switched around all of the kids rooms to set in motion the eventual plan for the twins to have their own room. For now, they will be in our room because we have plenty of room in there for cribs, etc., and I want them close. But our big boys needed their own bedrooms anyway, so we took this opportunity to make it happen. Everyone spent their first night in their new spaces last night and it went so well. 🙏🏻 ⁠
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Now, we have a lot of work to do to get everything organized and put back in place, post-moves and carpet cleaning. 😅⁠
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By the end of this week, we should be putting cribs together which is super exciting. I'm just praying that I don't run out of steam before then. Last week I had zero energy, but so far this weekend and this week has been much more productive so I hope it keeps up. Oh, and I should add that when I mentioned all of that work above, between J & me, you can guess who was doing the lifting and who was doing the supervising. 😁⁠
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Anyway, I am starting to go a little baby crazy over here, staring at their little clothes & daydreaming of all the sweet (& tough!), little things that are just around the corner. We officially hit 30 weeks yesterday. So time is getting short! 🧡 #twinpregnancy

It’s a hard time to be a parent. In this world w

It’s a hard time to be a parent. In this world where sin, greed, corruption and evil are lurking around each corner. Our homes, which were once safe sanctuaries, are under attack whether by what comes in through technology, what comes in from grocery stores, what comes in from doctor’s offices.

And as if all of that isn’t enough, we must consider, too, what gets to our families once we are outside of our homes. We must be constantly vigilant. We have to remember that we are the gatekeepers, the decision makers. There are only two things standing between evil and our families—us and God. We are empowered by God and thus we must remember that the source of the energy that fuels our fight, our defense is limitless and unending.

So when the days are hard and dark and it feels like you have run out and can’t do it anymore... just remember. You are never alone. The place from which your strength comes is boundless. You were chosen to carry this sword because you are the only one uniquely made in this universe that has the strength to carry it and wield it the way that it must be carried and wielded to protect and defend your family. You can do this, and you must and you will.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.” —John 10:10-12

{This post is dedicated to my darling friend Erin @erinwitkowskiphoto who was also our wedding photographer and captured this stunning moment for us, among many others. She is a woman who inspires me infinitely, as a mother, as an artist and as a human. 💛🙏🏻🌼✨}

This last week, my body hit a tipping point. I cro

This last week, my body hit a tipping point. I crossed over to a place where there is clearly something "different" going on. I can no longer pass for a woman who is simply very late term, about to give birth at any time. It is now clear that I am carrying two babies and because twins are quite a bit less common than single babies, it looks (to the untrained eye) unnatural. This transition coupled with the physical strain that comes along with it, has made for a pulling week.⁠
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It's no secret that this pregnancy came as a massive surprise. Back when I got pregnant in November, I had a clear picture of what life was going to look like. As a family, we were focused on growing and expanding Faith & Grace Farm. We purchased a beautiful 1961 VW Truck for this purpose. We had a branding session scheduled with a talented photographer. We were full on thrilled about what would come next. ⁠
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Personally, health was a massive priority for me. After the pandemic had left my yoga practice home bound for so long, I was finally back in the studio getting stronger and more dedicated weekly. I had even just purchased a whole new set of yoga clothes from my favorite company for my practice. Buying yoga clothes has always been a really big deal for me. I won't buy them unless I have been fully committed to my practice for long enough to be certain that I will use them. ⁠
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Then, in December, we found out I was pregnant and at my very first confirmation scan, we found out it was twins. Fast forward to present day. The VW Truck sits in our garage. The yoga clothes sit in their shipping packages unopened. The possibility of expanding a business is dramatically altered. I have a body I hardly recognize and a life trajectory that I couldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams.⁠
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Some days, it's a lot. But this is also true, I've spent the last 5 years in deep healing and growth. If there was ever a time in my life when I was ready to have twin babies, it is now. My body and my spirit are stronger than they have ever been. It's overwhelming but it's exactly as it should be, too. I'm not giving anything up, I'm just changing the path to the destination.

🤍 words & art by @morganharpernichols

🤍 words & art by @morganharpernichols

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