We've Made It Through So Much

Last Tuesday I went shopping during my lunch break. As I entered the store, I passed a woman pushing two infants in a double stroller. When E and Z were babies, everywhere we went strangers stopped to tell me they had twins, or their daughter had twins, or they were a twin. I try to refrain from this behavior, but once in a while I have to let a twin mom know that I survived and that she will too. But on this occasion, I said nothing but clapped my hands together after I walked past and said, "Thank you, Jesus," out loud in Target.

I haven't prayed to Jesus since I was 14 years old, but I was moved in that moment to be grateful to whatever force in the Universe got me through the double-barreled-all-night-nursing stage, the climb-on-furniture-in-search-of-dangerous-objects stage, the indoor-sandbox-of-oatmeal-and-cocoa-powder-on-the-floor stage, the run-off-in-opposite-directions-in-a-busy-store/parking lot/ fairgrounds stage. I made it through pottytraining times two, learning to ride a bike times two, and daycare, preschool, school and homework times two.

Challenges still lie ahead—high school, girl friends, driving lessons, college searches—but we've made it through a lot, and I was at the store that day to buy eighth grade graduation cards times two. That evening, two tall young men, dressed to the nines, would stand on the stage of the school they've attended for nine years and accept their certificates of recognition. Which is a moment I never imagined when I pushed two tiny babies in a double stroller.

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