1998

In February, while I was finishing up my student-teaching, I found out that we were going to have twins!  I graduated in June of 1998 and it was really good that graduation gowns are not form fitting.  Let's just say that I filled out the gown very well as I was 6 months pregnant when I graduated.  I guess you could say that all three of us graduated that day!

Over the summer of '98 we moved to Georgia for Jeff to attend Emory University School of Law.  Wow, that was quite a climate adjustment!  It was so humid and felt so hot as I waddled around town as people stopped, starred, and pointed at me.  Several people asked me, "How many babies are you going to have?"  Boy did that make me feel good about myself!

On September 1, 1998, two weeks after Jeff had started law school, Emily and Ian were welcomed into the world.  The day after they were born, a cardiologist came into the hospital room and told us that Ian was born with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), or hole in his heart, and that he would probably need surgery to repair it.  We were also told that he would not thive and develop like Emily.  We were very sad and stressed about this news and we just wanted to take our new babies home.  When they were ready to come home we were told that they (Em & Ian) needed to be named first and that we needed to sign their birth certificates.  Just a minor detail!!  Jeff named Ian Christopher and I named Emily Amanda and then we were home free.

Shortly after we came home from the hospital, Emily started crying all of the time and Ian's left eye was constantly draining.  Despite how difficult it was to have two babies and a 26-month-old, we are so thankful for our precious babies and we just love them so much.

Morgan enjoyed being a big sister so much!  She also enjoyed swimming and her gym class at the Little Gym.  Morgan would frequently be out on the town showing off her glittery sparkly shoes, sunglasses, and purse.  She loved to have her nails painted and to wear a crown and boa as well!

The kids and I flew out to California before Thanksgiving to spend time with our family while Jeff stayed in Georgia to study for finals.  After Jeff was done with his finals, he flew out to California to join us and we returned to Georgia for Christmas.  Emily continued to cry and cry and cry and Ian's eye got worse and worse.