2 Blue or Pink....look and see!

Happy Friday!

Yay for the weekend.  I am PUMPED!  I remember in high school how much I used to look forward to the weekend.  Remember making plans with all your friends at school?  I always had a late birthday so I had to make sure someone would pick me up so I could go to whatever dinner, movie, event, etc. that was going on. 

Well, I'm pumped about this weekend.  In about an hour, I am going to be heading to Lake Martin with a new group that I joined at church called Esther's Women.  It's a group of about 12 women that have made a commitment to study different books for one year and it is a training ground for us to become leaders in our homes, church, and community.  I'll do a separate post on the first book and this weekend but I am really excited to meet some new people and spend some time in worship this weekend.  I bet we will have some really yummy food too....

Anyways, without further adue, we have some exciting news!  Thanks to everyone that voted on our poll but I have to say that the winners were the ones who voted for.....

GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!

We are going to have identical twin girls!!!!!  There is a chance that they are fraternal (we won't know for sure until we meet them face to face) but it looks like they are still identical.  On Monday, Raleigh and I got to find out if we were having boys or girls!  My parents and Raleigh's mom got to come up and they had the best time seeing the little munchkins moving around on the ultrasound machine.  My pants are busting at the seams and my friend saved me with loaning me her Bella Band for the next couple of months.  It is neat to see my belly grow each week...it makes it all seem more real to know that there are two babies inside of me!  Wow, it still blows my mind! 

Below are the most recent pictures.  It was cool comparing our 12 week pictures with these at 18 weeks.  We think they have Raleigh's long legs right now :)  Both babies are growing at the same rate and they are about 6 inches and weigh 1/2 pound each. 

  

 

Friends, thank you for being so supportive of us during this time of our lives.  I promise I have tons more to share with all of you besides babies, but this is such a life-changing experience.  I love y'all and hope you all have a great weekend.

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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0 Snow Day

Some days turn out to be less than ordinary. Friday was one of those days here in the south. Last Friday, our typically warm state got a visit from Jack Frost and we were covered in a soft, white blanket of snow. Having a snow day meant most businesses and schools shut down so we all got a free day to enjoy this treat.

While we watched the snow fall to the ground Friday morning, Raleigh and I got ready to go to our doctor's appointment for the twins. We were both looking forward to going and as we drove down the interstate we enjoyed watching the snow fall to the ground. As we pulled up to the doctor's office, we both noticed that there were hardly any cars in the parking lot. We went inside anyways, brushed the snow off our coats and started to check-in. Well, as you can figure out, our doctor had cancelled his appointments for the day and was just working over at the hospital. The receptionist told us that she had called both of the contact numbers I had listed the day before to let us know it was cancelled. All of a sudden, I remembered that I had accidentally left my cell phone at work the day before. My cheeks started to turn red and we quickly asked to reschedule our appointment for another day. As we were waiting upstairs at appointments, Raleigh and I just sat in silence. Lately, the smallest things can make me cry and I was nearly in tears because I was so embarrassed! I felt bad because Raleigh had taken off work and I just felt irresponsible for leaving my phone at work. Disappointment also washed over me because I was really hoping to hear their heartbeats and make sure they were doing okay.

After we rescheduled, we headed to the car and decided to go to the hospital to visit our friend who is there on bed rest for her baby right now. To be honest, I wasn't in the mood to put on a happy face but I knew that was me being selfish so I sucked up my feelings as we headed into the labor & delivery wing. As we walked into our sweet friend's room, I quickly forgot about me. The mommy-to-be was in such great spirits and it was so refreshing to talk to her and hear how she was doing after everything that had happened. As we sat there chatting, she mentioned that she would have never left her classroom and house the way she did but she just couldn't worry about that now. All in all, she was in great spirits and was making the most out of the situation she now found herself in.

Listening to her talk made me realize how some things are just out of our control. We try so hard to make plans but sometimes life changes our plans. Change isn't something that is easy to grasp, but we have to learn how to adapt to it because it is going to happen whether we are ready or not. I couldn't control my appointment being cancelled any more than I can control snow falling in Alabama. Everything is in God's hands and I have to just remind myself to let him drive the steering wheel.

Below are some pictures from our snow day. Even though the day started out dreary, we ended up having lots of fun.

 

Our house covered in snow

Raleigh and Obi

Me & the twins

Miss Lu Lu (she didn't last long...ha!)

Our family enjoying the snow at the park

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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2 Babies & Beth

Hey everyone!

Hope you all are staying warm on this February morning.  I don't know about you, but I am dying for it to be spring!  I am just not a cold-natured chic.  You northern girls can laugh at me all you want, but 50 degree weather makes me miserable!

Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been praying for my friend who is having a baby.  They gave her steroids when she went in on Friday to help develop the baby's lungs and organs.  This past weekend was a critical time for their baby and on Sunday we found out that they got a good report and she is on bed rest.  They are hoping to keep the baby inside of her for three more weeks so it can develop more.  Right now it is weighing a little over two pounds but mom and baby both seem to be doing fine.  Please continue to pray for their family.  Her husband is going back to work today and she is used to being on her feet all day so I'm sure this is a hard adjustment to be on bed rest.  I'll keep you all posted as I hear more details, but keep praying!

Also, another sweet friend of mine is going to have her baby any day now.  She is already having contractions and is dilated so they are going to induce on Friday if the baby isn't here by then.  Please pray for patience as this is their first pregnancy and they are so close to the finish line.  I can't wait to see their new addition!

Speaking of new additions, we are going to the doctor this Friday for our second appointment. At our first ultrasound, the technician told us she thought they were identical twins because each baby has his (or her) own sac but are sharing a placenta.  I don't think we will be able to get an ultrasound, so keep voting on the poll if you think we are having boys or girls!  The first question I have been asked since we found out they were twins is, "Do they run in your family?"  I'd like to share what I have learned about twins.

*Fraternal twins are the most common type of twins and this occurs when two separate eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm.  Fraternal twins have different DNA and often don't look anything alike.  Fraternal twins are heriditary and are passed down from the mom's side of the family.  Identical twins, on the other hand, occur when one egg fertilized by one sperm, splits into two embryos.  Identical twins share the exact same DNA and, therefore, are always the same sex (except in a few extremely rare cases).  They often look exactly alike (but surprisingly have different fingerprints).

I just think that is so cool!  Identical twins are a mystery to nature but I believe they are a gift from God.  I just think it is so amazing how he can create two babies that look exactly the same but he takes time to make sure they are individual by giving them their own fingerprints.  God is such an artist, scientist, and wonderful creator all rolled into one!

Have a great day, dear friends.  I have a personal day from work so I am heading to Birmingham to Beth Moore's book signing for So Long, Insecurity.  I am pumped!!!  I promise I am not one of those people that obsesses over "celebrities" but I just couldn't pass up this opportunity.  To me, it is like going to see U2 in concert...if Bono was signing autographs, wouldn't I want to stand in line for that?  I am meeting my friend Ashley and we are going to get our books signed together.  It's going to be so much fun and I promise I'll show pictures soon!

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

*Double Duty. Christina Baglivi Tinglof.

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6 Comments

Several of you have recently mentioned that you have had trouble posting a comment in response to a post. I am sorry for this inconvenience, I believe I have fixed it now. However, there is only one way to know. With that said, I am asking that a few of you would please try and leave a comment after this post to see if it is working.

Thanks,

Raleigh

P.S. We just put up a new poll. Place your bets and let us know what you think!

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2 Prayer Request

Friends, I have an urgent prayer request.

Our sweet friends here in Montgomery are expecting their first baby in early May. Last night, the mother's water broke and she is at the hospital. That is all I know at this time but I would like to ask you all to join with me in praying for this precious couple and their baby.

Pray that they rely on the Lord's strength. Pray that He is skillfully guiding the doctors as they decide what to do. Pray for the father to be a mighty rock for his wife. Pray for the mother to let go of all of her fears and anxieties and to completely trust in the Lord. Please pray for that tender child that God took time to form in his mother's womb.

Thank you friends...I will keep you updated.

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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1 Imitators of God: Opportunity

This afternoon, I had a mini-date with God. Actually, I am still on it and it is quite a nice date. I came home after work and found myself with nothing to do. Raleigh had to run some errands after work but they were to boy places so I opted to not go with him. It is raining so that eliminated taking the dogs on a walk and I really didn't feel like exercising at the gym this afternoon so I came home, put on my comfy clothes, opened my Bible and got to have a good conversation with Jesus Christ. Boy, it feels good to be in the word. I knew I wanted to write a post this week and I was having a hard time trying to come up with some scripture to base it around. My church has a woman's group that is currently doing a series called "Spiritual Boot Camp" that is focused on Ephesians so I decided to start my reading from that book tonight.

Ephesians was written by Paul and that man sure did have some good stuff come out of his mouth. The main verses that I want to share are from chapter five but the whole book of Ephesians (which is only six chapters so you could read one a night with one free night and have read the whole book in a week) is really good, practical information. Ephesians 5 starts out, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." To me, that one sentence sums up our purpose on earth. What I would like to do over a couple of posts is to really scrutinize what it means to be imitators of God and how we use that in our daily lives.

One way that we can be imitators of God is to make the most out of every opportunity. Ephesians 5:15 states, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

In high school, how many of us got a talk from our parents before we went out on the weekend? Raleigh has often told me his dad would pull him and his brother aside and say, "Remember whose you are." In saying that, he would always stress to his sons to not only remember their family name but also to remind them to make Christ-like decisions. Now, let's be honest...sometimes that is easier said than done. How often, as teenagers, would our parents give us advice and then we would do the exact opposite? It is so easy to make the wrong decision. The devil is so good at manipulating us into believing that if we do things of this world we will feel better, have more fun, and be a cooler person. We have to stop giving in to his tricks, friends! Before we make decisions, we need to really think if that decision will make us an imitator of Christ or Satan.

We all struggle with this constant battle of good vs. evil. Right now, we are either living in a pit of darkness or know someone that has fallen into the devil's lair with poor choices that have been made on this earth. Paul tells us, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."

Friends, our sins are washed clean by the blood of Christ. We are dearly loved by God. It doesn't matter how many wrong decisions we have made, we will always be welcomed into the arms of Christ. When he died on the cross for us, all of our poor decisions were automatically forgiven by our Father in Heaven. I love how Ephesians 5:1 states that it was a "fragrant offering." It was a sweet-smelling, loving act of God's grace and kindness shown to us so we could live our lives of love, living out our lives by making the most of every opportunity.

Please take time today to pray for our fellow travelers that are walking in the dark. By the grace of God, let them see the light.

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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