This Is My Thanksgiving....

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

    and with my song I give THANKS to him. 

~Psalm 28:7

This is my Thanksgiving........ 

31 Weeks! When I found out I was having triplets I thought I literally was going to die during the pregnancy, or spend months in the hospital with my belly up to the ceiling. I am home, I am with my family, I have gotten to be with my son, and make cookies and lick the beaters together..

And occasionally the whole family even joins me on our bed for "bed rest!" 

I have watched people of our city be the hands and feet of Jesus as they have served us through this time, from moving us out of our home, to physically being here to help, to emotionally praying for us, collecting items we need, giving of their finances to help support the many costs we will have, donating hand me downs, sending messages of encouragement, and  leaving meals and care packages at our door. 

4.1, 4.1, and 4.2 Lbs....almost 12 1/2 pounds in there and somewhere between 45 to 50 inches of baby!  

This is my Thanksgiving..... 

Here is to another week... after contractions 10 minutes apart last night that eventually subsided with meds from the Dr. we were told to have our bags packed and ready to go! We are getting close! 3 weeks or less and these girls will make their debut! Still hoping and praying we can hang on at home for a few weeks longer!  

Oh yes, please don't be fooled by the picture above, there is still room in that belly for turkey, sweet potatoes, rolls, and pie! :) 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 

from the very GRATEFUL Holmstroms! 

30 Weeks, 30 Fingers & 30 Toes, Almost Over 3 1/2 Pounds Each--- That's a LOT of 3's

30 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!! My second goal! We made it!! When we first found out we were having Triplets our original Dr had said his goal would be to get me to 30 weeks! And here we are! So so thankful, but I can't help but allow my mind to begin to focus on our next goal of 34 weeks-- D-DAY!!!!!! December 17! My eyes are set on the finish line in hopes that I can keep these girls baking until then.  We went to the Dr. this past Monday and he was very happy with how big they are measuring. Baby A is 3.12, Baby B is 3.8 and Baby C is 3.9 lbs! We also saw MANY little fingers and feet on the ultrasound, which I just can't help but laugh when I think of 30 little fingers & 30 little toes in there :)  The Dr. said he thinks I can make it to Dec. 17, but wouldn't be surprised if the girls arrived sooner because of how big they are and because Baby A has dropped down onto my cervix and is putting a lot of added pressure.  

So with that being said, I have kind of hit a new "Survival Mode" these past few days.  I am tired and do not move around well. The energy that I have to exert just to get out of pj's somedays is astronomical (so somedays I don't)!  I am in  pain when trying to move or stand up, and so most of my time is spent laying down.  Night is the worst, and I am up for most of it, only to be exhausted by 6 am and finally ready to sleep.  Many people have asked to come by and visit and I hate that we have to say no, but at this point I barely have enough energy to spend any quality time with Tigh and Gray, and our primary focus is to get these girls as close to Dec. 17 as possible.  If we were to deliver early, our Dr. thinks they would need to be in the NICU at least 6 weeks and there is a much greater possibility of complications that we could run into.  So I don't want to risk it, and I really am listening to my body, and lately it is saying STOP EVERYTHING and DONT MOVE! 

The other night I was talking with my parents and Tigh, and it is so abundantly clear to us that through prayer and the help of all our family and friends we have made it this far.  My parents went from having a TON of room in their house to being shoved upstairs into a little corner, and I know they are enjoying this time we all have together, but I am sure they will be equally relieved when they get their home back.  I am so so grateful for all that they have sacrificed in order to help us get this far- cleaning, shopping, laundry, meals, taking care of Gray and our dog, at times waiting on me hand and foot....etc.  Its been a HUGE blessing and I know we wouldn't be this far with out them! THANK YOU MOM & DAD! And thanks to everyone for your continued prayers, love, and support! 

Here is the 30 week pic....I just keep thinking I can't get any bigger, and I then I do.  

Oh and yes- total weight gain so far ~50lbs! WOWZA! 

Cinnamon Life and Everything Nice....That's What These Little Girls Will Be Made Of

This past Monday I went to the Dr. fully prepared for him to tell me it is time for me to head into the hospital for the remainder of this pregnancy.  It's been getting tough... contractions, pressure, dizzyness, shortness of breath, and it feels like these babies are playing my rib bones like a harp....(it HURTS, and they are bruised).  Not to mention I REALLY don't feel like my stomach can stretch any further with out splitting open. (TOO much info, I am sorry).  But much to my surprise after an ultrasound and exam he concluded that we are still right on track, and the girls are roughly close to 3lbs each!! I was utterly blown away by God's faithfulness yet again!  The fact that I get to be home resting with my son by my side (well not really--running around the house is more like it), but at least I get to be HERE with him, is such a blessing!! I am so thankful the girls are doing well and continuing to grow!  The Dr. asked me what I have been eating to grow these "Texas" size babies as he is referring to them, and my response was "Cinnamon Life!"  Yup that's right, "Cinnamon Life and everything nice, that is what these little girls are made of."  I go through about a box every two days!!!! It really is absurd! But don't get me wrong I am still fitting in protein, and I can NOT eat enough Granny Smith Apples in a day! So here we are at 27 1/2 weeks last week:

It really does freak me out a bit to think that I still have 6 weeks to go, and there are days that I am just REALLY ready, but I know I can't be.   I know that I need to finish strong, I just don't understand HOW my body is going to stretch even further and how I will even move as the weeks go on.  When those thoughts creep up which is often these days, I stop myself and ask God to just continue to sustain my body and these 3 girls, as only he can.  My sweet husband encourages me that I need to "finish strong" as he once did before we had kids and we would go jogging together..... It always got under my skin and I would usually scream something nasty back at him in between gasping for air as I was jogging to "STOP encouraging me, I HATE this, I'm miserable and walking back home!"  I am trying to have a little bit of a better attitude as he cheers me on to the finish line this time....but I don't think the extra hormones are helping the situation much. :)  But then I look at these sweet pictures that you see below, and I realize it is not about me this time... It is about these 3 little souls and I will fight to finish strong, to keep them in as long as possible, to keep them as safe as possible.  Here are our girls, I can't wait to kiss those cheeks!!! 

Baby A 

Baby B (who would not stop yawning and rubbing her eyes during the ulrasound :) 

Baby C (oh that little arm and fingers!!!) 

So with 6 more weeks to go, we are soaking in every minute that we can as a family of 3, and really trying to slow the busyness of life down.  Our church recently merged with another church and we are not sure where our family will land once the girls arrive and we are ready to get back into a church home, but for now we are enjoying the time that Tigh has home with us on Sunday morning instead of drumming.  This was our "church" this morning (below).... we had a fire left over from the night before, sat outside and enjoyed watching Gray run around with the dogs as we drank coffee and I sat in a chair feeling these babies kick.  We counted our blessings, and I am just overwhelmed with thankfulness that as hard as this is, this is my life God has given me.  I can't believe I get to walk it alongside the man God gave me, and that I get to be Gray's mom and these 3 girls mom... 

And finally, Gray has already started taking on the role of BIG brother.  He will go into the girls room and swing a stuffed animal in one of the baby swings and act like he is giving it a paci (we have some work to do, to slow the speed in which he likes to swing it and say "WEEEEE!!" but we have some time to work on that).    The other day as I was laying on the couch, he came to join me and rested his head on my belly to give his "sissies" a hug..... "oh my sweet child, how I LOVE YOU & YOUR HEART!!!!! More than you will EVER know!"  I wish he could stay this age FOREVER!!!

Fall Family Pictures

This past weekend, I attempted to put some make-up on and stand just long enough to capture some pictures with my boys and this belly full of girls! Thanks to my momma who loves snapping shots, we got some keepers! It's funny how hard it is to get pics with a toddler, I can't imagine when there are 4 kiddos that we are trying to herd to be in a picture.   I am convinced from here on out our pictures will include in them sippy cups, snacks, candy, or any sort of bribery for that matter, and I'm kinda ok with that! 

Here are a few of my favorites!  I am 26 1/2 weeks and feeling extremely large!

25 Week NEWS and "The Missing Piece"...Loving a Man I Never Met

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT........ an official DUE DATE has been set!!! December 17, a scheduled C-Section has been put into place, unless of course these girls decide to come sooner! On December 17 I will be 34 weeks which is technically full term with triplets, because you take 2 weeks off of a normal 40 week gestational period per kiddo! (I have learned a LOT since being pregnant with multiples:) So the kicker in all this is the babies were measuring close to 2 lbs. each this week!!!! Which puts them in the 64th Percentile-- that is 64% larger than average SINGLE babies at this point!! THANK YOU JESUS!!! This is so encouraging to me, but also scares me for how big they will be in 9 more weeks, but when I think of that I am reminded to just rest in the good news of today and not worry about where we will be in 9 more weeks! It's hard to wrap my head around that fact that in 9 weeks or less these girls will be here, but I can not WAIT to hold them in my arms, and kiss their little cheeks, and begin life together as a family of 6! I know it's going to be so hard, and I get scared just thinking about how it will all work, but I am reminded daily that this is a blessing and a huge one that God has called us to and entrusted us with.  Please continue to pray for their health and mine, and also for our heart as a family.  We appreciate it more than you could ever know, and know that your prayers are being answered with each day that these girls are continuing to grow.  

So for all of you who read to keep up with the triplets, there is your update.  For anyone else wishing to continue to read, a warning that these are just some personal thoughts that have been in my head for the past couple of years really, and they deal with our family and you may get bored reading :) 

I have read this book called "The Missing Piece" by Shel Silverstein both when I was young, and recently too cause Gray has it.  It is a picture book about a little circle creature missing a piece and he tries all these pieces on to see if they fit him, until he finally finds a match....(eventually in the book he lets the piece go, because he realizes he is happier without it, that is NOT the part that I am referring to)  Well I use the analogy "The Missing Piece" in some of my life scenarios, for example I refer to Christ as my missing piece, my husband, and then Tigh and I as a couple have referred to Gray as our "missing piece."  

Over the past 5 years that I have been with Tigh there has been a piece of him that I never had the privilege of knowing and that is his father Larry. Tigh's dad lost a battle with alcoholism, when Tigh was younger.  I think about Larry ALL the time.  Whenever we get together at holidays, I wonder what it would be like if he was there, and what he would think of who his 2 sons have become.  On our wedding day, I couldn't help but think about him and wonder if he would approve of Tigh's choice for a wife. :) (I hope so) I look at my husband and wonder what traits or characteristics  he carries that are like his father, and then I look at my son and wonder what traits, characteristics or resemblance does he take after his grandfather?  After leaving the last ultrasound of the triplets this week I was driving home listening to a song that just wrecked my heart with who my husband is and who his father was that I have never met.  What would Larry think about this wild journey that we are embarking on-- TRIPLETS! I know he is watching down on us, and there really have been so many times that I just feel his presence, the presence of a man I have never met but have heard goofy stories about, a man that I know loved his sons the best he could, a man I know that struggled with a battle that was hard to fight, until it got the best of him.  

I look at my husband every night after he works his 12 hour day and hits the pillow exhausted.  I watch how he loves our son so incredibly well and will rock him for what has recently become hours before bed, because Tigh knows this time is fleeting.... I marvel at the way he is patient with me and serves me so well during this time that I can't do much and he doesn't get frustrated with me, even though I know I would have already lost it 100x if I were him! I know Tigh learned from his dad's mistakes, (which is why I LOVE the lyrics in the song I was listening to when it says "You are so much more than your father's son") but I also KNOW that Larry had an amazing heart despite his demons with addiction, and I think that heart lives on in my husband.  The lyrics of the song also say "It's not your fault, No It's not your fault I put this heavy heart in you.  I put this heavy heart in you."  I love that my husband's heart is heavy and breaks for the things that break Chirst's heart, I love that my husband is as compassionate and loving to people as he is, I love that he is a man of integrity like no other that I have met... and for all of those reasons I can't help but love Larry, a man I never met but I know "heirloomed" part of his spirit into my husband, my son, and soon to be daughters. 

So yet again, I share another song.  I have always felt like music can portray what I feel in my heart so much better then the words that I can spit out myself... This song is called Heirloom and it reminds me of my husband who I love beyond measure and can't believe I get to do this wild ride with him, and it reminds me of  his dad Larry a "missing piece" who I never got to meet, but I know I will one day and despite not knowing him now, I love him and look at my family and know that he is a part of it. 

Giddy, Gratitude, and Gray-B!

GIDDY- describes the feeling I feel today, as I am 24 WEEKS!!!!! VIABILITY people!!! I would NOT want these girls to arrive now or anytime too soon for that matter but, we have made it to the 24 week mark which is HUGE.  This means that if they were to come now, they have a very good chance of survival outside of the womb with LOTS of medical intervention.  My hope is that I can make it at least another 6 weeks and then another 4.  Why not just say 10 weeks, well because in my head it sounds better me thinking 6 is what I have left, then a final 4 countdown! :) Taking it in stride! When we first learned that we were having Triplets NEVER in a million years did I think I would make it this far.  THANK YOU JESUS, for your provision each and every second of the way for me, and these girls. So here we are at 24 weeks.... 

GRATITUDE- describes the other other overwhelming feeling I have had recently.  This past weekend 11 AMAZING women hosted the most beautiful shower for us.  I am BLOWN away, in utter shock of the people around us who love us and have graciously given far more to us then I could have ever asked for.  I will be real honest here, when you plan for 1 child you should be financially prepared, we were prepared for 1 child.  When you learn you are having 3, and you are not sure how you are financially going to provide for their needs there is a shock factor involved and a lot of stress (just ask my husband).   Well we are still a little scared financially as we really don't know what this will cost us once they are here, but this weekend BLESSED us beyond belief! There are no words really to describe the gratitude and thanks that Tigh and I feel to each and everyone of you who have helped support us along the way.  And I am not just talking financially here, I am talking with your encouragement, steadfast love, and prayers.  ALL of it just blows us away and we are beyond thankful.  I have NO idea how I will EVER be able to pay if forward like all of you have done for us. All we can say is THANK YOU and hope that you truly truly know that we mean it with every ounce of our being.  Here are some pictures of the beautiful weekend celebrating these three baby girls... (there are more pics of the shower but I don't have them yet, I will post more when I get them.)

Beautiful food table

Gorgeous Fall Centerpieces

A fruit carriage with 3 orange babies!!!! ahahahah 

The "kid" hostesses 

The "adult" hostesses :) 

And save the best for last-- GRAY-B! Oh my little love is growing up so fast during this time.  He is just an absolute joy (on most occassions :)  He had a BIG week this week as he got a pillow in his crib.  He LOVES it and thinks it's a really big deal.  He has also been so patient as we try to get the "orphanage" put together-- that is right I called it an orphanage.... the girls room does not look like a nursery, it is more along the lines of "orphanage style."  Hopefully once more color is added it will make it a little more homey.  We talk a LOT about his "sissies" and he has been enjoying reading books about becoming a BIG brother, although we have to change all the words to make everything plural..."My sisters are coming home."  "I am going to have babies in the house..." you get the point......We have had some GORGEOUS weather so we have been trying to be outside as much as possible and for as long as I can sit in a hard chair before I need to lay back down.  And of course he and I continue to spend a lot of time cuddling, watching toons and just enjoying every little minute that we have together.  Here he is living the dream.......

Just chillin with mom. 

Getting some sunshine and playing in a rusty photo prop.

Loving his new pillow

Anything Could Happen...

I am 23 weeks this week, and at the Dr.  we learned the girls are measuring 1.5, 1.4 and 1.3lbs!!! The Dr. was very happy with that, and told us that he thinks we have a good chance at carrying them till at least 34 weeks.  Which excites me and scares me all at the same time. :) Continued prayers please for God to continue to grow them to his perfection! 

So, I needed a "Rally Song".... something that got my blood moving.  The past two weeks I have completely moved out of the "SHOCK--you're having triplets" phase to "BRING IT ON!!!"  I know I still have some time, but I am READY!!!!!!!!! Well mentally at least, we still need to get a lot of things in order. I am ready to meet these girls, I am ready for the late nights, screaming, and complete chaos that may ensue, because I know it's going to be the last time we have babies and I am going to 'try' to soak up every last single bit of it! 

Another momma of Trips randomly posted this song,as a song she liked and I listened to it.  Maybe it was because it came from someone who has been in the triplet momma shoes that it just makes me think of Triplets.... I don't really know... But I LOVED it and it has become my repeat 100x song.  

Here is my crazy interpretation of the song... I know this was not Ellie Goulding's intentions with this song, but what I have made of it... Some of the lyrics don't fit at all to our situation, (like "I don't need you," etc cause Lord knows I am going to need everyone :)   but for some reason when I hear it, it just reminds me of when we found out we were having these girls-- WOW  "ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN"   was literally one of the first thoughts in my head. I knew then that anything in our life could really happen, cause never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this would happen to us.  

Then the lyrics go on to say: 

"Yet since we found out

Since we found out

That anything could happen

Anything could happen 

Anything could happen 

Anything could happen....."

This makes me think of this road that we are now on--- anything could happen from here on out with these girls.

This part is funny to me.. 

"Cover your eyes

So you don't know 

the secret....."

 hahaha well this just speaks for it's self... the secret to how we got spontaneous triplets...well ya know....go ahead and cover your eyes. 

"I've been trying to hide

We held our breath

To see our names are written"

This reminds me so much of how I felt after we found out.  I wanted to hide, we held our breath and then every time we went back to the dr.  triplets were still written next to my name on the file! 

  And finally my favorite part...... 

"I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be 

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be 

I know it's gonna be 

ALRIGHT!!!!!!"

It makes me excited and pumps me up! It's my new "Triplet Warrior Song." I wonder if they will let me blare it, in the operating room on the day of delivery?? 

Go ahead and give it a listen......