Party at the Park

Our church had its annual fall festival a couple of weeks ago. This year, it was at Warrior's and the whole community was invited. Karson and Brady enjoyed eating hot dogs, chips and cookies with their buddies.

Karson Hannah and Hannah Grace

They also thought they were really grown-up because they got to have their faces painted! ladybugs painted by some elementary girl volunteers

And they were really proud of the monkey/elephant crafts they made (okay, mommy made)
On the way home, we spotted a hot air balloon. It looked REALLY low. We decided to chase after it. We seriously thought it was headed right for our house....so we chased on. The hot air balloon company's truck was right in front of us chasing it too. It landed behind some apartments right before you turn onto our street.
I don't think this was the planned landing site. The balloon scraped some trees on the way down, but missed all the power lines....thank goodness! It was exciting and a little scary to watch!

NOBAMA

We just got back from a little weekend get-away---just the hubby and I.

A supplier treated a group from Eastman to a couple of nights in Knoxville and tickets to the TN/AL game. Unfortunately, we lost.....again. But, we still had a good time.

We loved the creative Republican campaign stickers given out at the game! They said:

NOBAMA

(However you say it, it's right!)

This was a historic game for me. It was the first time in almost 20 some years that I have sat anywhere other than GG row six.

(***Correction--I just remembered that one time in college, I sat in YY with my good pal Audrey.)We found the Todd Mills & company tailgaters before the game.And got treated to some cheers on Tom Black Track while being served a yummy dinner!

Beck Mountain Corn Maze

Last Saturday, we took the twins to a corn maze at Beck Mountain Farm in Elizabethton, TN. I think it was the first chilly morning of the season, so it was nice to be able to finally wear cozy sweaters! We had a lot of fun doing "Fallish" stuff!

We checked out some pumpkins And waited for Daddy to get the tickets.

We made sure that we found the "potty."

After a few turns on the playground's slide, we met some of the farm animals.

Brady fed the goats while Karson checked out the chickens. Then, we got lost in a corn field (Our fearless leader is usually pretty sharp, but I think this time he should have just let Brady lead the way!)"This way Daddy! This way!"
After finally escaping from the corn maze, we searched for treasure during the "needle in the haystack" game. And decorated our findingsFinally, we went on a hayride.But, the tractor pulling the hayride was the highlight of the morning! Did I mention Brady is a tad obsessed with farm equipment?
We didn't ask the farmer his name, but we are pretty sure he is related to Farmer Ted who lives in a book at Grammy's house.Bye Cows!"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Why....

My face is hot, my mouth is dry and my palms are sweaty and this is why...........

These are my "partially" born babies.

My miracles.....who were born at 35 weeks and one day (8 months). Babies that almost came at 22 weeks, 26 weeks, 28 weeks and 34 weeks. Babies who I was told would definitely make it if we could just get to 28 weeks, would probably make it if we got to 26 and could possibly even make it at 24 weeks gestation.

However, if somewhere between 22 weeks and their birth I had become ill due to high blood pressure or some other life threatening issue or they had been diagnosed with a genetic disorder---these pictures would look almost exactly the same.

The NICU staff would still be standing close by. The doctors still would have carefully preformed an emergency C-section and pulled out my twins within 10 seconds of each other. I still would have had pictures of my precious children and the opportunity to hold them.

So, why do some people believe the lie that partial birth abortion is sometimes necessary? I asked this question on my facebook site and this is the answer I received from a high school classmate. The article tells of a young woman who was devastated when, in her 8th month, she was told that her much wanted baby had Trisomy 13. Because the "fetus" was not going to live (and this would supposedly endanger her health) a dilation and extraction was performed.

I am so, so sad that some Americans really believe that this is sometimes a necessary procedure. And, I immediately thought of Audrey Caroline, Isaac and Copeland---whose brave mommies chose life.

I was angered when I heard Obama say in tonight's debate that partial-birth abortion should be used when a woman's health is in jeopardy. So I got some facts:

First, to doctors who perform abortions, "health" can be referred to as social, emotional or even financial (not just physical)

But, perhaps the most emotionally charged argument used by President Clinton to justify his veto of the partial-birth abortion ban is the claim that a health exception is necessary to protect women from (in the President's words of May 23, 1996) being "eviscerated" or "ripped to shreds" -- and "losing the ability to ever bear further children."

· This claim is roundly refuted by four specialists in OB/GYN and fetal medicine representing PHACT (Physicians' Ad Hoc Coalition for Truth), a group of over 500 doctors, mostly specialists in OB/GYN, maternal and fetal medicine, and pediatrics, including former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop: "Contrary to what abortion activists would have us believe, partial-birth abortion is never medically indicated to protect a woman's health or her fertility. In fact, the opposite is true: The procedure can pose a significant and immediate threat to both the pregnant woman's health and fertility." ["Partial-Birth Abortion Is Bad Medicine," The Wall Street Journal, 9/19/96; original emphasis]

· The four PHACT physicians detail the nature of that threat, including forcible dilation of the cervix over several days -- which illustrates that this is not a procedure used in emergency circumstances relating to the mother's life or health. The result is "incompetent cervix," the leading cause of premature deliveries; intentionally and dangerously causing a breech delivery during the procedure; and risking injury to the mother by forcing the scissors into the child's head while it is still in her body.

· They also deny that fetal abnormality would ever indicate partial-birth abortion to safeguard maternal health or fertility: "In some cases, when vaginal delivery is not possible, a doctor performs a Cesarean section. But in no case is it necessary to partially deliver an infant through the vagina and then kill the infant." That is, despite the claims of Obama or President Clinton and their supporters, ending a pregnancy does not translate into the need to kill a partially delivered fetus -- as opposed to completing the delivery of a live, and possibly viable, infant.

I am so looking forward to our Lord's return......not only his return for his church, but also for his Second Coming when he will reign on the earth and the father of lies will no longer be able to deceive and destroy.

" But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13

Hello Baby!

Jeremy's cousin Jessica and her hubby Aaron have a new baby! I guess that would make him Karson and Brady's new second cousin. Jeremy and I were excited to hold this wee one. Actually, he wasn't that wee--he weighed over 10 lbs at birth!! That is almost like carrying twins! Anyway, Aaron took some cute pics of our first visit with Joseph Rass.

I'm pretty sure that Karson thought little JR was a babydoll at first.

But, once she figured out that he was "real" she couldn't keep her hands off of him! She loved rubbing his hair!

I know that one seems like a lot of work, but just imagine two this size! With one, you can always hand him off to daddy--and this daddy is a natural! I don't know if this gave him an itch for a third or brought back images of sleepless nights camped out in the nursery floor!
Karson did not want to say good-bye to her new baby alive doll! However, you can't take the batteries out of this little guy when you are done playing.
And here we have Brady--who was WAY more interested in Nana's hot fudge cake than the baby.

4th # 4

I got this interesting post idea from my friend Katie. Go to your fourth picture file and find your fourth picture. Try it!----It is fun to see what's there! And, it will joggle your memory a little! Here is mine........
This is Karson last Thanksgiving. We were eating at Jeremy's Aunt Denise's house. I guess Karson didn't get enough turkey because she is trying to eat the homemade macaroni rattle that Nana made for her.

Party-Pooped!

A couple of Saturdays ago, we went to two birthday parties in a 4 hour span.

The fun began at at Warrior's Boundless Playground where we celebrated with Karson and Brady's friend Aly at her 2nd birthday party!

We were dressed to cheer on the Vols. But, they ended up letting us down again!

Being a twin means always having a riding partner!

The second round of fun was in honor of my nephew's 3rd birthday.

The invitation said to bring your child's battery operated riding toy. Well, at the Osborne house, battery-operated means use your feet. In other words, to work any of our riding toys, you've gotta do the Fred Flintstone! So, poor Brady had to steal rides from other people's toys.

Here is Cavin opening some gifts.

They enjoyed hitting the pinata--too bad I didn't give them the candy. Not, because I'm a crazy health nut; I wanted it for myself! What they don't know won't hurt them!


And here we are after a long day of fun, a bath and a missed nap. Can you say pooped!

Even the little things........

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?" Matthew 6:30

It is indescribable just how wonderful our God is. He cares so much about every aspect of our lives. Sometimes, God displays his presence in our lives in mighty ways---and sometimes His love is made know in the little things he does for us everyday. I experienced one of those little moments of his love this weekend, and I want to share it with you.

We had the twins' second birthday party on Saturday---just a fun gathering at Eastman Park with family and close friends. On Friday night, I was rushing around trying to get everything done for the celebration. I had just finished packing all the presents, decorations, etc. in the car (and it was packed full---I mean completely full), when I realized that I had no idea where I had put my car keys. After tearing apart the house and garage looking for them, I began to panic. Surely, I had not carelessly put them in one of the many boxes of birthday party decor now buried deep within the trunk---that would mean emptying the entire contents of the car at 1:30 am and starting over.

So, I prayed, "Lord, I beg you--please help me find my keys. I've looked everywhere, please help me." Immediately--I mean instantaneously--the image of the left over wrapping paper roll came into my mind. And the thought came into my head, "Find the wrapping paper roll and you'll see the keys." So, I walked into the laundry room and leaning against the wall was the wrapping paper roll and beside it was my car keys.

It was a total God thing. He helped me because he loves me---THIS I KNOW. He is real, he is kind and he cares about the little things in our lives.

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."

1 Peter 5:7