Wonder Twins

" There they lie, in their little glass garden, these fragile new fruits of human love.  And of your love too, the eternal Love that flows through the universe, creating and re-creating these exquisite creatures in your image.

  There they sleep, Father, in the blessed sleep of their newness.  So fresh from the mystery of their beginning, so warm and moist and sweet from the waters in which they were cradled. 

Resting from the rude shock of birth ,they lie  .... resting... resting for the long journey ahead....."

Waiting  on the birth of a child can be a very daunting experience, especially for the mother.... even when you think you know what to expect....

I thought I knew what to expect.  I mean, I had already given birth one time.  But as all mother's know each birth is different.  The pregnancy is different,  and with each child you feel differently.  For most women our emotions run high.

I wasn't due to give birth until July 10th according to my doctors.  But this pregnancy was very different from the first. I was sick ALL THE TIME!!!  I was on an emotional ROLLERCOASTER!!! Who wouldn't be, my oldest child was only 21 months old. I was HUGE, and clumsy.

Then on May 19, 1973, while my extended family was camping at Myrtle Beach, without warning, my Dad had a stroke and passed away before My Mom and My Husband could get him to the hospital.  My Father loved camping, so you could say that he died, doing what he loved!!

Shortly after my Dad's funeral, I began to have back pain. When I saw my doctor he told me that I was dilating and would not make my due date.  On June 4th, I went into the hospital. 

Every time the nurses would check me, they would say that they heard an echo. I wasn't alarmed, because they didn't seem to be.  But during delivery... my doctor realized that something was not as he expected.  My son Phillip Stephen was born at 1:03pm, he weighed 5lb. 3oz.  Then five minutes later his sister, Sharon Elizabeth "Betsy" was born, breach weighing 4lb. 14oz.  Because they were premature and so small they had to be rushed to the nursery to be placed in isolates.

Because it was "back in the day" when husbands were not allowed in the delivery room ,there was a great deal of concern about who was to tell my husband....I wanted to be the one to tell him, but they couldn't wait on me. The nurse who had taken charge of Phillip exited the delivery room with him, and my husband came to ask about the baby....The nurse said, "Mr. Holladay, this is your little boy, and your little girl will be out in a minute." Dan assumed she was speaking of me, then when the other nurse came out with Betsy, the poor man almost fainted.

To say it was an exciting time would be an understatement!!!  Dan and my Mom, used all their dimes in the pay-phone calling  to let everyone know about the twins.

I can't help but believe that this was in God's plan from the beginning.  You see it gave my mother something to look forward to and think about!! A reason to pick up the pieces of her life and go on...... more family for her to love and care for.

Even though they are fraternal twins... they have a strong bond, and have from the beginning.  When we first brought them home from the hospital they would not sleep through the night unless they were touching.  Then when they got old enough to put in separate rooms, Betsy would get up in the morning and go and check on Phillip before she came into my room.  She has always been protective of him and he of her.

Whatever happened to one seemed to happen to the other... for example, they both broke their arms within days of each other.  Try bathing two little ones with cast on their arms!!!  And oh, the trouble they could get into together!! When they were in elementary school, they began to call each other "Wonder Twin 1" and  "Wonder Twin 2".  The names have stuck though out the years.  They only squabble about who is best!!! They always seem to know when the other one needs to hear from them.

Though they are very different, they are both lovely precious children in their own right. Phillip is very laid back and easy going. Betsy is self-motivated and very driven professionally. Most people don't even know they are twins, Phillip is 6ft tall and Betsy may be 4'11". Phillip is a youth minister in a small church near Charleston, and Betsy teaches 2nd grade in the elementary school near our home. In a way, I guess they do have a lot in common, when it comes to their chosen professions.

What joy they have brought to our lives!!!  I love being the mother of twins... there are always stories to tell and memories to relive.  Like the young man who helped me with my groceries when they were babies.  One day he asked, if they were boys, or girls, when I replied that one was a boy and one was a girl, he looked at me with a strange look on his face and said, " I didn't know they came that way!!"

Happy Birthday... precious little ones!!!  Your mother loves you very much!!