katie's story

hello monday!

this week's installment of what's your story was submitted by katie of katelynjane's notebook. enjoy!

When I was 19, my Mom found out she was pregnant. She had given birth to six other kids at that point and didn't go in for an ultra-sound until several months into the pregnancy because she had a feeling that something was wrong with the baby or herself. When she finally went in for her ultra-sound, the nurse - thinking that Mom knew already - mentioned the two heartbeats. Mom's eyes popped "Two heartbeats?"

She was 43 and expecting twins.

I was working at a hardware store at the time, and clearly remember her coming to see me after the appointment, tears falling, with a panicked expression on her face. "What am I going to do? We can't handle this - it's too much!" We were standing in the middle of the store, leaning on laminate flooring. The only thing I could think to say to her was, "Mom, God know's what he's doing. He won't give you what you can't handle".

Four months later, my Mom gave birth to two beautiful baby girls; Sophia and Victoria. Twenty years younger than me, they could have been my own babies. Nonetheless, they were adorable and precious and more than a huge part of our family.

I remember holding them for the first time and thinking, "What if Mom had gotten an abortion? What if she had given into the thought that she couldn't handle these babies?" This had never been an option for her - but what if - I couldn't imagine giving up one or both of these little lives. Their little hands, their little feet, their little smiles. I thought that if a woman would just hold her baby first, before making the decision for abortion, there was no way she would go through with it.

The twins are almost six and just as beautiful as ever. Tory is the mirror image of me when I was little, and Fofie (this is what Tory calls her) looks just like my other sister when she was her age. I can still hardly tell them apart.

remember - everyone has a story. i'd love for you to tell me yours. email me and let's talk.