PHOTO FROM YESTERDAY

As both of us are professional photographers, (as are pretty much all of our friends), M has a rich selection of pregnancy images through the different stages.

A few weeks ago our friend Mike Colon stopped by the ranch on his way back from a speaking engagement here in Canada, and did a shoot of us around the barn.  Inside the barn building, when we turn off the lights, creates a really nice backlit situation.  When you severely underexpose the foreground (bringing the background visible) you get a very "Charlie's Angel's" type of silhouette.

Many new photographers understandably make use of the "P" mode in the new DSLR's which is very accurate.  However, putting the camera into Manual and playing with high contrast situations, you can have some real fun creative energy.

I love this shot.  Before this happened to us, I would see pregnant women and go, "wow, big belly".  But when this comes into your life, you see the beautiful of budding human beings comfortably tucked away in a pouch, ready to meet parents and greet the world.  I cannot believe how beautiful Melissa is at this stage.  I hope this photo helps show what I see!

THREE WEEKS AWAY!

I'm a hot mess.  I have never been so in love with the world, my wife, this belly, the future.  It is all so overwhelming, and it hits in waves.  

I get these little glimpses of the future in my mind, and it's like my every cell in my body just flows with this complete happiness and joy.  I picture a fat little fist grasping my pinky for the first time, soft, downy hair that smells wonderful on the top of our children's little heads.  

Watching my wife push our new double-stroller (thanks Joe and Marilyn Buissink) around the floor.  I am really going to miss this pregnant stage.  I mean I don't want it to last forever, but it's just so beautiful - to have the struggles we did with our fertility, and just when we were considering filling out adoption papers, here we are within weeks of delivering twins.

Melissa will say little things like - she'll point at the floor and say, soon there will be a little boy and girl crawling around in opposite directions, picking up things and putting them in their mouths.  If I feel this way now, I cannot even believe how I'm going to feel when I get to meet these two.

I've been talking to the belly a lot, saying hello, getting them used to my voice.  Mine will be the first voice they hear, and I don't know when they will open their eyes, but if they do, I'll be the first person they see, because I'll force my face up to them.  I mean, this is so weird.  In a way these months have been a blur, and I feel like in an instant this day is here.  Yet these weeks coming up seem like an eternity.  We see the days ticking away in the calendar, and we know it's soon, but in a way I'm sure the both of us will be in shock.

Our family has plane tickets.  We have the stroller, the crib, little teeny socks in blue and pink, lots of little little things.  These kids are going to be so overwhelmed with love, not only from us, but from all of the grandparents and our family of non-related aunts and uncles that are so excited to meet them.

32 Weeks! Twins are here in FOUR weeks!

You should see the side view!  This beautiful photo was taken by our wonderful friend Mike Colon.  When Melissa was having to take shots for her pregnancy, Mike actually gave her one of the SubQ injections (so did Joe Buissink).  This has been just an amazing, dizzying journey.  I cannot even bring to words the happiness I feel in every cell - it's like all of me is pulsating with calm, content, peace, exhileration.  Both of them could survive outside the womb right now, they're fully functioning people.  Right now, literally, they're in there to build more of a fat layer so they can be more robust when they're out.

My dad, my aunt, Melissa's mom have purchased their tickets - so this is real, it's not a drill.  And they are moving!  I can tell where the heads are, and sometimes they kick each other.  During the ultrasounds - it's amazing seeing them in there, wiggling around.

Are we ready?  HECK NO!  It's really hard to do anything much because the poor girl is so huge at this point.  I remember seeing Julie Colon's photos when she had the twins, and we were like - this isn't human!  Now Melissa is in the same stage.  Julie has been a great resource for advice - and humor.  She calls the twins belly a "mosh pit"  I feel so bad for her because she can't get comfortable at night.  Just when she goes to sleep, one of the kids will kick mom and wake her up.

I think this is training for all of the sleepless nights we're going to have coming.  I'm sure nature intended it this way.  I have never been happier in my life, and I have a feeling it's going to skyrocket from here :)

FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY!!

Time flies in a way, but then in another way I can't believe we've only been married for four years.  I honestly don't remember life without Melissa.  I thought I couldn't love her more than on our wedding day, but now it's deeper by multiples.

What a beautiful day our wedding was.  It was like an amazing dream, and I thought I couldn't be happier.  Until now four years later, and as happy as I am now, can you even imagine what I'm going to be like when there's four of us?

She has grown more beautiful as time has passed, as if that was even possible.  I have really gotten attached to the beautiful buddha belly.  She is so cute trying to get comfortable at night.  She moans and groans, and when she finally has found a position that is comfy for her, she goes, "ha".  And as I put my hand over the belly, and feel a foot, or hand, or elbow move, this just never gets old.

Melissa is a beautiful, warm, gentle, comforting, sweet, thoughtful, insightful, caring person.  Those of you who know her know what I mean.  My life is wonderful for many reasons, but the most amazing part of my life is being able to spend my life being married to this beautiful girl.