Thank You to Allison Rhoades and everyone at the BEAT for doing such a wonderful job covering our story!!

Check out the links below:)

Video interview with Allison, Jacob, and Leann

Video interview with Allison and Kathy Rhoades

Written Story

Yesterday was one of my quickest days in here.  My aunt and uncle drove all the way from Bluffton to visit for a few hours.  It was nice to get to see them and actually catch up--it seems when we are at family functions we never have that time to really talk.  She was able to come down and get a glimpse of how crazy things are in my belly right now at the ultrasound.  They also brought food (which is always appreciated of course) and the cutest flower arrangement.  I will post a picture once Jacob comes tonight with the camera.  She put sunflowers in an old 7-up bottle with the Cleveland Browns logo on it--sooo cute and for those of you who really know me you know thats right on target for my taste!! :)

Jacob's parents also stopped in with food as well.  I can not tell you how good Steak-n-Shake tasted after almost 2 weeks of hospital food!  Don't believe Denny when he tells you how I ate either--it was good but I kept my manners ;) hahaha....

Tonight Jacob and Lexi are stopping up for a little while but can't stay too long because we have another house showing tomorrow afternoon.

The Browns play tonight so at least I'll have something to watch--even if Weeden isn't starting.  Who knows--McCoy might give a better game to watch anyway!!

I used to be able to eat disgusting amounts of food at a time and still feel hungry an hour later. Now, I have to eat very small meals every hour or so throughout the day. I feel full so fast and then shortly later I am starving. It's definitely something new to get used to!

The best news of today is hitting that 24 week milestone!! Now we are looking to making it to 26 weeks-as much as I am ready to come home I'm more ready to get these babies healthier so they have as short of stay as possible in here once they are born!

Today is much easier to stay in bed with the rainy weather...it helped me sleep most of the morning away!!

This afternoon I am busy trying to finish up the last of the thank-you notes from our shower and a few school things that I'm trying to get together for my sub. Darlene is coming to visit tonight as well so I know she will help pass some time too!

The doctors are excited to see me make it to tomorrow's milestone of 24 weeks... It's funny how their whole tone in conversation changes with each week that passes. Once we reach tomorrow my next short term goal will be 26 weeks.

It feels like I have been in here for a month already but it's only been one week. I'm thankful to finally be getting some sleep but I really miss Lexi and Jacob. They both have so much going on right now and I can't help but feel left out no matter how much they call or visit. I can't wait to have this all behind me...I wish I could fast forward a few months and be at home with 5 healthy babies, Lexi,and Jacob- even if it will be chaos!!

The good news is that Tuesday is our 24 week mark already- I feel like I can rest a little easier with each week milestone!

Last night was a much more restful night.  I had my parents pick up a mattress pad to go over the hot, slippery, plastic covered hospital mattress, I bought the more heavy duty maternity band and I found an app with all different types of white noise to play to help us relax.  One of those things--or the combination of all three--helped me finally get some rest!!  I feel like I'm catching up on 2 days worth of missed sleep though because now I just want to climb back into bed and take another nap! 

This afternoon should pass quickly as well.  My parents will be coming up for a few hours in the afternoon, Shvonne will be here after school (with french fries to top it off!) and then Jacob is coming after he drops Lexi off at soccer practice to watch the Browns game.  Company always helps pass the time!!

Govanni and Kensley have definitely been running the show the past two nights. They start being really active around 11:30 or so and don't give in until after 2:00 in the morning. Then they are back at it before it is even6:00. It has been impossible to get much sleep lately! I have tried eating, not eating, walking, sitting, reading, blankets propped under my back, my belly, my side, nothing works! This is when I really miss having Jacob with me...he could always make me relax when I got like this at night time.

I know most of this is because they are getting much bigger so I'm able to feel more movement and ultimately that is a good thing however it is quite the emotionally draining process!

In the last week we have had 3 couples go through our house--Finally!!  They all really liked the house but were looking for more of a yard apparently.  I'm hoping they don't find anything better and come back to us--haha!

My parents are also in town for the weekend to help get Lexi on the bus these first couple days of school.  We are hoping that she hooks up with someone at the bus stop who she is comfortable with getting on with in the mornings.

Today is definitely a huge milestone in our pregnancy. We have made it to 23 weeks- the point the medical field considers the birth of the babies to be viable. Although the complications would be immense if something drastic were to happen this week we would have a chance of everything being ok... A small chance but still a milestone!

Yesterday before I even had a chance to eat breakfast several doctors came in my room and explained- again- all of the possible health concerns we could be faced with-- especially if they were to be born this week. They asked how I would want them to proceed if delivery were to happen this week and while I tried to be as polite as possible and understood it was their obligation to ask I couldn't help but get slightly annoyed. I told them I wanted them to proceed no differently than if they were born at 30 weeks- if there was a complication I wanted them to do everything in their power to save them. When I said that the doctors explained that these complications could lead to mental retardation, blindness, etc... I looked at them and said I understood all that already. Having a child with a disability is not a reason for me to order the doctors to not try to save them. They are each a part of me now- I love them like I love lexi- they are my children regardless of ability. I hope I have several weeks of being pregnant left to give them the best possible chance for a healthy delivery but you never know how things could work out.

Well, I wish I had something exciting to write about but I really dont!!

It was nice though that Jacob brought Lexi and his parents with him when he visited. We played a couple hands of UNO to pass some time but before you knew it I was back in the routine of talking to them over face time and boring myself to a nap... Hahaha.

I started taking a shot today that will help prevent blood clots while I am on bed rest. I also have to wear these stockings to help keep blood flow moving while I lie in bed- they are pretty fashionable and not uncomfortable at all so I really LOVE wearing them- hope you sense the sarcasm there!

Jacob and I are both big football fans so it kinda stinks that we cant watch the games together this season-especially the Browns- even if I did complain every week about how early he wanted to go tailgating!! Tonight we at least felt like we could watch the colts and steelers game together though through face time. Face time also came in handy when I needed to go over Lexis summer reading packet with her. You would think that she would have it done before now considering she lives with two teachers but we are just like the kids and enjoy summer to it's fullest!