As a select few people know, Kristina and I found out that we were expecting at the beginning of August. Well, we’ve had a bit of a wild ride since then.

About nine days ago, we went in for Kristina’s first sonogram. At the time, we believed her to be about 9-10 weeks along. What they told us was that they found two sacs in her uterus, but one appeared to be empty, and the other had fetal tissue, but was showing no heartbeat. Clearly, this was not good. They ordered some blood tests, and told us that the levels of pregnancy hormone would tell us if we still had reason to believe that the pregnancy was still continuing. They also said that in many cases, people conceive two, and only one survives the initial few weeks, but until sonogram technology got to a certain point, most people knew nothing of the other child. In other words, we were iffy to have even the one child out of this pregnancy at this point. The one hope we clung to was that the original physical examination had us much further along than we anticipated, and perhaps they had the wrong conception date down, and the increased uterus size was from the fact there were two embryos. It wasn’t a lot of hope, but my, how we clung to it.

We did a LOT of praying over the next 24 hours. The hormone levels kept going up, so they were cautiously optimistic, and scheduled us for another sono, this afternoon. Kristina had some familiar symptoms from when she was pregnant with Caroline, so we were hopeful to see one pregnancy continuing, but we were still praying hard for both children.

Kristina didn’t want to look at the screen this time, so that was my job. I didn’t say anything, but immediately, I saw some familiar shapes in both sacs. Sure enough, the sono tech changed the number of fetal pregnancies on the machine from 1 to 2. Soon afterward, the sono tech told our midwife, “I hear two heartbeats.”

Sometimes, God rewards your faith and your prayers in an amazing way.

When Caroline was born, we put a Bible verse on her birth announcements, and it’s pretty appropriate right now:

“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”–Psalm 126.3

… and something’s gone horribly wrong in the basement, I suspect. It smells a little musty down there, and there’s evidence of water on the floors. Ugh.

I miss my Lexington apartment already.

***

Of course, I’d be much happier to be home if Kristina and Caroline weren’t still in California, but they’re coming home on Monday. In the meantime, at least Maggie, my Jack Russell Terrier, is happy to see me. However, Dorothy, Caroline’s goldfish (named after Elmo’s Sesame Street goldfish, of course)… well, there’s gonna be a new Dorothy when Caroline gets back home. And this time, I’m not letting my mom put the fish in a goldfish bowl. I know that’s how Elmo has his Dorothy, but fish need more water surface than that if they’re going to live. The aquarium’s coming out of storage this time.

***

As I walked home from the railroad station (I took the JFK Airtrain and the Long Island Rail Road to get home), I passed a Burger King restaurant, and it dawned on me that I’ve never seen a BK in Lexington before. I don’t think I’ve seen Wendy’s here, either.

You see, I have an ironclad rule of traveling… don’t eat anywhere you can eat at home. It’s a great rule, and it means I get to try a lot of food I’d never have otherwise, but it also allows me into most chain restaurants. Long Island is one of the least chain-saturated places in America. Folks, we don’t have Denny’s here. No Cracker Barrel, no Waffle House and no Bob Evans. No Sonic, and no Hardees. Chik Fil-A isn’t open on Sundays in New York… or on any other day of the week. WE DON’T EVEN HAVE DAIRY QUEEN. If I’m lyin’, I’m flyin’.

But here’s the thing… While I’ve done a good job of staying out of McDonalds, Arby’s (which just came back to Long Island this year), TGI Fridays and Moe’s Southwest Grill, at what point do I finally say, I’ve been in Lexington long enough that I can have a John Coctostan at Moe’s? It’s a real conundrum.

I need some help here. Somebody give me a good reason for either keeping up my stance, or ditching it. Leave your thoughts in the comments. Best reasoning gets dinner at your favorite Lexington restaurant on me. Contest open to anyone who isn’t related to me and lives in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Winner announced first week of September.

(Pretend I inserted some lawyer talk here.)