Inspire, Fall 2003

20 Fall 2003 Even so, the timing of everything needed divine intervention. Lisa and Nicole had the same due date (June 28) but were going to deliver their babies at different hospitals, about 70 miles apart. As Jeri wondered how it would work out for her to be with both daughters should they indeed have their babies on the same day, God again showed His faithfulness. Nicole and Darin’s son was born eight days early while Josh and Lisa’s daughter was born five days late. Lisa had been praying that her baby would be born on July 3, the first day her doctor would be back from vacation, which is exactly what happened. When Lisa’s daughter arrived, Jeri was finally able to catch her breath and slow down. Helping her daughters through their pregnancies was both physically and emotionally challenging. Jeri said that sometimes Satan would test her faith with recurring thoughts of doubt and fear that would try to rob her joy. “I would wonder ‘what if ’ one of my daughters was not able to carry her baby to term,” she recalled. “It would be a lifetime of watching the other two babies and knowing that there was a third.” Remembering that God orchestrated this triple pregnancy is what repeatedly removed that fear. “He had the plan,” Jeri said. “Trusting in that belief always brought my joy back.” The sisters say this experience has brought them closer. “Going through the same things during this special time put us on the same page,” reflected Lisa. Andrea added, “There are seven years between Lisa and me, and so for most of our lives we’ve always been at different stages. This was an opportunity for us to finally have something in common together.” The shared pregnancies naturally led to some comical and memorable scenes. A favorite was when Nicole was eight months pregnant and Andrea was weeks away from delivering. Andrea had come to Nicole’s baby shower, and when they went to hug each other they discovered that something had come between them — their expanding bellies. Another favorite memory was Mother’s Day. Jeri and the expectant daughters having lunch together made the day extra special. “We got some strange looks and questions,” Jeri noted. “People couldn’t believe that all three sisters were Naptime for Lucas David, Isaac Dale, and Sidney Rose