Earlier this year, our family received the unexpected and life-changing news that we were expecting identical twins. We were preparing to welcome two little boys in October, but their arrival came much sooner than we ever imagined.

After an incredibly complicated pregnancy and several hospital stays, our boys, Brooks and Brekken, were born prematurely at just 32 weeks. They have been in the NICU ever since, and while they are doing well, they still have some time ahead of them before they are ready to come home.

The weeks leading up to their birth were difficult for our whole family. Mom spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital because of pregnancy complications, which meant Dad had to take numerous days off work to stay home and care for our older children.

Even now that Mom is home, our days are still a little different than before. She gets the older kids to school, then makes the hour-long drive to the hospital each day to bring breast milk for the babies and help care for them. She then makes the drive back to pick up the older kids and spend the evenings with them.

We are doing everything we can to be there for all of our children, but this season has brought a lot of unexpected emotional, physical, and financial strain to our family. Between time away from work, travel to and from the NICU, and the expenses that come with having two babies hospitalized for an extended stay, we could really use a little help getting through this stretch.

We are incredibly grateful for anyone who chooses to support our family, whether through a donation, sharing our story, or simply keeping Brooks, Brekken, and our family in your thoughts and prayers. Every bit of kindness means more to us than we can put into words as we work toward the day all of our babies are finally home together.