Mohney: Are you seeing double? The Mohney family is

If you are a member of the Mohney household, you are happily seeing double these days. Twin boys were born on Friday, Sept. 20, to my granddaughter, Ellen Mohney Gray, and her husband, Ryan Gray. They live in Atlanta, and both are on staff at Northpoint Community Church.

On that special Friday, I awakened with excitement and a bit of anxiety. I had heard there has been a 76 percent increase in the birth of twins since 1980. Reasons for the increase, it is believed, come from the fact women giving birth today are older and that many have received fertility treatments.

Quickly, I decided I would focus instead on things for which to be grateful. For example, the pregnancy had been normal, though uncomfortable, I'm sure, for my granddaughter. I telephoned her at 9 a.m. to say she would have lots of love and prayers going up from my home.

In typical enthusiastic fashion, Ellen replied, "Hi, Gran, I'm so excited! I've had my shower, and we'll be leaving for the hospital shortly."

"Good grief," I thought, "she sounds as if she's going to a picnic."

The "we" she mentioned were, of course, her husband and her parents, Ralph and Jackie Mohney.

The obstetrician, Dr. Bret Lewis, has not only a great medical reputation but also is their personal friend and had been baptized in their church the preceding Sunday. They were in good hands medically, and I knew that the great physician had them in his watchful care.

That very day, I read an article written by the late theologian Reinhold Niebuhr titled, "The Miracle of Spiritual Rebirth." As I awaited my son's call, I thought how physical birth is equally as miraculous. The call came at 1:42 p.m. when Ralph proclaimed, "The boys, Carter James Gray, 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and Maddox Jude Gray, 5 pounds, 12 ounces, arrived safely, both with a good set of lungs. They and Ellen are doing well."

The great-grandmothers and the entire family look forward to a whole new life adventure.

Nell Mohney is a Christian author, motivational speaker and spiritual leader. Contact her at nellwmohney@comcast.net.

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