With the mini mahls on the way, Teressa and I have begun to think about getting a second vehicle. To date, we have survived our entire marriage owning only one vehicle at a time. Below is a brief summary:
1998 Honda Civic DX (Green, 2-door): Totaled when I rear-ended somebody after hitting ice
2000 Toyota Camry CE (Blue/Green, 4-door): Sold to my sister and brother-in-law
2002 Honda Accord LX (Buckeye Silver, 4 door): Current
One reason we have gotten by with one car is that we've always worked at the same place. However, with the mini mahls on their way, Teressa will change companies, moving from Trinity International University to Mahl Family Inc. In addition, I know that twins also means double everything. Double the pack 'n plays, double the strollers, double the diaper bags, double the...(insert necessary item)...It appears a second vehicle will be inevitable. Not only that, it appears a BIGGER vehicle may be inevitable.
Enter the Minivan. I said I would never consider one, but I don't think there is a better option. Plus, the commercial below makes the minivan (Swagger Wagon) seem cool, right?
One of the joys of expecting is the search for the perfect name, in our case, names! Very rarely do I hear a name that I don't like. One might think finding the names of our mini-mahls would be easy. Not so fast. When faced with options for our children, I immediately feel a great sense of responsibility and pressure. Questions to consider:
What does the name rhyme with? This factor is important to consider because at some point both of our children will be in junior high.
What does the name mean? One name that we like has an ancient definition meaning "Elf Army." Can you imagine having a name that meant an army of funny-looking short people with pointy ears?
How popular is the name? Imagine this: They're five and playing in a soccer game. You yell their names and all eleven players on BOTH teams turn and look at you.
You want the name to be unique...stand out, but not in a bad way.
Well, Teressa and I really fell in love with a girls name a few months back: Olivia Grace, ("Olivia" means "peace"). If we had a girl, we seemed decided on that name...until a few days ago. Teressa informed me that she was having second thoughts.
The reason? The commercial from Activia. Apparently, for Teressa certain names often bring to mind a particular song. Yes, every time Teressa thought of "Olivia," she thought of that catchy little jingle from the Activia commercial. Teressa is afraid that every time she thinks of our future daughter, she'll want to sing: O-liv-i-A!
In November 2010, God answered our prayers. Not just that though. As He often does, God blessed Teressa and I beyond what we asked or could have ever imagined. We found out we are having twins!
I remember that day quite well. I remember the joy, disbelief, and emotion like it was yesterday. The days since have been such an experience. It is new ground for us, but we can't wait to meet our our two "mini-mahls" (thanks to Mindy Wilkerson for the nickname!).
This blog is intended to share stories, reveal lessons learned, and provide family and friends with updates about the mini mahls. Once born, the site will become quite a bit more interesting as we will for sure pictures and videos of our children. As the mini mahls get older, I'm sure that funny quotes and stories will be told.
So that's the story of "Why?" for now. Stay tuned.
