Surprises in threesome

A timeworn cliché is that things happen in threes. That apparently includes surprises. At least, it does for two families—one in Iowa and one in Tulsa—whose surprises came as a threesome, as in triplets. I’m not sure about your definition of a surprise, but for me adding triplets to the family would classify as a surprise.

Recently, a pastor and his wife in Waukee, Iowa, Luke and Joni Trimm, decided to add to their family of three children. They had heard that many frozen embryos donated for in vitro fertilization go unused. They decided it would be great to grant life to one of these embryos. So, they investigated and were approved to receive an embryo for implant.

However, because so many implants do not take, the decision was to implant two in hopes that one would be successful. The frozen embryos were shipped and both were implanted. The surprise came earlier this month when Joni went in for an ultra sound.

With Luke watching, the technician began the ultra sound and a healthy heartbeat was heard. The Trimms were excited. Then, the ultra sound picked up a second heartbeat. Wow. Surprisingly, both implants were successful. But, it didn’t end there. A third heartbeat was heard. One of the embryos had split and developed into twins.

To their surprise, the Trimms are going to be parents of triplets, thus doubling their number of children. In an interview aired on TV station KCCI, both expressed joy about the surprising development. Pastor Trimm said they were honored that God was entrusting them with three more children. That, he said, is a “big deal.”

Earlier this year, Andy and Sarah Justice of Tulsa were surprised with triplets in a different way. They had been married for more than three years and been unsuccessful in their effort to have children. They consulted a specialist and discovered that the process needed to possibly achieve their goal was quite expensive. So, they decided on adoption and contacted a faith-based crisis pregnancy group.

Through the group, the birth parents or birth mother picks a family she wants her child to go to, and a mother chose Andy and Sarah Justice. Sarah began taking the birth mom to her doctor appointments. At one of those sessions, it was discovered that the mom was going to have triplets. In an interview with News 6 in Tulsa, Andy said that was great with them; they wanted kids. They got them. The boy and two girls were born last May 18.

But the surprise wasn’t over for the Justices. A week after the triplets were born Sarah found that she was pregnant. Again, not the end of the surprises. Sarah is going to have twins in January, a boy and girl. “God has a great sense of humor,” Sarah said. Even though they will have five babies under the age of one, Andy and Sarah said they couldn’t be happier.

I find it interesting that the mother adopting triplets and soon to be the birth mother of twins is named Sarah. Remember, the Bible records that God surprised Abraham and his wife Sarah by saying that she would give birth to a son though long past childbearing age. Sarah laughed at the news, but she gave birth at age 90.

My wife and I aren’t 90 (give us 15 more years); nonetheless, I am glad that her name is Carol, not Sarah. I wouldn’t be real big on that kind of surprise.