I have tears in my eyes as I write this post tonight.  I am overwhelmed, but with feelings of love.  I am so humbled by a complete stranger.  Although it is a tough “job,” being a mom of twins is rewarding.  It is so special.  It’s an honor, and I have always felt this way since the moment we found out I was carrying two precious babies.  Sure, we were shocked. It took a while to sink in.  Once I wrapped my head around it, I realized how incredibly blessed I was that my body entrusted me with carrying two children, at the same time.  I have had a rough few weeks, for a number of reasons, but tonight, I was given a very special reminder.

After I put the kids to bed for the night (hopefully), I went downstairs to check the mail. There was a FedEx box at my door.  I brought it inside, desperately trying to remember what I ordered.  Assuming it was something I found online for the kids, I opened the box and found a beautiful coffee mug and a hand-written note.  The thing is, I do not personally know the woman who sent this to me, but she just made all the difference in my day.

A few weeks ago, I got a message on my phone from the bank saying I needed to call them back with a “time sensitive issue.”  They said I could call back and speak to any representative that answered, and they would be able to help me.  As I was cooking dinner, setting the table, and emptying the dishwasher, I figured, why not call now?  The woman who answered my call, Cassie, could not figure out why they had told me it was an urgent matter.  Apparently, they wanted to make sure I had the correct form for our taxes.  As I was on the phone with her trying to get to the bottom of the situation, one of the kids walked into the kitchen and went right for the stove, as another tried to grab for the knives in the dishwasher.  I told them not to touch and then apologized to Cassie for yelling in her ear.  She said to me “Maria, let me tell you something.  If you need to be a mom while we are on this call, go be a mom and I will be here.  I am a mom too; that’s actually my ‘real job’ so I completely get it.  Do what you need to do.” I thanked her for those kind words and then we began talking about our kids.  It turns out, we both have twin boys and a singleton child.  Her twins are much older than mine, so I asked her if it got easier.  She assured me that it did get easier.  She said “three is rough, so you still have a while to go, but when they turn four, they are like your best buddies.  It becomes so different.” We spoke for a very long time about life with twins, the insane and asinine comments people tend to make, the bond you share with other twin mothers, how crazy and difficult life can be sometimes, etc.  We talked about how people always say “double trouble” to parents of twins, but really, we are “doubly blessed.”  We shared stories of our kids’ births and NICU journeys, the fact that they are both sets of fraternal boys, and how much fun and interesting life is with twins.

When it turned out that there was no actual need for me to talk to her about banking, I said to her “So you mean to tell me this was divine intervention?  Somehow, life knew that I was having a particularly rough day and needed another twin mom who ‘gets it’ to answer the phone and tell me it gets better?”  We kind of thought the circumstances of the call were funny.  At one point, Todd walked in and heard parts of the conversation.  He thought I was talking to a twin mom friend from a group I am in (those ladies deserve a post of their own, another day) and couldn’t believe it was someone I didn’t even know, at the call center of our bank. That’s how much Cassie and I connected in such a short time.  I thanked her profusely for the conversation, for the encouragment, and giving me just what I needed at that point in time and we hung up.  I was so impressed that she took so much time to be honest with me and have a real, heartfelt conversation.

When I opened the package from her tonight and realized what it was, and who it was from, I cried.  I cried for the gift that was given to me when I needed to be uplifted.  I cried for the bond that I shared with a woman I don’t know because we both happened to carry two babies in our bodies at once.  I cried because a stranger took the time out of her day, and the money out of her own pocket, to get me a gift that was so incredibly meaningful. Cassie, thank you.  This gift means more to me than you will ever know.

I am proud to be a mother of twins.  I will always have a special connection with Taylor, and nothing can ever take that away, but being a mom of twins is unreal sometimes.  I am a firm believer that kindness matters.  You get what you give.  I often go out of my way to help other twin moms, just as many have done (and still do) for me.  I help get formula, pass down clothing and baby gear, offer advice when asked, and simply give words of encouragement when they need it most.  The twin mom community is so special, that I can not adequately describe it. I am honored to be part of it.

Whether you have twins, singletons, or no children at all, always remember that kindness is what makes the world go round.  There is no need for anger and hatred when there is so much kindness and love to be spread around.