I wondered why I was getting hits on stories about Marengo’s Amanda Schulten this weekend.
Maybe it was because of the Chicago Sun-Times story you see below reporting that her conjoined twins had died last Monday.
Twenty-three days on earth; eternity with God.
This article ran in Saturday's Chicago Sun-Times, the paper that has covered the story best.
You will remember that Schulten refused to have an abortion when an ultrasound showed her children one heart.
She knew they had two souls and that their death would be in God’s hands.
The young mother’s last post on her blog “Faith, Hope and Love” was September 27th:
Sorry, I’ve been so busy being a new mommy.
Faith and Hope are 3 weeks old today!
Faith and Hope have a few rough moments but nothing to alarming.
They continue to grow and get stronger each day.
They are weighing about 10 lbs. now.
Overall they are doing well and every day is a new adventure for us to treasure.
We are so happy to experience joy and happiness with them. 🙂
We continue to have hope and savor each moment with our daughters.
We would love for you to continue to pray for Faith’s and Hope’s precious life.
Each day is amazing.
We love being parents and seeing all of our prayers answered.
Faith and Hope wore their first outfit this week which was a 3 month old dress!
They looked so adorable in clothing!
We had to adjust to make it work but it looked nice for our weekend visitors.
Our next goal is to prepare for us to go home.
Updates are tough, because every hour is spent at the NICU, but we will try to keep them coming.
Petey and I would like to thank all the great nurses and doctors at the NICU.
We have grown so close to many of you.
You many never know how much you all have encouraged us.
Thank you.
Most of all we have been encouraged by the numerous of people praying for us.
E-mails, donations, gifts, and visits. We can’t begin to express the gratitude that we have for all of you!
I am so lucky to have been given this life that I have and it is built on my faith in God.
I love you Faith and Hope!!
In her September 20, 2011, post she quoted Philippians 2:9-11:
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
That was after discussing how she was sure she made the right decision by not having an abortion, as her doctor recommended:
What if I would have listened to the doctors?
Amanda Schulten, 7-months pregnant.
What if I would have terminated the pregnancy?
What if I would have listened to what everyone else was telling me?
What if I didn’t listen to my heart?
I would have never spent 2 weeks, 14 days, 336 Hours, 20,160 minutes with my daughters.
I would have never seen their beautiful blue eyes, hold them in my arms, or kiss them goodnight.
I’m so happy and proud I didn’t make the mistake of having an abortion.
So many people have abortions and don’t think twice about it.
Being their mom I look past all the abnormalities and see true beauties.
God makes no mistakes.
I’m so grateful to have God in my life.
It has taken a lot strength to be where I am now.
If I could turn time around, I am happy to say I made the right decision.
I can’t stress enough of how happy I am to spend these past two weeks, right next to my babies.
I love watching them grow. Yesterday they were weighed at 9 lbs. 15 oz.
They are such a special gift!
Today I cried tears of JOY while I was holding them in my arms.
I looked down and they both reached for my hand and right then I knew they are worth fighting for.
They didn’t utter a word, but I knew they meant I love you mom and thanks for believing in us.
I love them with all of my heart and soul!!
I love knowing how loved my girls are to many people I barely know.
Thank you all for strengthening all of us and sending us positive emails.
Please continue to pray for Faith and Hope.
Other articles on the pregnancy and births:
(These two quotes however separate, seem best together)
Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
This is one of the miracles of love: It gives a power of seeing through its own enchantments and yet not being disenchanted.
C. S. Lewis
And as modern Republicans will tell you, its better that both babies are dead then the mother commit an “abortion” by saving one.
I heartily disagree and feel it was the mothers decision and does not fall within the conjecture of political rhetoric.
This is hardly a political stance even though you apparently choose to label all republicans that way. You’ll find both liberals and conservatives supporting either side of the controversy. Some are pro-life or conversely support the right to choose, a euphemism for pro-abortion.