“Henry, NOOOOOO!!!” I tried to stop my six-year-old son from tracking manure in from the barn—it was an almost daily occurrence. That boy is his father’s son! His love for animals, fields, tractors—and preaching—filled our home daily. Fortunately, the home we’d purchased from Mr. Troyer was large enough to contain every object Henry brought in from his excursions around the farm. Unfortunately, his twin brothers caught the brunt of the daily sermons Henry preached to assert his big brother status.
The twins had come three years after Henry was born. And they came in this order:
Matthew Zechariah Steadman (5 lbs. 4 oz.) and
David Jeremiah Steadman (4 lbs. 3 oz.). Caleb and I were careful in choosing our children’s names because we believed their spiritual DNA was wrapped up in those names. Matthew’s name means: Gift of God—God remembers—Farmer. David’s name means: Beloved—God is lifted high—Farmer. They were born while Caleb was trying to get the cotton planted that year, so my mom and Caleb’s mom took turns helping us out. I don’t ever remember being as sleep-deprived as I was in those early days. But…we survived!
Even though the twins are identical, their personalities are completely opposite. Matthew is the adventurer and learned to climb to the top of the fridge early. I walked outside one day and heard his little voice say, “Look at me, Mommy!” He was hanging upside down from a tall tree branch. I tried not to gasp and make him fall. I never knew where I was going to find that boy! His laugh is as big as his heart. David, on the other hand, is quiet and easily entertained. Give him a toy he has to figure out and he is quiet for hours. He has such a gentle spirit—I have to make sure he isn’t overlooked by Caleb & I or overwhelmed by Henry & Matthew. If Matthew can’t engage his twin brother to go on an adventure, he’ll follow his big brother out the door while yelling, “Wait for ME!!”. Henry takes his job as big brother seriously. He’ll say, “Matthew, don’t pick up the big worms—you’re too little!!” I never know what I’ll find in the pockets of those two on laundry day.
All of the boys love riding in the tractor with their daddy. Caleb seldom takes all three. It’s just too crazy. But the boys get to take turns riding in the tractor and we often switch boys when we take lunch to daddy in the fields. Caleb is gentle yet firm with the boys. He wants them to learn to love the land like he does, but to also learn to respect each piece of machinery on our property. He often tells them, “God gave us these things to take care of them. We never misuse them or leave things out to rust. Always put everything back where you got it.” Matthew just has a hard time remembering.
When Jason & Jennifer Wilson, our youth minister and his wife, come to our home with Jude, the noise level skyrockets! Jude is just two weeks younger than the twins. Those three had given Miss Shirley even more gray hair while keeping them in the church nursery. Good thing she’d married George—she roped him into giving her a hand trying to tame those boys. She wasn’t shy either—she’d come to the back of the auditorium and tap her watch at Caleb if she’d had enough!
Jason told us when he dropped by, “You know that storm that’s pushing it’s way in? It’s been upgraded to a blizzard category!” Caleb and I looked at each other. I could tell he wasn’t surprised by that information and had been protecting me. I was instantly wondering how well-stocked we were with food and wood for the fireplace. But my BIGGEST worry was, “How will we get to the hospital?” I was pregnant again and due January 1–just two weeks away. This time, we both agreed we didn’t want to find out the sex of the baby. After three boys, we just assumed. I knew I was destined to be a “boy mom.” I packed a canister of Christmas cookies for Jason to take home and sat down to make out a list. I’d need to make a trip to the grocery store while Caleb went to string rope from the house to the barn with the help of his sons. We couldn’t afford to lose livestock during a blizzard—and they’d need food and water twice a day. The rope would guide Caleb in case of a whiteout. I needed to remember to get batteries for the boys’ flashlights! That always kept them entertained. And we certainly needed extra lights when our electricity went out—which happened with the slightest wind. My part-time preacher-husband, Caleb, planned to call church members and make sure everyone was ok and well-stocked—and to advise everyone we’d cancel church if a blizzard came. We would be ready. Christmas was coming…a blizzard was coming…and a baby was coming. If only baby #4 would wait until a blizzard melted.
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