Although I’ve personally known only a handful of twins, I’m currently getting an up-close look at twin grandbabies. The fact that Evelyn and Thomas arrived together, when unexpected, seems a bonus of immense proportions. Katy is often asked if twins run in her family, and she can’t give a definitive answer. It’s possible Katy did have a twin who was lost in early pregnancy, and she has had the unexplainable feeling she was half of a twin couple. In that case, the answer should be “yes”.

Evelyn and Thomas are, at only one month, already beginning to evidence personal likes and dislikes. For example, Evelyn likes to be warm; Thomas is a hot-body. Evelyn is a slow, steady eater; Thomas prefers short, frequent meals. Evelyn cries in a “snuffle”; Thomas cries with a wail. Evelyn is a night owl; Thomas is a morning lark.

They do have one fascinating thing in common, though. They genuinely like each other. If they’re crying simultaneously, placing them together stops one or both of them. It’s as if one is comforted by the close proximity of the other. They remind me of the magnetic Scottie dogs we had as children. As we moved the white dog toward the black one, suddenly they’d rush together and hold tight.

This afternoon Katy was enjoying a little cooking time while I was on twin duty. Both were fussy, so I pulled these still-floppy babies into my lap as best I could. Sure enough, the minute they touched each other, they turned their heads together and began sniffing in each other’s direction like inquisitive puppies. They tried to suck on each other’s heads and quieted down immediately, breathing each other’s air. Katy says she’s found one of them sucking on the other’s nose on several occasions, with both the sucker and suckee lost in contentment.

Might there be something unusual about this preferred togetherness? They spent nine months up close and personal before they were born, the last few weeks quite squished. No doubt there was some nose-sucking going on in that environment, also. It’s possible that being born produces extra stress on multiples due to the separation imposed on them at that time. Maybe Evelyn and Thomas are longing for each other’s company in a way the rest of us can’t understand. When they come face-to-face or front-to-back it might be a mock-return to a blissful memory.

Today while handling our twins, my thoughts went to the first biblical twins, Jacob and Esau, multiples who squabbled from the get-go. They never really appreciated each other and fell into a competition that was almost deadly. I’m sure God has a different plan for twins. Their togetherness is a marvel, an unusual gift from him, and I can’t help but think he wants them to take advantage of it.

I’m anxious to see if Evelyn and Thomas remain close pals as the months and years roll by. Thomas may gravitate toward his older brother, Nicholas, both being boys. But something tells me he’ll always look out for his twin sister. Having spent nine months and four weeks in pleasant togetherness, they’ve got a healthy head start on living their lives in one accord.

“Be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the other better than themselves.” (Philippians 2:2-3)

The day our Klaus Fredrik was born, Nate was out of town. He had taken Nelson and Lars on a father-son retreat and hadn’t returned yet, when I realized I was in labor. Mary was on hand, excited to fill in as my delivery coach, but just as we were ready to drive the 45 minutes to the hospital, Nate and the boys drove in. Since he’d been part of birthing the three older children, it would have been a disappointment if he’d missed the fourth. We left Mary and the children at our house around 7 pm, and Klaus debuted in a photo finish at 8:07 pm.

Later, as Nate and I sat in my low-lit hospital room that evening, our prize cradled in Nate’s gowned arms, we tried to decide on a name. Nate loved the name Klaus, but I preferred the name Hans. “My choice means ‘gift of God’,” I said, in an effort to pull his vote my way. “What does yours mean?”

“I’m not sure,” he said, “but I recall it’s something very positive. I tell you what. When I get home tonight, I’ll look it up and call you. If it’s a really good meaning, can we name him Klaus?”

I was thrilled our new baby’s father was passionate about naming him, and agreed. In those days, the hospital switchboard didn’t allow calls to come to the maternity floor after 10:00 pm, so Nate arranged to call the nurse’s station. They promised to notify me then, after which I could phone him back from my room.

“Guess what!” he said, when we finally connected at midnight. “’Klaus’ is a great name to have! It originates from ‘Nicholas’, and if we spell it the Swedish way [which we’d been doing with our other children’s names], it’s spelled ‘Ni-klaus’. It means ‘victorious in battle.’ Isn’t that a great way to start life, knowing your name means victory?”

I had to hand it to him. Thinking of life’s inevitable battles, ‘Klaus’ would be a fabulous name to bear. And that was that.

Klaus was born with optimism on his face, finding something positive in every situation.  He expresses his joy in life through writing and singing music and in upbeat conversation focused on life’s blessings. A student of people, he looks for the good in everyone, making friends with ease.

 Children gravitate toward Klaus. He’s got that certain something kids love, and he knows just how to fascinate them. If there’s a child in the room, Klaus is in front of him or her, working hard to win a smile. If some day he is fortunate enough to be a father, his children will be greatly blessed to have him as their dad. Little ones know no greater joy than that their father genuinely loves to be with them and chooses them over other things he could do instead.

Good times follow Klaus, and he is skilled at dispelling inertia and organizing people. But even better than a happy evening are the times when he gains new insight through his growing relationship with the Lord, a friendship he is eagerly pursuing daily. And on his birthday, this brings immense joy to his mother, who in her heart is celebrating with him from across the Atlantic Ocean.

God was good to us on May 16, 1981!

“Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion. They will not be defeated but will endure forever. O Lord, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you.” (Psalm 125:1,4)