My Mother's Bucket List

"Wait, what? I’m having how many babies? But, but, but I’m thirty-one and already have two children. Look again, there must be some mistake. No? Really? This is not convenient." This was a little bit of how the conversation went the day I found out that I was going to have twins. As I’m sure is true with all parents of multiples, there was this surprising sense of dread, terror, love, excitement, and absolute joy upon hearing this news. My reaction, however, was nothing compared to that of my mother.

I was her golden child who in spite of my many wonderful gifts, never seemed to get anything right in her eyes. This was the day that changed all of that. You see my mother had harbored a long-term secret dream; to have a reason to go to the Twinsburg Festival.

I was absolutely baffled as my mother; the stoic, judgmental grandmother of 14 leaped from her seat, danced gleefully around the room, waving her arms and screaming at the top of her lungs, “I get to go! I get to go! My prayers are answered! Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She hugged me over and over and continued her excited dance of victory. I was completely lost as to what she was talking about, where she intended to go and why the news that I was having twins was more about her and either me or the impending little cherubs.

Once she finally calmed down she noticed the look on my face and began to explain that she had always wanted to go to the Twinsburg Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio which just happened to be a couple of hours away from us. I had never heard of this festival and certainly never knew of my mother’s secret fervent desire to attend.

So that evening while I was scouring this new vehicle called the internet for information, and learning interesting tidbits like women over 30 have an increased risk of twins. This is because the hormone FSH rises as a woman gets older. Somebody should have told me THAT one before this. I also learned that the more pregnancies a woman has, the more likely they are to conceive multiples without the aid of fertility drugs. I had two children and had lost three more, so this was another piece of information I could have used. These two facts and the pictures of what a twins pregnancy looked like and what was about to happen to my body I needed something fun and lighthearted to view. What was this festival my mom had mentioned? The Twinsburg Festival.

I had lived in Ohio most of my life and never had heard of this place called Twinsburg. What I learned about Twinsburg is that in 1976 while our country was celebrating its bicentennial, a small group of dedicated people are planning Twinsburg’s participation in the bicentennial celebration that year and decide to set aside one day for Twins, which, given the town’s name makes perfect sense.

Every year on the first weekend of August this Ohio town comes to life with the sights and sounds of thousands of multiples. There are talent shows, contests, parades, parties, entertainment, food and fun of all kinds for any and all multiples and, thankfully their families as well. You win, mom! There are even research opportunities that the multiples can participate in so that there is more information available for those of us who are clueless as to what we are facing as the parents of these very special people.

Because my twins were only a couple of months old, having been born in late June, the first year my mother conceded that we could forego this event until the following year. My babies are now five and we have attended every year since. The kids even won a costume contest one year when they, because they are named Andrew and AnneMarie, of course dressed as Raggedy Ann and Andy. The festival has grown every year that we have attended because for some unknown reason the number of multiple births has increased exponentially over the past decade. Additionally, the number of twins of my kids age in our little town in Ohio, just a hundred miles east of Twinsburg is awe-inspiring. There are no less than nine sets of twins in my kid’s class, not to mention the dozens of other sets in their school.

Personally, I draw a direct correlation from the number of twins being born and the secret desires of grandmothers everywhere for their wishes and prayers that they may one day be able to have a reason to attend the Twinsburg Festival. Being the parents of multiples is exciting and fun and never short on adventure. I can only imagine that it is even more true for the twins themselves. It certainly seems so on this very special weekend every summer in central Ohio. But nothing can compare to the joy and adventure and sense of accomplishment of the grandmothers and grandfathers who can now check one more thing off of their bucket list. Congratulations mom, and you’re welcome.