Two Cocoons
When I see your tiny red naked bodies
clad only in diapers the size of a Kleenex,
I think that nothing is more fragile, and
you’re just like the wings of a butterfly.
While one of you cries out like a hungry kitten,
the other cries out like a bleating sheep.
It hurts to see you suffering,
but I know God is good.
All the other newborn babies are giants
lying near your skinny, premature bodies.
I long to hold you in my arms,
my two little boys, and breathe in your warmth.
Already, you both have heads with hair.
Your daddy smoothes it down for you,
making you look like little men. He holds
your hands in his, no bigger than his thumb.
Baby Jacob holding Daddy’s hand.Deep blue eyes peep out to take a
look around at the world, but bright
fluorescent lights make you pinch them shut.
You frown, and we laugh at the wrinkles between your eyebrows.
Baby Nicholas, alert after eating.And with our laughter, and time,
comes more light. This light from
God brings changes, which give
us more hope and double happiness.
Bare naked bodies are leaving soft downy hair behind.
Wrinkly elephant knees are going away.
You’re filling out, and I’m so filled with joy
that my milk is helping you to grow.
I can see your ribs beneath your skin,
starting to disappear, and your tummies are poking out.
The hollow of each chest pulls in,
as you both use all your strength to breathe.
I marvel at the sight of your hands in mine.
You can barely curl them around my
magnified pinky, but you try, and you succeed,
and your knuckles turn white, because you don’t want me to go.
When you are both finally four pounds,
you still look like peanuts in your isolettes
or happy lima beans when you are all curled up.
You are happy that you are no longer bare,
but wrapped up snug and safe,
like caterpillars in your cocoons.
I’m your mommy,
your butterfly,
holding you tight,
and I can’t wait to fly you home with me.
© 1999 Angela Royse Pelleman
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13 New International Version).
My babies have grown up before my very eyes. Today they are 18 years old, and no longer boys, but young men. I thank God for bringing us through our many trials. Their very lives are a miracle, for they were born 2-1/2 months early, at 29 weeks. The older by just 15 minutes was only 2 pounds, 15 ounces. His twin was not much bigger, at 3 pounds, 5 ounces. The older spent 1-1/2 months in the NICU, and his brother came home after two months. Our family was finally together! Both babies spent five months attached to heart and lung monitors, and the second twin needed an oxygen tank. We had to learn CPR. It was not an easy road for them, nor for our family; but God has never left our side. There has been trauma and severe illness along the way, but our God has been Faithful; and He has given us miracle healings through Jesus Christ. My young men are overcomers; victorious because their strength lies in Christ alone.
I am grateful for the many gifts and talents which God has bestowed upon them in His infinite mercy, grace, and love. As homeschoolers, they are now graduating from high school, and we look forward to what God has planned for their futures. God has given them some amazing gifts and talents in the areas of art, music, computer science, and politics; and we are excited to watch them fly! But what gives me the most joy, is the comfort that both of them have knowledge, wisdom, and discernment in the Word of God. They chose to give their lives to Jesus at the tender age of four. So, as I struggle with a bit of sadness for having to say goodbye to their childhood years, I look towards the silver lining: My young men will always be children of God! They can go to Him in their greatest times of need, for they have privileges which are only given to children of God, through Jesus Christ. They have God’s protection and the ability to approach His throne without fear. They are cleansed by the blood of Jesus for their past, present, and future sins. Rejoice!
First time Nicholas and Jacob both held in Mommy’s arms at the same time!Thank you God for watching over my children who are men today. Thank you for watching over them as they get ready to make their way into the world as adults. Watch over them, guide them, and give them extra wisdom and discernment. Cover them with the blood of Jesus, and surround them with your hedge of protection, in Jesus’ name. Be their spiritual eyes and ears, as they go about working, and being the hands and feet of Jesus. Give them courage and strength to reach the lost. like King David; bless them, Lord, and make them men after your own heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray, and I thank you for the privilege of raising these two precious souls, who received you so young; and were baptized in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit! Amen!
“Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:15).
The Silver Lining 
Oh my what tiny babies! Happy birthday to your boys. I know what a blessing they are to you. 🙂
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Jeanne, thank you for the Happy Birthday wishes for my boys! I know you know they are my double blessings! It seems just yesterday that they were they age if your own son! They grow so fast! Thank you for your friendship and encouragement and love. I am so glad God placed you in my life! 💙
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Beautiful!
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What an amazing testimony of divine sustenance! I thank God Nick and Jake Pelleman have grown to become highly gifted young men who love the Lord! I pray that they continue to follow our Master Jesus faithfully and be His fruitful witnesses to their generation in Jesus’ name.
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Edith, I cannot express my gratitude for the prayerful blessing you have bestowed upon my twin young men! Thank you for honoring them on their birthday, and honoring me as their mother. This was a great gift to me to have you lift them up publicly in The Lord on your own ministry page! We have been blessed by many prayers throughout the years, and we will continue to be blessed by many others that come our way. I agree with you in prayer, and also stand in asking God for my young adults to be a fruitful witness to His Kingdom for their generation, which will affect many generations to come. Thank you my dear sister in Christ! May God bless you greatly in Jesus’ name! I love you, dear friend! 💙💙
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Amen, praise God.. they are grown beautifully, it ached to hear of the painful and heart-wrenching times you all went through, but look how wonderful and strong they are..such a beautiful poem and testimony!
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Rita, it truly was a heart-wrenching time, and I can hardly believe this happened to our little family so long ago! It seems unbelievable! God is amazing! He truly does make good out of everything, to bless us and give glory to His name! Thank you for encouraging me. I know God connected us through our suffering and our strength in Him! I love you, dear sister!!💙💙
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Such a blessing to you, and from you!
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Thank you, my beautiful kind friend! My family just prayed for yours tonight, and I look forward to chatting with you this week! Love you, April! 💙💙
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Thank you my sweet friend! I am so glad you enjoyed it. It’s incredible to think of how I wrote this love poem 18 years ago, while I was at home missing my twin baby boys in the NICU! And now… it’s their graduation! It all
happens in the blink of an eye! 💙💙 Thank you, April, for your encouragement!
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What a beautiful story! I can’t even imagine babies that small, but so special all the same.
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Rosanna, thank you! I still can’t believe they were so small, especially now that they tower over me, talk in low booming voices, and can pick me up from the floor! It truly was a tender, beautiful time which feels
like it is wrapped in a warm, gauzy filtered memory of light! Thank you for reading my story! 💙💙
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Even though they were my own babies, I still can’t imagine them that small! I marvel at how tiny they were; at how they now refuse to let me carry a box or bag, pick me up off the couch when I can’t get up, and move heavy furniture as I stand back and watch them navigate it all themselves. Tiny babies into men, right before my eyes, and I barely blinked! 💙💙
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Oh my goodness this was so beautiful! What a gift from God! And from the preemies I have known it has helped me appreciate how intricate we all are wonderfully made because we were all tiny at one time. ❤
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Thank you, sweet Cherilyn! I’m so blessed to know you enjoyed it. Can you imagine how God chose each and every little tiny detail about us when we were created in our mother’s womb? It does really make us pause a moment when we see how fragile these premature babies are, and how they are fighting for life each and every day! Love you! 💙💙
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And the picture of you with your babies is beautiful too!
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Thank you for the joyful expression about me as a new mommy! 💙💙 I was sooo happy!
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Thank you, Matthew! I love that you mentioned my boys WILL be godly men! It is everything we hope for as Christian parents… that our children will take with them what we’ve taught them about Jesus, and that it will serve them well throughout their adult lives. The Proverb that you shared is one I love! I share it often with Christian parents who worry that their children have wandered, or are going in a different direction. We raise them, and then we send them out into the world KNOWING God is in control of their well-being, protection, and love! It’s taken me a long time to get to the point of not worrying though! God has to do a lot of work on me first! He removed a root of fear and the generational blessings have been amazing! God is so good! Thank you for your contribution of truth to this blog post, Matthew. God bless you, Matthew, in Jesus’ name! ✝️
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