Hello, we are the Arbaugh family and we just want to take a moment to tell you a little bit about our story and our experience at the Ronald McDonald House. Our journey began in May 2013 when we found out that we were expecting a baby, little did we know when we went to our ultrasound in June that we would find out that we were going to have TWINS!

Everything was absolutely perfect until the morning of September 14th 2013. At 9:30am my water broke at 20 weeks gestation, I left work and went straight to the hospital where they confirmed our biggest fear. They told us I would deliver within 24 to 48 hours and our babies wouldn’t make it. It absolutely crushed us. I was in the hospital for a few days, and then I was sent home to spend a few weeks on bed rest since they couldn’t start steroids or anything for the babies’ lungs until I was 24 weeks gestation.

At 24 weeks, my doctor told us that he would be much more comfortable for our babies’ safety if I was in Louisville where they had a much better Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for premature babies. We didn’t even think twice about it, we loaded up and drove 3 hours away from home to Norton Hospital where I would be spending the rest of my pregnancy until the babies decided they were ready to come. I was in Norton Hospital for 3 weeks, and at 27 weeks gestation, October 29th at 2:05am, we welcomed two beautiful baby girls into the world. Our babies were moved to Kosair Children’s Hospital where they were going to spend a lot of time learning to breathe on their own and growing. We got to go see them at 8:30am, Taelynn Grace Arbaugh, weighed 1 pound 10 oz., and her sister Trinity Faith Arbaugh, weighed 1 pound 13 oz. They’re nothing short of a miracle!

My husband and I spent the rest of our time in Louisville at the Ronald McDonald House. It was such a blessing and we still look at it as our home away from home! All the staff and all the groups that came in to fix breakfast and d
inner are so amazing. Our family will never be able to thank them enough! We spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years at the Ronald McDonald House. I thought it was going to be so hard spending the holidays away from home, I just wanted my babies to be strong enough to take home, but little did we know that the Ronald McDonald House would give us the best times to remember right there in Louisville. We got to have a big Thanksgiving dinner right there, and then at Christmas time they had a wonderful Santa’s Workshop and then they got all the guests in the house and their families’ gifts for Christmas, and best of all Santa Claus and his elves (Ronald McDonald House Staff) came to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and visited all the little babies! Such a great experience at such a rough time in our lives.

Ronald McDonald House is beyond amazing for families in need, and it’s seriously one of the best organizations we’ve ever seen. We will be forever grateful to all the staff members and all the families that came in and helped during our long but great 86 days at the Ronald McDonald House!

The Arbaugh ‘s