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April 9, 2007

And babies make 5

Twins then triplets, answers local couple's prayers for grandchilden

By Tanjie Schrimsher

Two years ago, Tommy and Marcella Coblentz of Athens had begun to think they weren’t going to have any grandchildren.

After all, their eldest child, Quenta Coblentz Pollard, was in her early 30s and had been married for nearly a decade.

Within days of the wedding, Marcella had asked her daughter and new son-in-law, Al, when she could expect a grandchild. The quick answer had been “not anytime soon” and the two had stuck to their word.

Tommy Jr., their middle child, was in his late 20s and he and his wife Julie were much like Quenta and Al in that they were solidly focused on their careers.

Daniel, their youngest child, was 23 and just getting started on married life, living in Mobile with his bride Joana.

“I used to moan and groan at church all the time,” Marcella said of watching her friends – one by one – become grandparents.

Then last year, Tommy and Marcella’s prayers were answered.

Fives times over.

In a six-month span.

Twins Abbie and Kate were born to Tommy Jr. and Julie on March 20. Quenta and Al welcomed triplets Sept. 14.

“One Christmas I didn’t have any grandkids and by the next Christmas I had five,” Marcella said.

Last week the the five cousins met for the first time when — on the occasion of the twins’ first birthday — Al and Quenta made the drive from their home in Dallas, Texas with William, Jackson and Addison in tow.

Marcella said the whirlwind of grandbabies is at once overwhelming and truly wonderful.

With a sparkle in her eye she recalls getting the news — on the day after the twins’ arrival — that Quenta was carrying triplets.

“I have a picture of her brother on the phone when she told them she was having triplets,” Marcella said. “You can see Julie just laughing and laughing.”

Tommy Sr., jokes about how their younger son Daniel’s wife Joana has warned the happy grandparents not to expect her to outdo anyone when the time comes for more Coblentz grandchildren.

“She said, ‘Mr. C., two is OK and three is good but I can’t have four at one time,’” he said.

Quenta and Al say they have adjusted well to the drastic changes their daughter and two sons brought into their lives.

Previously the self-described career-minded couple took frequent motorcycle trips as well as annual vacations to the ski slopes and the beach.

“I truly believe that with one baby we could’ve continued in the lifestyle we had,” Quenta said.

She said she believes God’s hand was at work in many ways when the Pollard triplets were born.

“We’re very family focused now,” she said. “With triplets, you have to be. You’re outnumbered from the get-go.”

Both Quenta and Al have returned to work, Al when the babies were four weeks old, Quenta when they were four months old.

They say they feel blessed to have found a wonderful nanny from amongst their church family in Texas.

Also, the Pollard babies are already sleeping through the night and all three are generally happy and content most of the time.

“They are very, very good babies,” Quenta said. “I think God said if He was going to give us three, they would all be very good. Otherwise, you couldn’t handle it.”

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