Couple’s prayers answered times four
By Mary Ann Wyand
BEECH GROVE—A year ago, Holy Name School first-grade teacher Ellen Taylor of Beech Grove earned a Blessed Mother Theodore Guérin Excellence in Education Award.
Taylor was surprised to receive the honor last February during the archdiocese’s 2003 Tribute to Teachers awards ceremony in Indianapolis. (See a story about the 2004 awards on page 3.)
This year, after receiving a miraculous surprise, she is taking a sabbatical of sorts from the classroom to stay at home and care for 5-year-old Zachary, 2-year-old Jacob and quadruplets Benjamin, Hannah, Abigail and Allison with part-time help from her husband, Rick, as well as relatives and friends.
“It’s definitely been an eventful year,” Rick Taylor said. “We were sort of in shock for a while, but after we brought the babies home in December we settled into a routine.”
Last May, the Taylors were thrilled to learn that they were expecting another child. They had been married for seven years and were hoping to have a daughter.
“I kept telling our family and friends to ‘pray for a girl, pray for a girl’ so Zach and Jake could have a little sister,” Ellen Taylor recalled. “Everybody prayed really hard, and all their prayers were answered.”
In August, the Taylors were stunned to learn that she was expecting not just one baby, but four babies.
Doctors prescribed constant bed rest to guarantee a safe pregnancy, she said, and Father Gerald Burkert, pastor of Holy Name Parish, visited their house to offer a blessing for expectant mothers. A eucharistic minister brought Communion to her every Friday.
Holy Name students and faculty members prayed for the Taylors during the school Mass each week, and school parents and parishioners have prepared meals for the family since last fall.
“This is what God wanted for us,” Ellen Taylor said, smiling as she and Rick expertly fed the quadruplets on Super Bowl Sunday. “My whole outlook now is trusting that God will continue to take care of us.”
Their naturally conceived quadruplets were born at 33 weeks on Nov. 28 at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.
After the multiple births by Caesarean section, doctors said the Taylor quadruplets are a one in 1.5 million occurrence because they did not use fertility drugs and have no history of multiple births in their families.
A team of more than 30 doctors and nurses assisted with the delivery of Allison and Abigail, who are identical twins, and Hannah and Benjamin.
“It was like an assembly line,” Rick Taylor said of the multiple births. “When the first baby was born, the first team came in and took the baby. Then the second baby was born and the second team came in. I just stood there and watched it all. It was very interesting.”
All the babies were healthy and weighed more than 3 pounds at birth. At 10 weeks, each baby weighed more than 6 pounds.
“When they were born, we were very fortunate,” Ellen Taylor said. “None of the babies had to be on respirators. They came home from the hospital without any monitors or medicines two weeks after they were born. That was a miracle, too.
“We’re also very fortunate that we have good medical insurance,” she said. “The hospital bill for each baby was about $25,000, and they were only in the hospital for two weeks.”
As an employee of the Nyhart Co., a third-party benefits administrator in Indianapolis, Rick Taylor understands the importance of health insurance, retirement plans and preparing for unexpected expenses.
But he never thought he would have to prepare for the births of four babies at the same time. As a result, their family financial plan quickly got an emergency overhaul to provide for their six children.
Infant formula costs $100 a week and the babies use $70 worth of disposable diapers each week. The Taylors wash two loads of baby clothes every day in addition to their own laundry.
Family members and friends gave them baby furniture, clothes and other layette supplies. Holy Name’s pastoral council presented the Taylors with a monetary gift on behalf of the parish to help with expenses, and school staff members are organizing a diaper drive.
Holy Name parishioners and school families as well as members of the Gray Road Baptist Church, Rick Taylor’s faith community, continue to help with some of their meals and expenses. Several St. Francis Hospital employees in Beech Grove donated grocery gift cards.
But the Taylors’ small, three-bedroom home can’t accommodate eight people for much longer, so they are trying to locate a larger yet affordable house.
They also hope corporate support will help them with the long-term cost of caring for four babies.
Benjamin, Hannah, Abigail and Allison will be baptized on Feb. 22 at Holy Name Church.
“When we go to Mass,” Ellen Taylor said, laughing, “we’ll probably take up the whole cry room.”
Holy Name School principal Kent Schwartz said it was quite a surprise to learn that Ellen Taylor was expecting quadruplets and would not be able to teach her first-grade class just two days before the start of school last August.
At first, he said, faculty and staff members thought she was joking.
“I was torn between sharing her joy,” he said, “and panicking about losing an experienced teacher at the beginning of the school year.”
But Swartz said the same qualities that make Taylor an excellent teacher also enable her to be a wonderful mother.
“She’s very dedicated and passionate about teaching,” Swartz said. “Her students are enthusiastic about their lessons, and there is always a calmness and orderliness in her classroom. That’s why her peers selected her for the school’s Mother Theodore Guérin Award last year.”
Faith, family, friends, organizational skills and a sense of humor are the secret to caring for four babies at the same time, Ellen Taylor said. “I love teaching, and I hope to go back to work at Holy Name School someday. But right now I’m pretty busy at home.”
(Donations to the Taylor Children Benefit Fund may be made at any National City Bank branch. Donations of diapers or other baby supplies may be taken to Holy Name School, 21 N. 17th Ave., in Beech Grove after calling the school office at 317-784-9078. To contact the Taylors, e-mail them at theismann7@hotmail.com.) †
