And Baby Makes Three!

Yesterday - Wednesday, July 8th, 2009, at about 7:30 a.m. - Casey and I received the biggest news we could ever hope to get: We're Pregnant!

I had been feeling kind of iffy for a few weeks, but my hormones have been really off for the past three months, so I figured it must be part of all of that. Just to be sure, I took a pregnancy test about a week ago, and it came back negative... mostly. There was only one line, but very, VERY faintly, there was the slightest ghost of another line. I decided that, if I continued feeling strange, I would wait one week and then test again. That was a long week... luckily, though, I was able to wait it out (barely) by promising myself that Wednesday morning I could test again. Well, I did, and this picture was the result!

Casey hadn't left for work yet, but I couldn't quite tell him. I was still processing the whole thing myself. Not to mention, because of the fact that I have had so many hormonal issues recently, I wasn't 100% sure yet that I was actually pregnant.


As soon as Casey left for work, I drove to the store to get another brand of pregnancy test. I could hardly wait to take the test! I had to slam down three or four glasses of water first, but , the next test was just as successful as the first one had been!





























Two positive pregnancy tests - proof positive of my dream come true!!! YAAAY!




Once I was fairly sure that this wasn't some kind of elaborate hoax on the part of the pregnancy test companies, I started to get really excited. I have been struggling with my desire to be a mother. Struggling because I have felt for so long that we are in a good place to begin our family, and in my heart of hearts, I have always - ALWAYS - wanted to be a mother. As far back as I can remember, I have made my decisions based on having a family. But, practical woman that I am, I recognize that there are some inherent challenges to starting a family this year - like the fact that I am a first year teacher, perhaps...

In a perfect world, we had planned to start trying next summer, so that I could get through my first year of teaching without the added stress of pregnancy. But this feels like an overwhelming gift from God! Regardless of the timing, I can't believe I am actually pregnant!! This is what I have wanted for so long, and it is an amazing, AMAZING gift to have it come true! W-O-W! I couldn't be happier about it!

Okay, enough of my reverie and back to the story...

Now that I was fairly sure of the "occupied" status of my womb, I was quickly devising a plan to tell my husband. I ran to the store to buy "What to Expect When You're Expecting" (YAY!), and put both the book and those lovely sticks in a box, which I wrapped and bowed carefully.

When Casey (finally) got home, I told him that I had a present for him and gave him the box. I set up the video camera so I could record the whole thing, and his reaction was priceless. He was surprised - I knew he would be. But he was also excited, which absolutely thrilled me. I think he is going to be an amazing father, and I am amazed and grateful and beyond excited that we will have that opportunity in 9 months!