2009- Full of Change

2009 is already promising to be a very HUGE year for me... lots of change, but filled with blessings.

Where do I begin? Let's rewind a couple of months ago to the beginning of this story- well, maybe not the absolute beginning, which you will understand why... :)

October 10, 2008- Brad and I attended a Red Carpet Event thrown by one of the Chicago magazines, which was really fun and sponsored by Effen vodka. Very cool and lots to keep you entertained. I was feeling pretty tired even when I was getting ready to go out, and feeling like a true old lady, was telling Brad I was not sure how long I was going to be able to last. I wasn't in the mood to drink anything, and everything Brad brought to me tasted like dirt! I finally just settled for a beer, and stopped at the one. About 11:00, I was ready to go home, but Brad was able to get another 30 minutes out of me. I had to work the next morning, so I think he was sympathetic for that. Thank goodness.

October 11, 2008- Saturday morning. I hate Saturday mornings, as I hate having to get up out of the bed and watch Brad continue to snuggle in the bed. Then, I have to watch my 2 dogs assume their new position in my spot. So, I had decided the night before I was going to take a pregnancy test, but was thinking I was just going to wait until Monday. Something told me that morning to just go ahead and do it. I was still half asleep when trying to wrestle the package open, thinking I was not going to be able to hold my bathroom urge. I made it... barely. After taking the test, I placed it on the box on the sink, proceeded to get my shower ready, and nearly forgot to check! I glanced down before hopping in the tub, and almost fell over. It was a digital test, so there were no lines to worry about if they were really there or not.
Clear as day: P-R-E-G-N-A-N-T
HUH????
Now, I need to explain the next few moments. We have one of the those hanging mirrors on our bathroom door, so as I flung the door open, it went crashing back and forth making the LOUDEST noises... so, naturally, Brad and the dogs sit up in a panic, thinking something was terribly wrong!
I stand there completely sobbing, and after Brad asks if I am ok, I tell him we are pregnant, among the tears.
Brad immediately breaks into smile and jumps up and hugs me. I am in meltdown mode. Not that it is not what I wanted, I just thought it was too good to be true- it only took us 2 months, whereas I thought it would take us MUCH longer!! I was definitely in shock!!!
We both are standing there with tears running down our faces. like time had stopped. Our lives so drastically changed in that very moment. We immediately decide we can't call our family, because we knew we wanted to wait until we were further along to be safe. I had to call someone, so I called our best friend, Marissa. She was in NC, on her way to worship practice, and she was thinking I was dying, as I just cried into the phone. Once the words came out, I think she almost wrecked her car!!! She had to pull over, and was SO excited I was finally joining her club :) A special thank you to Riss for keeping our secret for so long, and offering so much support and encouragement!!!
After a few minutes of celebrating, I had to continue to get ready for work, and went on with my day as if nothing had happened. This is when I get to brag about my truly amazing hubby.

So, on my way home from work, I called Brad to let him know I would be there in a bit, and he asks me if I am stopping off anywhere. I explain I am dropping by Walgreens, and he inquires if I was going to pick up another test. I tell him that was my plan, and proceeds to say, " Well, I was reading in my book that we should take a 2nd test just to be on the safe side."
Excuse me? Your book? What book? The only baby book we own was a Baby Name Book I had picked up at a garage sale like 3 years ago. He then tells me that he went downtown on Michigan Avenue to the Borders, and bought some books. OMG- what a guy!!! I get home, and he has bought each of us a couple of books. I was completely floored!!!


Present time- We had decided to wait to spread the word of our news until we saw the family over the Christmas holidays. I think that is the hardest thing we have ever had to do... keep a secret from EVERYONE!!! It really made it feel like it was not really happening... aside from the HORRIBLE first 3 months that I endured. I would read down the symptoms list, and would wonder why I was experiencing EVERY one of them! I would constantly feel like I had a 300lb Sumo wrestler sitting on my chest. Everything I tried to eat would make me feel nauseous, and all I wanted to do was lay in the bed.

I will explain in detail how we told each part of the family in my next post, which hopefully I can attached the recorded reactions of the parents. HYSTERICAL!!!! They especially were shocked when they would ask how far along we were... 4 months!!! The fact that we kept it hush hush for that long amazed everyone!! It is such a weight off our shoulders that we are no longer keeping our secret!!!

Now, hopefully, you all will understand why I have been slacking at the postings. I had no energy to even begin to explain what was going on with me, but too many of you would have caught on.

And just so we are clear- there will be very few belly shots on here in the future. We all know what it will look like, so we'll just go with that :)